187 | Greatness Comes From Trying and Failing Multiple Times | with Mike Beckham

Mike Beckham is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Simple Modern, a leading producer of premium drinkware and lifestyle products. 

Founded in 2015 and based in Oklahoma, Simple Modern currently generates a nine-figure annual revenue and is committed to generosity, donating at least 10% of annual profits to nonprofit organizations. 

Under Mike’s leadership, the company has grown into a category leader for Amazon, Target, and Sam’s Club. 

In addition, Simple Modern will be launching in Walmart stores nationwide in spring 2022. Prior to founding Simple Modern, Mike spent over a decade working for the worldwide Christian ministry CRU. 

Equipped with a deep understanding of the nonprofit sector, Mike transitioned into the business world and helped found and operate several e-commerce businesses, which cumulatively generated more than $1 billion in revenue. 

Mike graduated with a degree from the University of Oklahoma Price College of Business, where he currently serves as the senior entrepreneur-in-residence.

In This Conversation We Discuss: 

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:08] What brought Mike to the Ecom game
• [05:09] Accepting that Amazon wins the Ecom fight
• [07:12] D2C brands transitioning into traditional retail
• [08:43] Make your brand indispensable to platforms
• [09:25] Brands reaching “escape velocity”
• [10:48] The newer value props for D2C
• [14:12] 2 ways to position a D2C brand to customers
• [15:34] Reasons to invest in domestic manufacturing
• [17:56] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io
• [18:16] Sponsor: Mesa apps.shopify.com/mesa
• [19:04] Sponsor: Loop loopreturns.com/honest
• [19:57] Sponsor: Klaviyo klaviyo.com/honest
• [20:44] From the starting phase to the scaling phase
• [21:59] Moving into the enterprise level
• [23:09] 2 Ecom things that catch people off-guard
• [24:48] Ecommerce can make you age fast
• [25:40] Mistakes Mike wants you to avoid
• [26:41] You have to have a learning mindset
• [27:29] Process-driven mindset vs results-driven mindset
• [29:11] Entrepreneurship doesn’t start with novelty
• [30:45] Trying is what makes people great
• [32:26] Being a net positive brand/business
• [34:15] Where to find Simple Modern

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Connect with Mike linkedin.com/in/mikebeckhamsm
• Stylish water bottles, travel mugs, food storage, and backpacks simplemodern.com
• Scale your business with electriceye.io
• Download Mesa at the Shopify App Store apps.shopify.com/mesa
• Transform your returns into exchanges loopreturns.com/honest
• Get started with a free account at klaviyo.com/honest

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!