Brandfathers How He Built A $100M/ Year Business From His Garage (Ryan Duey)
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Sep 10, 2025 Ryan Duey, Co-founder and CEO of Plunge, shares the inspiring journey of transforming a garage startup into a $100 million powerhouse during the pandemic. He dives into the essential branding strategies that helped the company thrive, including the comedic mishaps of building a cold plunge brand. Ryan discusses the evolution of influencer marketing in wellness, the surge of wellness hospitality, and the innovative design behind their saunas, blending aesthetics with functionality. His personal anecdotes bring an engaging twist to the startup narrative.
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Founder Drop Tours Drove Authentic Content
- The founders toured with a U-Haul dropping units at high-profile homes and filmed casual iPhone footage that performed well.
- These unstructured visits led to organic long-form endorsements like podcast segments and viral videos.
Humbling Laird Hamilton Delivery
- A high-profile drop at Laird Hamilton's house initially felt awkward when founders almost missed meeting the hosts.
- The moment humbled Ryan but didn't erase the many other high-value relationships they built on those tours.
Pandemic Accelerated Wellness Demand
- COVID accelerated interest in personal health and made cold therapy culturally relevant, expanding the addressable market.
- Wellness trends and increased health focus created tailwinds for at-home recovery products like plunges and saunas.
