Latest news with #Thrasio
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
A former consultant built a 7-figure Amazon business selling septic pods. He explains why sellers should avoid 'sexy, fad-driven products.'
Alex Yale spent years in the corporate world before launching a cleaning brand, Uncle Todd's. He listed his first product, septic pods, on Amazon, and then focused on getting into retail stores. He says he believes in building businesses around everyday products that solve problems. Alex Yale does more than $1 million in annual revenue selling septic pods and other cleaning products. A winding career path that began in consulting at Deloitte, featured years at Facebook, and included a stint at Amazon aggregator Thrasio, a unicorn-turned-cautionary tale, eventually landed him in the business of cleaning products. At Thrasio, Yale managed a pet odor eliminator brand called Angry Orange. Once it was clear that Thrasio's rocketship trajectory had stalled, Yale left in March 2023, confident that he had the skillset and network to launch a business of his own. "The first thing I did was sit down with these suppliers that I had built a really good relationship with over time, who were supplying the Angry Orange products," Yale told Business Insider. He was particularly interested in the products that used bacteria and enzymes to clean stains, and wondered what other applications there were. "I just did a bunch of research to understand what types of consumer products I could actually adapt or develop with these enzymes and bacteria in mind, and then looked on Amazon to see what companies were doing it already and could I do it better, cheaper, or in my opinion with better packaging?" The first product he launched under his brand, Uncle Todd's, was a package of 12 septic pods. He started on Amazon, which is "the place where I can launch a product the fastest and with the least amount of friction," he explained. But his intention all along was to get his product in retail stores. "My focus is really to build a much larger consumer product brand, and Amazon is just a small piece of that puzzle," he said. "A lot of consumable and cleaning products in my category are still purchased in Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's, etc., and so I think it'd be shortsighted just to look at the opportunity size from a digital, Amazon-type of marketplace." Building a seven-figure business selling everyday products Yale's decision to sell septic pods and other cleaning products was influenced by many factors. One was his connections in the space. He also wanted to sell a consumable product. "Selling a one-time product that you can't get repeat purchases on is really difficult," he explained. "My hope is that if somebody buys it once, that in six months or 12 months they're going to come back and buy it again, and I don't have to keep acquiring that customer every single time." Another factor was the total addressable market. Yale used software tools like Helium 10 and JungleScout to confirm that there was strong demand for his type of product online. But a less obvious component of his product selection strategy is leaning into everyday, borderline boring items. "Sexy, fad-driven products — products that have any kind of risk of technological obsolescence, like in six months there will be a faster, cheaper, lighter, better version — they're sort of flash in the pan," he said. "If you hit it right, you can grow your brand and expand it really quickly and grow sales, but they burn hot, they burn bright, and they burn out." He's playing the long game by selling products that solve problems. "If you start a brand and you're chasing a fad, you might have a couple of great years, but over time, your sales are going to slide with the fad," he said. "So, if you're looking for a medium- or long-term exit from a brand, you might make some quick money, but there's not going to be a lot of equity that you're building into a brand if the sales start to decline after 12, 18, 24 months. I'm trying to build a brand that will be worth quite a bit and have some staying power, and I feel like you do that by solving everyday problems with everyday consumers." Yale did seven figures in Amazon sales alone between July 2024 and July 2025, according to a screenshot of Uncle Todd's sales dashboard viewed by BI. His products are in more than 3,000 retail stores, including Walmart, Home Depot, and Piggly Wiggly. He also runs a second Amazon brand, Flip-It! Cap, which he acquired in October 2023. It's more than just product selection that has contributed to his business success. "I think at the end of the day, the most important thing is selling a good product at a good price point," he said. "A lot of e-comm entrepreneurs think so much is in the marketing and the advertising and the brand aesthetic that they forget about the core product performance — they almost overlook the quality of the product." If your product doesn't work, it won't last, no matter how many viral videos you create, said Yale: "You might hit it big on TikTok and see a whole bunch of sales, but then when people realize the product doesn't actually work or it doesn't solve a problem or it doesn't have the efficacy they're looking for, you're going to be as dead as quickly as you came alive." Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
A former consultant built a 7-figure Amazon business selling septic pods. He explains why sellers should avoid 'sexy, fad-driven products.'
Alex Yale does more than $1 million in annual revenue selling septic pods and other cleaning products. A winding career path that began in consulting at Deloitte, featured years at Facebook, and included a stint at Amazon aggregator Thrasio, a unicorn-turned-cautionary tale, eventually landed him in the business of cleaning products. At Thrasio, Yale managed a pet odor eliminator brand called Angry Orange. Once it was clear that Thrasio's rocketship trajectory had stalled, Yale left in March 2023, confident that he had the skillset and network to launch a business of his own. "The first thing I did was sit down with these suppliers that I had built a really good relationship with over time, who were supplying the Angry Orange products," Yale told Business Insider. He was particularly interested in the products that used bacteria and enzymes to clean stains, and wondered what other applications there were. "I just did a bunch of research to understand what types of consumer products I could actually adapt or develop with these enzymes and bacteria in mind, and then looked on Amazon to see what companies were doing it already and could I do it better, cheaper, or in my opinion with better packaging?" The first product he launched under his brand, Uncle Todd's, was a package of 12 septic pods. He started on Amazon, which is "the place where I can launch a product the fastest and with the least amount of friction," he explained. But his intention all along was to get his product in retail stores. "My focus is really to build a much larger consumer product brand, and Amazon is just a small piece of that puzzle," he said. "A lot of consumable and cleaning products in my category are still purchased in Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's, etc., and so I think it'd be shortsighted just to look at the opportunity size from a digital, Amazon-type of marketplace." Building a seven-figure business selling everyday products Yale's decision to sell septic pods and other cleaning products was influenced by many factors. One was his connections in the space. He also wanted to sell a consumable product. Please help BI improve our Business, Tech, and Innovation coverage by sharing a bit about your role — it will help us tailor content that matters most to people like you. What is your job title? (1 of 2) Entry level position Project manager Management Senior management Executive management Student Self-employed Retired Other Continue By providing this information, you agree that Business Insider may use this data to improve your site experience and for targeted advertising. By continuing you agree that you accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . "Selling a one-time product that you can't get repeat purchases on is really difficult," he explained. "My hope is that if somebody buys it once, that in six months or 12 months they're going to come back and buy it again, and I don't have to keep acquiring that customer every single time." Another factor was the total addressable market. Yale used software tools like Helium 10 and JungleScout to confirm that there was strong demand for his type of product online. But a less obvious component of his product selection strategy is leaning into everyday, borderline boring items. "Sexy, fad-driven products — products that have any kind of risk of technological obsolescence, like in six months there will be a faster, cheaper, lighter, better version — they're sort of flash in the pan," he said. "If you hit it right, you can grow your brand and expand it really quickly and grow sales, but they burn hot, they burn bright, and they burn out." He's playing the long game by selling products that solve problems. "If you start a brand and you're chasing a fad, you might have a couple of great years, but over time, your sales are going to slide with the fad," he said. "So, if you're looking for a medium- or long-term exit from a brand, you might make some quick money, but there's not going to be a lot of equity that you're building into a brand if the sales start to decline after 12, 18, 24 months. I'm trying to build a brand that will be worth quite a bit and have some staying power, and I feel like you do that by solving everyday problems with everyday consumers." Yale did seven figures in Amazon sales alone between July 2024 and July 2025, according to a screenshot of Uncle Todd's sales dashboard viewed by BI. His products are in more than 3,000 retail stores, including Walmart, Home Depot, and Piggly Wiggly. He also runs a second Amazon brand, Flip-It! Cap, which he acquired in October 2023. It's more than just product selection that has contributed to his business success. "I think at the end of the day, the most important thing is selling a good product at a good price point," he said. "A lot of e-comm entrepreneurs think so much is in the marketing and the advertising and the brand aesthetic that they forget about the core product performance — they almost overlook the quality of the product." If your product doesn't work, it won't last, no matter how many viral videos you create, said Yale: "You might hit it big on TikTok and see a whole bunch of sales, but then when people realize the product doesn't actually work or it doesn't solve a problem or it doesn't have the efficacy they're looking for, you're going to be as dead as quickly as you came alive."
Mint
30-04-2025
- Business
- Mint
After Pebble, Mensa looks to sell its Renee stake
Mensa Brands has sold its stake in wearables maker Pebble and is looking to exit Renee Cosmetics, as the brand aggregator looks to cash out of some of its recent investments. The company also plans to raise $100 million at a valuation of $850 million and shift base to India ahead of a planned public listing, three people aware of the development said. 'Apart from selling a stake in Renee, where it holds around 15% stake, Mensa is also likely to divest its stake in brands such Villain," he added. A Mensa Brands spokesperson confirmed the Renee stake sale, calling it a 'financial investment'. In 2022, Mensa Brands had invested in Renee, which offers so-called cruelty-free makeup products for women. The stake sale may value Renee at ₹ 2,000-2,500 crore, a second person with knowledge of the deal said, implying a ₹ 200 crore value for Mensa's stakeholding. Mensa Brands, which led Renee's Series A fundraising, holds about 11% stake in Renee. The Mensa Brands spokesperson denied other brands were up for sale, including Villain, a men's cosmetics brand that it backed in 2021. Queries emailed to a Renee Cosmetics spokesperson remained unanswered. Mensa Brands is also shifting its headquarters to India, joining a queue of foreign-domiciled startups such as Flipkart, Zepto and Dream Sports which have already moved, aiming to tap the country's capital markets better. 'The company has initiated a process to flip back to India from Singapore. This is their preparation to eventually list in India going forward," one of the three people cited above said. The Mensa Brands spokesperson said the IPO is at least 36 months away. Founded by former Myntra CEO Ananth Narayanan in 2021, Mensa has received some of the highest seed investments among Indian startups. It has raised a total of $207 million in funding, data from Tracxn shows. Top backers include Accel, Alpha Wave Global and Norwest Venture Partners. Following a house of brands strategy, it has acquired around 20 brands in the apparel, beauty and personal care and home décor segments. The strategy involves acquiring multiple fast-growing digital-first brands and scaling them under a single roof. With $200 million in annualized revenue run rate, Mensa Brands has turned Ebitda-positive, the spokesperson said. 'We have been Ebitda-profitable month-on-month now." India has seen a handful of startups pursuing the house of brands strategy, following what has globally become known as the Thrasio model. Under this structure, one company would consolidate multiple small e-commerce brands and sellers under its umbrella, and run them as a single, organized company. By doing so, companies promise to expand operating margins by reducing overheads such as office expenses, accounting and legal costs, and other various costs of operation—leaving small brands under them to generate bigger returns. Apart from Mensa, another key player that received investor love was Firstcry-backed Globalbees. Backed by investors such as Lightspeed, ChrysCapital and SoftBank, the firm has so far raised $280 million in debt and equity. Meanwhile, Bengaluru-based Boxseat Ventures Pvt. Ltd, which operates e-commerce aggregator 10Club, is close to shutting shop, less than four years after it raised $40 million in early-stage money. Other smaller players in the space include Upscalio, Goat, Powerhouse91 and Evenflow.
