Collabs & Community Behind Hulken’s Growth With Founder Alex Schinasi (Titans E026)

“We didn’t actually choose them. They chose us.”

Can a bootstrapped brand enter Target and Costco while still growing DTC?

Alex Schinasi (Co-Founder & President, Hulken) joins Matt Bertulli (Founder, Pela Case & Lomi) and Mike Beckham (CEO, Simple Modern) to unpack how a two-time SaaS founder built a ~$50M rolling tote brand without raising money.

She had raised $3M for a new SaaS when Hulken hit $1M a month. A year later she exited the startup, and now nine people run the business with AI chiefs of staff. She wants a brand that lasts decades, yet she still moves at software speed.

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Chapters

00:00:00 The Customers Chose Us

00:09:41 A SaaS Founder Goes CPG

00:17:24 Winning Next to a $10 Dupe

00:21:22 Supreme Wanted Round Two

00:23:12 $700K to $15M, Then Ads

00:26:19 60% Net New From Collabs

00:37:21 A 170,000 Unit Costco PO

00:46:57 Target Shelves in 5 Months

00:52:32 Markets Before Products

00:58:16 Spouses in Separate Lanes

01:05:51 Why AI Can’t Fake Hulken

01:14:46 Community Is the Best Moat

01:20:23 The Titan 10 Questions