A Group Chat Inspired a Multimillion-Dollar Brand
Executive Summary
Shopify Masters episode in which the host talks with Bart Szaniewski, Grant Eastey and Ejay O'Donnell, the three friends behind Dad Gang, a hat brand that says it has sold more than 250,000 hats in two years. They explain that Dad Gang began as a phrase in their group chat, used like a safe word when a dad had to step away, and became a vintage-style logo on snapback hats. They say the first 100 hats sold out in less than 36 hours to friends and family, then strangers started ordering, and they kept going without outside pressure. They describe a VIP Facebook group that became a support community for dads, and early fulfillment from a garage and then a living room during Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2022. The show is produced by Shopify, which is the named sponsor and platform in the description. PARTIAL COVERAGE: the captions cover roughly the first 15 minutes of the 32 minute episode in detail, so later topics are not summarized. All claims are the guests' own and are not independently checked. Nothing here is financial, legal or medical advice.
Key Takeaways
Group chat safe word
Grant says dad gang was the code phrase used in their text thread to pause a conversation on a hard day.
Why a hat
Grant says a hat is a simple, high quality product that makes a statement.
A logo from a vintage idea
Bart says he asked Ejay, who designs everything, for a vintage cursive logo inspired by old mechanic shop signs.
100 hats for fun
They say they made 100 hats with no major business expectations and posted them on Instagram.
Sold out in 36 hours
They say the first batch sold out in less than 36 hours to friends and family, then strangers began ordering.
Community of dads
Ejay says a VIP Facebook group became a support group where dads could share and feel understood.
Fulfillment chaos
They say Bart shipped from his garage, then Ejay turned his house into a 3PL during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2022, with up to 800 orders a day.
The Conversation Breakdown
Group chat safe word
⏱ Untimed topicGrant says dad gang was the code phrase used in their text thread to pause a conversation on a hard day.
Why a hat
⏱ Untimed topicGrant says a hat is a simple, high quality product that makes a statement.
A logo from a vintage idea
⏱ Untimed topicBart says he asked Ejay, who designs everything, for a vintage cursive logo inspired by old mechanic shop signs.
100 hats for fun
⏱ Untimed topicThey say they made 100 hats with no major business expectations and posted them on Instagram.
Sold out in 36 hours
⏱ Untimed topicThey say the first batch sold out in less than 36 hours to friends and family, then strangers began ordering.
Community of dads
⏱ Untimed topicEjay says a VIP Facebook group became a support group where dads could share and feel understood.
Fulfillment chaos
⏱ Untimed topicThey say Bart shipped from his garage, then Ejay turned his house into a 3PL during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2022, with up to 800 orders a day.
Core Frameworks & Ideas
Start tiny - Dad Gang's 100 hats
Test with a small run before building a business.
Community first - Ejay's view
Build a space where customers support each other.
Keep it simple - Bart and Grant's approach
Keep making content and trying things instead of chasing scale.
Actionable Next Steps
- ✓Test an idea with a small batch and share it with people you know.
- ✓Find the inside joke or phrase your community already uses.
- ✓Choose a product with no sizing complexity if you are starting out.
- ✓Treat the founders' account as their own story, not business advice.
Notable Quotes
“it's by dads for dads”
“we don't scale to the moon”
“we did not have any like major business expectations”
The One Thing to Remember
The Dad Gang founders say a group chat code phrase became a hat brand because they made 100 hats for fun, kept it simple, and let a community of dads grow around it.