Bootstrapped Growth: Inside Tumble’s DTC Journey With Justin Soleimani and Zach Dannett
Release Date: 04/09/2025
How Fire Department Coffee Built a Mission-Driven Ecommerce Brand With Luke Schneider
Minds of Ecommerce
Luke Schneider is the Founder and CEO of Fire Department Coffee, a veteran-owned coffee company he launched in 2016 in Rockford, Illinois. A US Navy veteran and former firefighter-paramedic, Luke built the brand to combine his passion for high-quality coffee with a mission to support firefighters and first responders. Under his leadership, the company has grown from a small roasting operation into a nationally distributed brand. Luke also founded the Fire Department Coffee Charitable Foundation, which provides aid and resources to sick or injured firefighters and first responders. In this...
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Minds of Ecommerce
Greg Rollett is the Head of Growth at Grommet, a product discovery platform that helps makers, inventors, and ecommerce brands showcase new and unique products to millions of shoppers. As an Emmy Award-winning producer, Greg has helped Grommet launch over 2,000 products in the past two years to a customer base of more than 2.5 million shoppers. Beyond his role in driving Grommet’s growth, he focuses on helping ecommerce brands with actionable strategies, particularly in partnership and affiliate marketing. In this episode… Affiliate marketing is often treated like a side project by...
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The Growth Strategy That Took Blinds.com from Startup to Billion-Dollar Exit With Jay Steinfeld
Minds of Ecommerce
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How To Scale DTC, Amazon, and Retail Simultaneously With Chad Massura
Minds of Ecommerce
Chad Massure is the Founder and CEO of Rosy Soil, a company creating peat-free, carbon-negative potting soils designed to nurture both plants and the planet. He grew up gardening with his grandmother, a background that sparked his passion for sustainable horticulture and inspired him to reimagine what soil could be. Before founding Rosy Soil in 2022, he worked in the impact and food space, helping build ventures focused on sustainable food access and social good. Since then, Chad has guided the brand from a small startup to a rapidly scaling company while maintaining a strong commitment to...
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Scaling With Micro-Influencers: Lessons From Goorin’s Ambassador Strategy With Nicky Cutler
Minds of Ecommerce
Nicky Cutler is the B2B Marketing Manager at Goorin Bros., a premium hat and apparel company known for its cult-favorite line of trucker hats featuring embroidered animal patches. A seasoned marketer, Nicky led Goorin’s to over $1 million in affiliate revenue in two years by building and scaling Goorin’s ambassador and influencer programs. He previously worked across sales and retail leadership at Goorin and also launched his fashion brand earlier in his career. Blending brand building, community storytelling, and retail insight, he’s become known for driving culture-first marketing...
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Minds of Ecommerce
Cherie Hoeger is the Co-Founder and CEO of Saalt, a woman-owned period care brand known for its sustainable, reusable cups, discs, and leakproof underwear. With expertise in leveraging education-driven customer engagement and innovative sales channels, Cherie has led the company to become the #1 period care brand on TikTok Shop. Before Saalt, she worked as a technical writer for over a decade and launched multiple ecommerce ventures. As a social entrepreneur, she has steered Saalt’s mission to donate tens of thousands of cups and underwear globally to fight period poverty. In this...
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Scaling Brand Loyalty Through Social Impact: Lessons From Barefoot Wine With Michael Houlihan
Minds of Ecommerce
Michael Houlihan was the Co‑founder, President, and CEO of Barefoot Wine, an iconic brand that he and his partner Bonnie Harvey launched in a laundry room in 1986 with no money and no knowledge of the wine industry, and built one of the top wine brands in the US and in 28 countries. It was eventually acquired by E. & J. Gallo. A renowned writer, speaker, and consultant, Michael co-authored the New York Times best-selling book The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. He currently divides his time between mentoring entrepreneurs and working on...
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Newton’s Proven Playbook for Influencer Marketing Success With Aaron Zagha
Minds of Ecommerce
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Minds of Ecommerce
Wade Brown is the Vice President of Marketing at cbdMD, a publicly traded company known for its CBD and cannabis product lines. He is a seasoned executive with expertise across ecommerce, B2B and B2C channels, digital advertising, and strategic partnerships. Wade has led marketing for restricted product categories, including CBD, THC beverages, firearms, and tactical gear, with leadership roles at SupplyKick, Inc Authority, NatureWise, among others. At cbdMD, he drives customer acquisition and creative ad strategies, spearheading the launch of the Herbal Oasis infused beverage line and...
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Building a Global Snack Brand Through Retail First With Hassan Alireza of The Daily Crave
Minds of Ecommerce
Hassan Alireza is the Founder and CEO of The Daily Crave, a California-based snack company that crafts better‑for‑you, non‑GMO, wholesome snacks sold worldwide. He launched the business in May 2012 with Veggie Chips and Sticks, which quickly gained traction in national retail chains. Under his leadership, the brand has expanded its lineup to include award-winning quinoa chips and, more recently, Crunchy Fries To-Go, which are made from high-quality non-GMO potatoes and are both gluten-free and kosher. Hassan’s vision focuses on delivering snacks that are delicious, crunchy,...
info_outlineJustin Soleimani is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Tumble, a Los Angeles-based company specializing in machine-washable, spillproof rugs designed for modern living. Before establishing Tumble in 2021, he worked as a consultant at Bain & Company, advising clients across various industries. Justin holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA in Economics from Emory University, where he met his Co-founder, Zach Dannett. Under their leadership, Tumble has grown significantly, scaling to high eight-figures in revenue within four years.
Zach Dannett is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Tumble. Before Tumble, he served as the General Merchandise Manager and Buyer & Merchandiser for Outdoor Furniture at Noble House Home Furnishings, LLC and as an Investment Management Associate at BBR Partners. Zach earned his BBA in Finance from Emory University's Goizueta Business School in 2011, where he met his Co-founder, Justin Soleimani.
In this episode…
Breaking into the ecommerce ecosystem with a physical product — especially a large one like rugs — comes with unique logistical and financial hurdles. From expensive shipping costs to supply chain inefficiencies, many startups fail to develop a sustainable model. How did a product-focused, bootstrapped brand scale successfully without sacrificing profitability?
Justin Soleimani and Zach Dannett, experts in DTC product development and operations, tackled this challenge head-on by designing a modular, collapsible rug that’s easier and less expensive to ship. Justin and Zach spent over 15 months perfecting their design before launching, focusing on optimizing everything from the product’s dimensions to its warehousing footprint. They emphasize the value of focusing on profitability from day one by cutting out unnecessary SKUs, refining your supply chain, and tailoring offerings to fit consumer needs and carrier constraints.
In this episode of the Minds of Ecommerce podcast, Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews Justin Soleimani and Zach Dannett, Co-founders and Co-CEOs of Tumble, about building a nearly nine-figure DTC brand. They share how product-first thinking drove early success using the value of modular design, shipping optimization, and bootstrapping strategies. Tune in for insights on crowdfunding, curated product assortments, and manufacturing challenges.