As the COVID-19 pandemic has become a more manageable virus, we all thought things were turning a corner.
Founders and businesses were hoping for no more shutdowns, no more supply chain delays, and startups would be plush with VC money.
We were supposed to be out of the woods.
Yet, here we are in June 2022, with a raging war between Russia and Ukraine, rising gas prices, baby formula and food shortages, uncontrollable inflation, and waves of company layoffs.
Now we’re bracing for what seems like a recession looming, and it’s reframing how founders and businesses are thinking about their own paths forward. Survival of the fittest becomes real.
It’s not about growth, it’s about profitability.
It’s not about overhiring, it’s about staying lean.
It’s not about flippancy, it’s about scrappiness.
And this period will change the course of history. It’s been said that many “great companies” were born during recessions, but how did they actually do it?
How does anyone survive during what seemed to be the worst possible time to run a business?
We’ll explore these topics and questions in our new SwagUp podcast called Out Of The Woods, a series where we interview founders from all industries on how they’ve gotten (or are planning to get) out of the woods. Real, candid conversations about business and life.
First Episode With Ron Shah Founder & CEO of Obvi
Michael sits down with Ron Shah, the CEO of the rapidly growing Collagen Supplement brand Obvi, which has gone from 0 to $30m in just 3 years. We discuss how bootstrapped teams are navigating the current economic environment, how to optimize cash flow, how to drive LTV, and how to make your offering more attractive with consumer spending declining.
Out of the Woods is hosted by Michael Martocci, the Founder, and CEO of SwagUp, the leading Swag Management Platform that has empowered over 5000 companies to manage the creation and distribution of branded merchandise globally.
The goal of Out of the Woods is to help as many startup teams make it to the other side of these uncertain economic times by arming them with insights and tactics from those on the front lines.
About Guest:
Guest Name: Ron Shah
About Ron Shah:
Company: Obvi
About Obvi: Obvi is a protein supplement company that helps people feel younger!
Ron Shah is the CEO and Co-Founder of Obvi, a collagen protein supplement brand focused on helping young people feel and look good as they grow older. He has an outstanding background in accounting and performance marketing where he’s been able to take that expertise into Obvi and skyrocket the business.
Upcoming Line Up:
Andrew Gazdeckicki, Founder of MicroAcquire
Sam Lewkowict, CEO of BlackWolf
Greg Galant – Cofounder & CEO of Muckrack
Eli Weiss – SR Director Of CX & Retention at Jones Road
Mike Beckham – CEO of Simple Modern
🚀 Check out more details on Spotify
