Ridge CEO Sean Frank discusses the brand's unconventional path to potentially a $1 billion valuation. By embracing an omnichannel strategy including Amazon and traditional retail, bootstrapping for profitability, and strategically diversifying product lines beyond its hero wallet, Ridge offers a blueprint for sustainable growth that eschews typical DTC playbooks. This episode is a must-listen for brands seeking to scale profitably without relying on venture capital.
Accessory brand Ridge, best known for its wallets, is getting closer and closer to a $1 billion exit. CEO Sean Frank has been saying this for years but thinks the option may come sooner rather than later. "If I want to sell for $1 billion, you need $100 million in adjusted EBITA, or we need roughly $50 million in net income," he said. "I think next year, we'll probably get to $50 million in net income." Frank joined the Modern Retail Podcast and spoke about the company's growth as well as the state of consumer brands. Frank thinks Ridge's trajectory has been different from that of many other direct-to-consumer brands. For one, it never took on venture capital and instead grew every year while remaining profitable. What's more, while Ridge does sell via its website, it's long been available in other channels like Amazon, Nordstrom and Best Buy. "We've never touted a DTC flag. We were never like, we're not going to sell on Amazon," he said. What's more, Ridge -- which just added YouTuber Marques Brownlee as a board member and chief creative partner -- figured out early on that it couldn't just rely on a hero product as a means to scale. "I don't want to pick on anybody, but if you look at, like, an Away -- they still sell luggage, and they've sold luggage for 15 years at this point," he said. "It's more or less the same piece of luggage." Conversely, Ridge has expanded into new products like phone cases and men's wedding bands. "We have these cohorts that are like, 'Yeah, I love the product, it's great. But I don't need another wallet.' There's nothing we can do to get them to buy another wallet," he said. "So we were like, OK, let's figure out what other people want." With all of this, Frank is trying to continue to grow the company while looking at future prospects. While Ridge may reach its goal for a billion-dollar valuation, he's still waiting and seeing. "It's just if we want to sell or not, right?" he said. "Does it make sense for the brand with what's going on