Mike Beckham (Simple Modern) | Missionary turned $225M drink-ware mogul

Join us as we sit down with Mike Beckham, the co-founder and CEO of Simple Modern, a company that has gone from challenger to incumbent in the drinkware industry with a unique blend of style, quality, and philanthropy. Mike shares his journey from the nonprofit world to building a $250M+ profitable business, emphasizing the importance of mission-driven entrepreneurship. Discover how Simple Modern's commitment to giving away 10% of their profits has not only shaped their company culture but also fueled their remarkable success. This episode is packed with insights on scaling, maintaining a strong organizational ethos, and the real meaning behind business excellence. Don’t miss out on this inspiring conversation that goes beyond business to explore deeper questions of purpose and impact.

Sponsors:

Ramp

IQBar - Amazon

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Scaling and Overstimulation 
00:00:25 - Welcome to Eating Glass 
00:02:45 - Introduction to Mike Beckham 
00:03:45 - Nonprofit World Insights 
00:05:45 - Business with Dual Purposes 
00:07:45 - Impact of Previous Experiences 
00:09:00 - Quality of Life Insights 
00:11:00 - Money and Contentment 
00:12:00 - Responsibility and Trade-offs 
00:13:45 - Rapid Company Growth 
00:16:00 - Working with Family 
00:17:45 - Business Partnerships 
00:19:00 - Product Longevity Surprises 
00:21:15 - Breaking Growth Barriers 
00:22:30 - Sales Channels Expansion 
00:23:00 - Drinkware Market Fragmentation 
00:24:45 - Fashion and Trends 
00:25:45 - Domestic Manufacturing 
00:26:15 - Oreo Principle 
00:27:45 - Challenges of Growth 
00:29:45 - Entrepreneurship Motivations 
00:31:00 - Market Opportunities 
00:33:45 - Customer Satisfaction 
00:34:45 - Amazon Strategy 
00:36:15 - Product Excellence 
00:38:00 - Digital Tools Advantage 
00:40:00 - Brand Evolution 
00:42:00 - Pricing Strategy 
00:43:00 - Operational Excellence 
00:45:15 - Competitive Advantages 
00:47:00 - Challenger Brand Strategies 
00:49:00 - Value and Quality 
00:51:00 - Growth and Inventory 
00:53:00 - Product Trends 
00:55:00 - Licensing and Customization 
00:57:15 - Focus vs. Variety 
00:58:45 - Scaling and Distribution 
01:00:15 - Strategic Insights 
01:02:15 - Direct Response Marketing 
01:04:00 - Business Model and Philanthropy 
01:07:00 - Motivating the Team 
01:10:00 - Building Organizational Values 
01:12:45 - Financial Discipline 
01:15:00 - Banking Relationships 
01:18:00 - Forecasting and Growth 
01:20:00 - Collateral and Credit 
01:22:45 - Rapid Fire Questions 
01:24:15 - Entrepreneurial Truths 
01:25:45 - Startup Myths 
01:27:15 - Personal Value Proposition 
01:28:45 - Biggest Mistakes 
01:30:00 - Personal Life Impact 
01:32:45 - Long-Term Impact 
01:35:00 - External Validation 
01:36:15 - Hiring Strategy 
01:37:30 - Cultural and Character Moats 
01:39:00 - Wrapping Up

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.

Website: https://www.mikebeckhamblog.com/
X: https://x.com/mikebeckhamsm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikebeckham/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebeckhamsm/