Actively Black didn’t start with a product—it started with a community. By building a 23,000-person audience before launch, founder Lanny Smith turned purpose-driven storytelling into a $55,000 first day and a $2 million first year. His journey shows aspiring entrepreneurs why demand-first thinking, authentic mission, and smart list-building can change everything.<a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog/actively-black-breakdown-for-building-a-brand?utm_campaign=shopifymasters&utm_medium=youtube&utm_source=podcast" target="_blank">For more on Actively Black click here</a>You'll Learn:<ul><li>Why Actively Black built community before developing a product</li><li>The email + SMS strategy that led to $55K in sales on launch day</li><li>How to sell $2M+ in your first year—even with constant stockouts</li><li>Why fast growth can be just as dangerous as no growth</li><li>How to use storytelling and cultural pride to create brand resonance</li><li>What it takes to build long-term customer trust without discounting</li><li>How Lanny structured partnerships with Marvel, Disney, and iconic estates</li><li>The real math behind inventory planning at scale (and why it’s so hard)</li><li>How to align investors with your vision, not just your bottom line</li><li>Why purpose is more powerful than product in competitive industries</li><li>How Lanny’s personal values fuel every decision—from pricing to hiring</li></ul>Chapters:00:00 Introducing Lanny Smith, Founder of Actively Black01:02 How a Career Pivot Sparked a $2M Vision01:27 Building 10K Followers Before Launching a Product03:31 Why Purpose-Driven Branding Fueled $55K on Day One06:54 What Selling Out in 3 Weeks Taught Us About Manufacturing10:30 How Actively Black Landed Partnerships with Marvel, Disney & More17:52 The Traits Behind Scaling to 8 Figures and Beyond18:48 What to Know Before Entering the $1.5T Apparel Market19:54 From “No” to $2M: How to Power Through Rejection21:43 Turning a Personal Setback Into Multi-Million Dollar Growth25:35 Why Actively Black Is More Than Just Merch (And Why That Matters)29:04 How Mission and Authenticity Drive Repeat Purchases
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@shopifymasters" target="_blank">Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!</a><a href="https://utm.io/yt_podcast_trial" target="_blank">Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.</a>

Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists

How Purpose and Strategy Powered Actively Black’s Rise to $2 Million in 12 Months

Shopify Masters

AI Chapters

AI Insights

Reviews