eComFuel Podcast Building A $10M+ Brand by Doing What Others Won't
Mar 27, 2026
Kareem Raslan, co-founder of BrainGain and builder of an eight-figure adjustable-dumbbell brand. He talks about growing during COVID, optimizing supply chain and fulfillment, making first orders profitable, choosing 3PLs, localizing for Europe, and using customer surveys and smart marketing to boost conversion.
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IP Risk Turned Into Supplier Partnerships
- Early success with generic Alibaba products invited legal risk: cease-and-desist letters exposed IP pitfalls of reselling homogenous goods.
- That pressure forced them to partner with manufacturers for exclusive distribution and co-created products.
Make Logistics Your Moat
- Choosing heavy, logistically hard products creates a competitive moat because most sellers avoid the complexity.
- Optimizing packaging (splitting 40kg into four 22.5kg boxes) and shopping multiple 3PLs drastically cuts unit costs.
Choose 3PLs By References Not Promises
- Vet 3PLs beyond headline rates: ask for references that match your product weight and channel, and verify responsiveness and hidden fees like returns and residential handling.
- Diversify 3PLs regionally to avoid single points of failure.