Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick and Jennifer Coddou.
Patrick and Jennifer, please share your story with us.
It was three days into a west coast road trip at the beginning of 2017 – somewhere between Monterey and Santa Cruz – that Jennifer and I decided to take the leap. Up until that trip, we had lived our lives planned out to the last detail. The only problem was that the plan wasn’t going how we had intended. Eight years into climbing the corporate career ladder, it wasn’t leading where I thought it would. And three years into our goal of starting a family together wasn’t going so well either. We had been through countless doctors, surgeries, and rounds of drugs – and none of it was working.
So, we took a couple weeks off. To reboot. And to reconsider our plans. We did what anybody would do to clear their minds: we took a road trip. We’d start by visiting some of our best friends in San Diego – and by the time we reached San Francisco, we’d have an answer (hopefully). It’s amazing what kind of clarity you can get from hundreds of miles of untouched Pacific seashore.
We had been building Supply on nights and weekends for the past two years, and we knew it needed to exist. Sure, there were lots of men’s brands out there. But where were the brands that spoke to people like us? People who were willing to spend more for well-designed goods that lasted a lifetime – but not willing to spend more for a name on a label. Where were the brands that designed durable everyday essentials for weekend warriors and corporate types alike – as much as for the design nerds and buy-it-for-life junkies?
Our business had signs of life, but without committing the full time it was hard to know if it would grow. A year and a half after launching our first product, we still hadn’t posted a profit (pro tip – choose your manufacturing partners wisely). But with more work and time, we knew it could turn into something.
So, we decided to make the jump. We realized that the difficulties we were facing were actually signs. Signs that it was now or never. We hadn’t been able to start a family, we were fed up with our careers, and we knew deep down that Supply had to exist. Why wouldn’t we give it our best shot?
So, I put in my two weeks at the only job I’d ever known (they asked me for three), applied for Shark Tank (I’m a huge fan), and headed out into the world on my own. I gave myself one year. I figured if I couldn’t turn a profit in that amount of time, it just wasn’t meant to be – and I would shut it all down.
So, we did the only thing we knew how to do. We hustled. We spent long nights agonizing over every detail of the business. I taught myself how to code, learned how to wield a camera, redesigned our website (twice), and re-built our products to make them even better. We learned the ins and outs of social media, poured our hearts into a weekly behind-the-scenes email newsletter, and manned the customer support queue at all hours of the day (and night).
We launched version 2.0 of our best selling product, the Single Edge razor. We drastically improved the shaving experience, upgraded our supply chain, and debuted three new colors (two with titanium coated finishes). We launched a Kickstarter campaign in 12 days – filming, editing, and designing the campaign in-house, just the two of us. And then our backers blew us away by raising over $250K for the campaign in 45 days.
So, we hustled more. We cranked up production, hired (and then fired) a local fulfillment warehouse, hit the Christmas market circuit, and told everybody we could about our company and products. We got some love in the press, introduced some exciting new products and recruited our family to help us fold boxes and pack orders.
On a personal front, we were unbelievably thrilled to welcome our newest member of the team into the world, thanks to the graciousness of God and the amazing ability of doctors today (we figured quitting my job was a perfect time to start the IVF process, right?).
So, here we are, eighteen months later, and we’ve blown every goal we set out of the water. All of the hard work and hustle has been worth it, and we can’t wait to see where Supply goes next!
Has it been a smooth road?
Our journey has been anything but smooth. We have a whole journal entry on our site detailing the nightmare that ensued with our first manufacturer after our first Kickstarter campaign. We were 100% funded in the first 24 hours, covered by major online publications, and ended up raising almost 400% of our goal in 30 days with our first Kickstarter campaign. Behind the scenes, though, a completely different story was unfolding. Along the way, our small husband and wife team was riddled misery, depression, and anxiety as we were hit with what seemed like blow after blow in our journey towards full rate production of our product. By the time we reached the finish line, we had blown through almost two times our original Kickstarter funding, three times our manufacturing schedule, and four times our typical daily caffeine intake. The moral of the story – pick your manufacturing partners wisely.
Luckily, we were able to survive our first production run and keep the pieces together long enough to hire a reliable manufacturing partner. We still struggle daily with the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies growing a business, especially as a husband and wife team. However, we’re thankful for the growing pains, because it has shown us the grit and determination it takes to keep going and make our company a success.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Supply story. Tell us more about the business.
Tired of products that consistently under-perform and constantly break down, we set out to build a brand that does things differently. Run by a small husband & wife led a team, we operate lean, design in-house, and craft iconic everyday essentials using the world’s finest materials. If it’s not hard working, long lasting, and ruggedly handsome – we don’t make it. We made it our mission to not only offer the best products on the market but to also inspire a community around doing things the right way – even when the right way isn’t also the easiest. In 2015, Supply launched with a line of grooming essentials, and today we continue to make exceptional products that deliver nothing but the best to our customers around the world.
Our design for our flagship product, The Single Edge, draws inspiration from an old style of razor that my grandfather used when he was alive. It was called an “injector” razor and gave an amazingly close and comfortable shave. Once I tried a vintage version of the razor, I was hooked. I tried to shop for a modern version, but quickly found out they aren’t made anymore. So I decided to make one for myself. One thing led to another, and now we have a company. Despite what we’ve been told by “big razor” all these years, shaving with a single blade is superior to five. It gives just as close of a shave, except without irritation or ingrown hairs. Multi-blade razors tug and cut hair below the skin, which is the primary cause of razor bumps. In addition, five times as many blades means five times as much friction on your skin. This friction is what causes razor burn and irritation.
We have also built out an entire grooming line to complement and enhance the entire morning ritual. Our aim is to be a one-stop shop for men’s grooming products. We intend to design products that not only look good but also last longer and perform better than anyone asks them to. Our grooming line includes: ultra lather shave cream, silvertip synthetic shave brush, aloe-based post shave, daily wash, and body lotion. All are made by hand in Fort Worth with only the best ingredients we could find: no parabens and no harsh chemicals. In 2017 we launched our marble line that includes a shave bowl for building a barber-style warm lather, a tray for handsomely displaying your accessories, and a marble tumbler to complete the set. At the end of last year, we released our premium full grain leather travel case custom made for the Single Edge razor to kick off a full line of leather goods. A full-grain leather Dopp kit was recently successfully funded on Kickstarter and coming to our store this fall.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The shaving industry is prime now more than ever for disruption. In the last 10 years, we have seen more and more people looking for an alternative to plastic, overpriced multi-blade razors. People are waking up to the fact that more blades in a razor don’t always equal a better shave. We created Supply and our Single Edge razor as the alternative. It is a modern take on a safety razor and eliminates irritation and razor burn. It’s also more sustainable – all razor blades and the razor itself are recyclable.
Some things in life are better done the old way – shaving is one of them. Men, in particular, are paying closer to their morning routine, and we love being a part of their ritual.
Pricing:
- The Single Edge Razor in Classic Matte – $79
- The Single Edge Starter Set – $129
- Marble Shaving Bowl – $24
Contact Info:
- Website: https://getsupply.com
- Email: [email protected]
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