I Love Makers

They epitomize the American Dream

Dec 20, 2022

Saddle up, Lock, & Load,

Welcome to Dog Whistle Branding, the official newsletter of IRONBOUND Media, brought to you by me, "IRON" Mike Steadman, Founder of IRONBOUND and The Godfather of Dog Whistle Branding.

Dear Friend, Subscriber, and Aspiring Dog Whistle Brand Owner,

I have a soft spot for Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) brands, especially those run by Do-it Yourselfers (DIYers)

My girlfriend, Symone Gates, is a maker. Most weekends she’s working pop-ups all around New York City for her brand, Sincerely Bade, an e-commerce brand that provides handcrafted and holistic body care made from natural herbs & botanicas. She makes all her products in-house from her apartment in Harlem.

It’s been amazing to have a front row seat to watch her work over the years.

After attending all the various different maker markets with her, you can’t help but fall in love with the entrepreneurial spirit of makers as they sell soap, jewelry, and other DIY products.

I know in the age of technology, a lot of the attention around entrepreneurship focuses primarily on venture backable startups, like B2B tech tompanies or large consumer brands. But there’s something pure about makers.

For many of them, it’s not about money. Sure, they want to cover their expenses and make a profit, but more than that, they want to express themselves through entrepreneurship.

When you buy from a maker, you realize you're investing in their hopes, dreams, and aspirations for a better future.

That’s why any time I attend a pop-up, I go out of my way to make sure I talk to the vendors, give them words of encouragement, and purchase products.

I know all entrepreneurship brings its own set of challenges, but it’s no secret how difficult DTC can be. I spend a lot of time researching best practices of DTC brands, subscribing to newsletters like ThingTesting, your go-to place to research and review online brands, and reading books like, Ramping Your Band: How to Ride the Killer CPG Growth by James Richardson, and The Direct-To-Consumer Playbook: The Stories and Strategies of the Brands that Wrote the DTC Rules by Mike Stevens

One of our core values at IRONBOUND Media is “Lifting As We Climb.” Although I’m not an angel investor or venture capitalist yet, I’m coming up with creative ways to invest in makers, like my girlfriend, through education and content.

I told my team that one day I want to create our own self-funded venture studio, where we can incubate brands we believe in. When we do, makers are welcome.