From selling handmade leather belts and wallets out the back of his Chevy Station Wagon to becoming one of the top businesses for handmade leather hats, it’s safe to say Gary Watrous (our founder) doesn’t mess around. 

He’s been perfecting his expertise for nearly 50 years and with the help of his son Garth, his daughter-in-law Hannah, his wife Merry-Lee, and several other family members who have been integrated into the business, he has been able to take American Hat Makers to new heights. 

Today, Garth has assumed command and is shaping a new direction for the hat company as we know it. In 2017, Garth was elected president of the Headwear Association and has used this position to impact the worldwide hat industry. 

Also known as Monterey Bay Hats, Head’N Home, American Hat Company, and American Hats, the American Hat Makers continue to bring the most durable, high-quality, handmade hats to the market. 

And when we say there’s a hat for any occasion, we mean it. 

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:14] How Garth got started on the hat business
• [02:17] Experiencing the start of the internet and COVID
• [06:18] After trying multiple websites, what made it work?
• [08:12] The “Field of Dreams” approach is not realistic
• [10:33] American Hat Makers’ numbers
• [12:20] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io
• [12:40] Sponsor: Mesa apps.shopify.com/mesa
• [13:28] Sponsor: Rewind rewind.com/honestecommerce
• [13:59] Sponsor: Klaviyo klaviyo.com/honest
• [14:46] Chase’s perspective on LTV
• [15:56] How American Hat Makers improved AOV
• [16:59] Customers adding more to their cart
• [17:42] Hotjar and its invaluable data
• [18:48] Mobile compatible vs mobile first websites
• [19:39] How American Hat Makers got expert help
• [20:50] Don’t be afraid of failure
• [21:57] Learning marketing was not enough
• [23:02] Garth’s approach on delegation
• [25:03] The “50-year old startup”
• [25:56] The other side of being an entrepreneur
• [28:22] Family still matters at the end of the day
• [29:47] Where to find American Hat Makers

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Proudly handcrafting hats in the U.S.A. for over 40 years americanhatmakers.com
• Connect with Garth linkedin.com/in/garth-watrous-30378731
• Scale your business with electriceye.io
• Download Mesa at the Shopify App Store apps.shopify.com/mesa
• Level up your customer support gorgias.grsm.io/honest
• Respond to any of Rewind’s welcome emails and mention HONEST ECOMMERCE to get 1 month free rewind.io/honest
• Get started with a free account at klaviyo.com/honest

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