How BLD BRO Built a Fast-Growing DTC Brand with Shopify, Amazon and Community (episode 610)
Tariq Kazemi is the co-founder and CEO at BLD BRO, a British skincare brand championing “bald confidence”. Founded in 2021, they did £3.5million last year and are growing fast via their Shopify store & Amazon.
In this episode, Tariq shares how BLD BRO grew from a small Instagram community into a multi-million-pound eCommerce brand. He reveals the practical decisions behind that growth, including their Amazon launch, lean SKU strategy, in-house fulfilment, and why they outsource specialist marketing expertise instead of trying to do everything themselves.
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Dive in:
[05:41] Early funding and avoiding crowdfunding
[09:45] Keeping product line focused
[10:59] Managing product diversity and packaging
[16:41] Building an eCommerce team
[17:43] Optimizing website conversion strategies
[23:00] Starting the hair loss journey
[25:58] Listen to Tariq’s Top Tips!
Build a community before you build a product
BLD BRO started as an Instagram community, not a store. The founders spent two years talking to bald men before they launched a product. That gave them real customer insight and an audience that already trusted them. Many brands try to buy attention after launch. This episode shows the power of earning attention first and turning that into long-term demand.
Solve a specific problem instead of launching another generic product
The founders did not put a new label on an existing skincare formula. They developed a mattifying SPF designed specifically for bald scalps. That clear positioning helped them stand out in a crowded beauty market. Customers understood the benefit immediately. The episode is a strong reminder that niche products often win when they solve one problem exceptionally well.
Keep your SKU count under control as you grow
BLD BRO has grown quickly while keeping its range to just five core SKUs. Tariq explains how every new product adds packaging, inventory, cash flow, and operational complexity. Many eCommerce brands add products too early and make the business harder to run. He shares how they decide whether a new SKU is truly necessary. It is a valuable lesson for any brand trying to grow profitably.
Use Amazon strategically, not by default
Amazon was launched only recently, yet it already represents around a third of UK sales. BLD BRO lists its core products there but keeps bundles and upsells exclusive to its Shopify store. That allows them to capture Amazon shoppers while still protecting direct-to-consumer value. Tariq also explains why Amazon creates trust for customers who may hesitate to buy from a newer brand website. The discussion offers a practical framework for brands deciding how much of their catalogue to put on Amazon.
Outsource expertise, but own the customer experience
The founders openly admit they were not eCommerce experts when they started. They chose to work with specialist agencies for areas such as performance marketing, CRO, PR, and CRM. At the same time, they kept warehousing in-house so they could control quality, packaging, and customer experience. Tariq shares both the benefits of great agencies and the risks of keeping mediocre ones for too long. This balance between external expertise and internal ownership is one of the most useful operational lessons in the episode.
eCommerce Book Top Tip
- The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton
eCommerce Traffic Top Tip
- Test traditional brand channels for stronger trust and potentially better negotiated media value than digital-only acquisition.
Tool Top Tip
- Granola connected to Claude to automatically record meetings, summarize notes, and create action points.
Carbon Top Tip
- Use infinitely recyclable packaging, especially aluminium tubes, and reduce plastic use while working toward more local manufacturing and packaging production.
Interview links
Related Episodes
- Increasing Philip Kingsley’s Profits with Strategic Promotions with Lauren Duncan (episode 510)
- Building a $2M eCommerce Brand Through Community-Driven Marketing with Hema Natesan (episode 529)
- How Cooki Haircare Grew from 4 Sales a Day to $3M with Jaimee Vilela (episode 531)
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