Building a profitable hardware brand without venture capital requires strategic thinking, authentic relationships, and unwavering focus on cash flow management. In this episode of B2B Breakthrough, host Ciara Cristo chats with Christian Reed (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianrreed/), founder of Reekon Tools (https://support.reekon.tools/hc/en-us), fresh off his big win at Co Create Pitch. Christian shares how he scaled from a $1.2 million Kickstarter campaign to a sustainable 15-person operation, all while maintaining profitability and developing innovative digital measuring tools that are revolutionizing construction and home improvement. Learn how strategic supplier relationships, disciplined growth, and community-driven product development through Kickstarter have enabled Reekon Tools to thrive without traditional VC funding.
Tune in to learn:
- (00:00) From Side Project to $1.2M Kickstarter Success
- (07:34) Kickstarter's Hidden Power: Building a Community of Champions
- (13:03) Strategic Team Expansion and Scaling with Intention
- (16:23) Axio AI Sourcing Advertisement
- (19:43) Factory Relationships and Manufacturing Infrastructure
- (29:33) Cash Flow Over Revenue: The Most Critical Metric
- (35:05) Pitching Advice: Lead With Passion
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Chapters
- (00:00:00) - India's Vision for Innovation
- (00:00:24) - B2B Breakthrough: Christian Reed's
- (00:01:17) - Rebuilding With a Digital Tape Measure
- (00:04:37) - Startup: Fully Self-Sustained
- (00:07:09) - Have You Learned From Your Kickstarter Success?
- (00:09:29) - Return to Kickstarter: The Community's Input
- (00:12:56) - Kickstarter's Team Has Expanded
- (00:14:16) - Have You Had Any Challenges As You've Expanded?
- (00:16:27) - Sourcing with Axio AI
- (00:17:32) - Microsoft's Return on Reconed Cash
- (00:19:46) - Do you have, you know, consistent relationships with suppliers?
- (00:21:40) - Have Independent Consultants Had an Impact on the Infrastructure?
- (00:22:54) - The Right Partner for Your Product
- (00:29:36) - Cash Flow Lessons for Businesses
- (00:31:32) - Where Are You Selling Your Products?
- (00:32:30) - Reasons to Scan Your Worksites
- (00:34:47) - Pushing the Pitch
- (00:36:49) - Where Can People Find Christian Jones?
- (00:37:19) - B2B Breakthrough: Accelerating Business Growth