Increasing Revenue from Six to Eight Figures through Bootstrapping with Ryan Alovis, LensDirect (episode 459)

Ryan Alovis is the CEO at LensDirect. The latest iteration of the eyewear business founded by his great-grandfather in 1910. Ryan bought back the family business in 2009 growing it 30,000% since then. The current setup is a fully custom eCommerce store doing over $25million per year.

Ryan Alovis LensDirect on eCommerce MasterPlan Podcast

Listen now for free:

Subscribe on your Favourite Podcast App

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Listen on Spotify
listen on YouTube

Dive in:

[05:20] How LensDirect built a custom site for their business.
[08:27] Combining relationships, technology, and customer satisfaction for success.
[10:48] Seizing opportunities wisely.
[16:34] On success from 80% culture and 20% leadership
[18:51] Using SMS is highly effective for building a customer list and pushing sales.
[22:26] Adopting a profit-first mindset.

Ryan’s eCommerce Journey

Before LensDirect, Ryan got into eCommerce by starting a magazine subscription site in the mid-2000s. He developed a passion for the subscription continuity model, which later influenced his approach to LensDirect.

Ryan shares that LensDirect is a family business he bought back because he saw the potential for growth. Additionally, the brand’s name and its family connection made the decision to repurchase it feel right.

LensDirect’s Custom Website

The decision to build a custom website for LensDirect in 2023 was driven by the complexity and extent of their product catalog. Existing eCommerce platforms couldn’t accommodate their needs, leading to the challenging decision to build from scratch.

He mentions that it’s also difficult to enter the optical eCommerce space. Not only do you have a huge amount of SKUs, but you also have to get manufacturer approvals, which is not easy to do.

Innovation and Customer Focus

For Ryan, the focus is always making it as easy as possible for their customers to get their product. To enhance customer experience, they implemented innovative technology such as virtual try-ons and online vision tests. 

He adds that their willingness to use existing technologies or build new solutions themselves is always for the improvement of the customer’s buying journey. This focus on customer perspective and forward-thinking decisions is key to their success.

The Proper Mindset for a Bootstrapped Business

Ryan says there are benefits to maintaining a bootstrap mentality in their business. It forces them to be careful and thoughtful with their decisions while also being aggressive with opportunities. There’s also the freedom to make decisions without external financial pressures. 

He acknowledges there’s a fine line between being careful and not being overly cautious in entrepreneurship. In the same way, there’s a need to be patient, but not too patient. Success comes from different factors, but a large part of this is finding the right balance.

Team Culture and Leadership

Ryan shares that team mindset and culture are important in their business. He mentions that around 80% of it is about hiring people who naturally have the right mindset, while the remaining 20% is influenced by the company’s culture.

He also believes in being a leader rather than a boss and sets an example for his team by working collaboratively and leading with enthusiasm and positivity.

eCommerce Book Top Tip

eCommerce Traffic Top Tip

  • For Ryan, it’s SMS and they use Attentive for their SMS marketing.

Tool Top Tip

  • Slack productivity platform

Carbon Top Tip

  • At LensDirect, they focus on minimizing plastic, cutting unnecessary packaging, and recycling.

Interview Links

Related episodes

  • Double Your Shopify Sales every Year with Story and Product – SOLIOS watches’ Samuel Leroux (episode 403)
  • Growing a reCommerce business to £5.5m through great customer experience with Helen Lord from UKE (episode 399)
  • Bootstrapping an illustrated homewares brand with Hepsie Goddin from Martha and Hepsie (episode 361)

Without the sponsors the podcast wouldn’t be possible – please do check them out:

Connected Sourcing logo

Connected Sourcing are your trusted procurement partner, specialising in connecting small and medium sized businesses with suppliers in Asia. Our services include product design, product sourcing, freight forwarding and legal services.
 
Contact us today for a Free 1-hour Consultation to see how Connected Sourcing can assist your business by increasing your bottom line and helping you grow.


zitec logo

Is your eShop facing hiccups? Want to boost sales without the tech headaches? Do you need clarity on what would best suit your eShop’s needs? Or you need a tech partner to help with addressing your business goals. Zitec’s Continuous Improvement Services is your answer. With over 20 years in eCommerce, we’re the experts in Magento, Symfony, and WordPress. We don’t just maintain; we transform.

Hear it from the pros: The Director at Beko says we’re all about “professionalism and genuine commitment to success.” And Brico Dépôt? They’re raving about our “flexibility and predictability.”

For a limited time, we’re offering a 15% discount on our tailored maintenance packages. But this is not about our maintenance packages as much as it is about your actual requirements. Let’s have a chat! Tell us what you’re looking for, and you can choose from our predefined package or we can provide tailored solutions to address your pain points. Don’t miss out on a partnership that’s proven to drive results. Ready to elevate your eShop game? Contact us!


episode 500 ebook

Have you yet downloaded our ebook?

To celebrate reaching Episode 500 we’ve created an EPIC eCommerce success-focused ebook.

Packed with FIVE HUNDRED Top Tips about how to make your eCommerce store more profitable.

Featuring the advice of many, many past guests, alongside industry experts and many from you – our listeners.

Chloe has checked every single tip, and organised the whole thing into sections for you.

Making is super easy to dip and dip out and take inspiration as and when you need it.

This ebook needs to be sat on your desktop – or (even…) printed and sat on your desk.

Download your free copy right now


Full transcript to read & download:

Click to access

Like to be a guest? Apply Here