Trade Show Tactics: How Haley Swank Built Flikr Fire Without Paid Advertising

In this episode of Retention Chronicles, Mariah Parsons sits down with Haley Swank, Executive VP at Ecom AI and former co-founder of Flikr Fire, to discuss how she helped build and scale a unique DTC and wholesale brand. Haley shares how Flikr Fire’s innovative isopropyl alcohol-powered fireplace went from a garage startup to a booming business, primarily through trade shows rather than traditional DTC marketing. She dives into the challenges of launching a single-product brand, the power of wholesale partnerships, and how creative retention strategies—like SMS-driven cocktail recipes—helped drive repeat sales. Plus, Haley gives an inside look at the process of exiting the company and what she learned along the way. Tune in for valuable insights on scaling, customer engagement, and the wholesale eCommerce model!

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 - 02:00 – Introduction to the episode and guest, Haley Swank, Executive VP at Ecom AI and former co-founder of Flikr Fire.

02:00 - 06:45 – Haley’s entrepreneurial background: childhood businesses, passion for product development, and early business mindset.

06:45 - 10:50 – Studying Outdoor Leadership & Management, working at REI, and the chance encounter that led to co-founding Flikr Fire.

10:50 - 16:00 – The inspiration behind Flikr Fire and the process of developing a proprietary cement for a safe, alcohol-fueled fireplace.

16:00 - 21:30 – Launching the business through trade shows instead of traditional DTC marketing, securing $9K in orders from the first event.

21:30 - 27:00 – Scaling through wholesale: building relationships with major retailers, learning B2B strategies, and overcoming early challenges.

27:00 - 33:00 – Retention strategies for wholesale partners: exclusivity, customization, and creative collaboration with retailers.

33:00 - 38:45 – Entering the DTC market: overcoming skepticism about email and SMS marketing, and the success of SMS-driven cocktail recipes.

38:45 - 42:00 – The unexpected impact of retention strategies and the shift in mindset toward customer engagement.

42:00 - 45:15 – The process of exiting Flikr Fire: valuation, finding the right buyer, and lessons learned about selling a business.

45:15 - 47:26 – Final takeaways and reflections on growing, scaling, and selling a brand, plus closing thoughts from Mariah and Haley.