328: Building a Brand: How Crossnet Went from 2 Sales/Month to 8-Figures

Would you quit your day job and move to Miami to sell your new product while playing on the beach? Sounds like a dream and this founder made it a reality, with a lot of hard work, motivation and talent.  This episode’s guest is Chris Meade, the founder of Crossnet, one of the fastest-growing games in the US.  Chris has been on an incredible journey from quitting his job at Uber to moving to Miami to sell his dream game on the beaches. Crossnet has grown incredibly fast due to an organic viral video and word-of-mouth marketing with live events and influencers. In just a few years they’ve gone from selling 2-5 nets a month to an 8-figure business.  Crossnet started as DTC and has expanded into big-box retail and Chris shares some of the opportunities and challenges that came with that shift.  This is a great founder's story and an inspiration if you have a product idea. I hope you enjoy it!  Episode Highlights: 4:21 What exactly is Crossnet 5:09 How the idea of Crossnet was born  7:36 Getting people to care about a brand at the start  10:09 The catalyst & viral video that started the growth 13:02 Being frugal and why Crossnet has been successful  13:50 Initial marketing wins  15:17 Talking to customers and adjusting marketing to speak to them  16:50 The role of founder and changes from 2 sales a day to 8-figures  18:11 Going from eCommerce DTC to big box retail  20:54 iOS 14: its impact and how Crossnet is measuring metrics now  23:43 Tips for success with influencers  25:47 Structuring retainer deals with influencers 27:24 Supply chain issues and manufacturing in China  32:03 Advertising: agencies or in-house? 33:55 Lessons from running a seasonal business  36:21 Chris’s favorite marketing resources  37:47 Content marketing on LinkedIn 39:40 Keeping a team engaged and excited about the product  Resources: Crossnetgame.com @Cjmeade on LinkedIn  @chrismeadej on Twitter  Book: Double Your Profits by Bob Fifer The Coalition @a_brawn on Twitter Review or subscribe on iTunes