EP. 46 Great Brands Know How To Tell Their Story

John Merris, CEO of Solo Brands, has spent a life trusting his gut and doing what he loves- Leading companies and building meaningful brands. John talks about the wisdom learned from growing up on a ranch in Texas and how lessons of doing worthwhile things the “Right” way, still influence and guide how he runs organizations today. Being the CEO of a public company means there is much more scrutiny on how you operate, but fortunately for John, this comes naturally. He believes that the best way to find success in your profession is to actually treat the company, like it’s your own- Take care of your environment, don’t mindlessly spend money and give it a 100%, every day. John believes that the key to building an unstoppable culture is NOT to try to build one- Instead, live out what you want your company values and ethos to be. Culture is built and sustained from the top and Leaders must serve as the example for others to follow- You should never expect your Teammates to do something you are not willing to do. Solo Brands is a Brand of Brands- Which means they really have to know who they are and how all their company stories (from Oru Kayak to Chubbies) resonates with their customers. John strongly believes that building a brand is about knowing how to tell your story and especially echoing why you matter to the world. Often times we can be mired by the things we build instead of the impact we make. Solo Brands is not a company that just makes innovative fire-pits and fun apparel, but they stand for helping folks create good moments that leave lasting memories. Brands are about what you believe and how you make people feel- Not what you make.