Honeylove’s Betsie Larkin & Igor Lebovic: Building a $200M Company Together
OPERATORS · with Betsie Larkin & Igor Lebovic · September 10, 2026 · 88 min
Summary
Betsie Larkin and Igor Lebovic share Honeylove's journey from an "accidental idea" to a $200M DTC brand, highlighting critical steps like product-market validation through crowdfunding. Ecommerce operators will gain insights into scaling a brand, navigating competitive landscapes, and the unique dynamics of co-leading a business. The episode offers valuable lessons on leveraging founder instincts and strategic decisions to achieve significant growth in the DTC space.
Key takeaways
Validate product-market fit early, leveraging platforms like Kickstarter for both funding and proof of concept before significant scaling.
Understand how to position your brand in a competitive category, recognizing that even celebrity-backed competitors can sometimes grow the overall market rather than hinder your progress.
Develop clear roles and communication strategies when co-leading a business, especially as a couple, to effectively manage both personal and professional dynamics.
Embrace iterative product development and strategic expansion, continually refining and broadening your offerings based on customer needs and market opportunities.
Cultivate strong founder instincts to guide critical business decisions, particularly during rapid expansion phases, to maintain brand vision and growth trajectory.
What does it take for a married couple to build a $200 million brand together? Betsie Larkin (Founder & CEO, Honeylove) and Igor Lebovic (Co-CEO, Honeylove) sit down with Matt Bertulli (CEO, Pela Case & Lomi) and Jason Panzer (President, HexClad). The conversation traces an accidental idea, the crowdfunding math, and the founder instincts that shaped every expansion. Kickstarter only entered the DTC playbook after Betsie proved product market fit on tour. The brand’s sculpting body shapers and tummy control styles kept expanding the line. Betsie explains why a Kardashian-backed competitor helped the category instead of hurting it. Matt and Jason press on the mechanics of running a business with your spouse. Powered By Shoplift https://shoplift.ai/operators Shiphero https://9ops.co/shiphero-titans SARAL https://www.getsaral.com/special-guided-walkthrough-for-operators AppLovin https://applovin.com/9operators https://www.9operators.com/paid-growth
Validate product-market fit early, leveraging platforms like Kickstarter for both funding and proof of concept before significant scaling.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Understand how to position your brand in a competitive category, recognizing that even celebrity-backed competitors can sometimes grow the overall market rather than hinder your progress.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Develop clear roles and communication strategies when co-leading a business, especially as a couple, to effectively manage both personal and professional dynamics.
What does this episode say about finance & fundraising?
Embrace iterative product development and strategic expansion, continually refining and broadening your offerings based on customer needs and market opportunities.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Cultivate strong founder instincts to guide critical business decisions, particularly during rapid expansion phases, to maintain brand vision and growth trajectory.
