Mad Rabbit Co-Founders, Oliver Zak and Selom Agbitor, are bringing innovation to the tattoo … [+]
Since launching on the campus of Miami College in Oxford, Ohio, Mad Rabbit has modified the sport within the tattoo aftercare market. They’re doing so by bringing change to an trade that’s 1000’s of years previous however one which has been largely immune to innovation till lately. I sat down with Oliver Zak, co-founder of Mad Rabbit, to speak about their journey, community-driven product growth course of and distinctive retail technique that enables them to take a special method to model constructing.
Dave Knox: How did you provide you with the thought for Mad Rabbit
Oliver Zak: My co-founder Selom and I bought began in enterprise throughout our sophomore 12 months in school. Selom launched me to the idea of e-commerce, and we spent the following six months exploring methods to construct a model on-line. We started with dropshipping, which taught us worthwhile classes about constructing a model and differentiating ourselves by way of customer support and ambassador applications. We could not compete on product differentiation, however we realized how to reach different methods. After a number of months, we bought that enterprise for $7,000, which was a giant win for us as school college students. It confirmed us that we had a possible curiosity in pursuing this sort of enterprise additional.
Throughout our senior 12 months, we had been between jobs and in search of a brand new alternative. I had a tattoo appointment, and I used to be pissed off with the suggestions for therapeutic tattoos. Most of them concerned petroleum jelly, which I felt was outdated and unhealthy. I requested my tattoo artist if there have been any pure alternate options, and there weren’t. That is when Selom and I made a decision to create our personal pure tattoo care merchandise.
We ordered elements from Amazon and native apothecaries and commenced experimenting with totally different formulations. Our first product was an all-natural tattoo balm made with seven pure elements. We used it for aftercare, and it labored nicely. By advertising these merchandise with Fb adverts, and that summer time alone, we had been in a position to generate $300,000 in gross sales. We later in 2021, developed a soothing gel that was extra particular for tattoo therapeutic, which continued to skyrocket the model. This success confirmed us that we had discovered a necessity within the trade and that we had a viable product-market match.
Selom and I realized rather a lot about constructing a model by way of our dropshipping enterprise. This expertise helped us develop the talents we wanted to create and market our personal pure tattoo care merchandise. We’re proud to supply a safer, more healthy different to conventional tattoo aftercare, and we’re excited to proceed rising our enterprise.
Knox: You launched each of these companies whereas college students at Miami College. What benefits did this provide you with to attach along with your audience?
Zak: Miami isn’t recognized for being a very tattooed faculty. Nonetheless, it does have a powerful entrepreneurial ecosystem that helps and champions startups. Selom and I had been in a position to leverage this ecosystem to launch our pure tattoo care merchandise enterprise. Our lately launched school ambassador program focuses on metropolitan areas the place tattoos are extra prevalent. This has helped us attain a wider viewers and construct our model.
One of many assets that helped us get began was a enterprise fraternity that we joined freshman 12 months. This speaks to the assets out there on campus for these concerned with entrepreneurship. Exterior of my finance diploma, which helped me be taught the language of enterprise, the most important worth add for Miami whereas I used to be there was undoubtedly the entrepreneurial neighborhood of scholars, school, and alumni from the college of enterprise. This vibrant entrepreneurial neighborhood that helped us launch our enterprise. We’re grateful for the assets and assist we acquired from the Farmer College and the bigger neighborhood, which helped us flip our concept right into a profitable enterprise.
Knox: What has been the driving power behind the success of Mad Rabbit?
Zak: I by no means thought I might be the tattoo man, however I’ve at all times been good at figuring out areas of alternative. I observed that tattoos had been gaining popularity, though they have been round for 1000’s of years. In 2012, solely 20% of US adults had a tattoo, however now in 2023, it is nearer to 50%. That is lots of development in a brief time frame. This pattern is not simply within the US, it is international. Japan and South Korea simply legalized tattooing, and self-expression is being championed by way of tattoos.
The tattoo trade was ripe for disruption. It is traditionally been a cash-only, under-the-table enterprise. There was by no means any formal coaching for tattoo artists, so that you needed to persuade a store to take you underneath their wing. This made it a fairly slow-to-adopt and unique neighborhood. These days, there are tons of assets out there on-line, and Mad Rabbit is captivated with serving to aspiring artists.
Our success at Mad Rabbit got here from addressing a ache level within the trade. Tattoos do not at all times heal nicely, and a giant motive for that’s the advice of utilizing petroleum jelly. It is nice for scrapes and cuts as a result of it helps construct up a scab, which protects towards micro organism and grime. But it surely’s horrible for tattoos as a result of the ink will get caught within the scabs, and after they fall off, your tattoo can look terrible in week two. That is irritating once you’ve spent 1000’s of {dollars} and hours of ache in your tattoo.
We noticed a possibility to innovate and supply a greater resolution for tattoo aftercare. Individuals resonated with our clear and pure tattoo care merchandise as a result of they labored, and so they addressed an actual downside. We’re proud to supply a safer, more healthy different to conventional tattoo aftercare, and we’re excited to proceed rising our enterprise.
Knox: Why did you resolve go on Shark Tank and what’s been the affect on the enterprise since then?
Zak: I wasn’t the one who utilized to Shark Tank, it was truly my accomplice Selom. I grew up watching the present with my household each Friday since I used to be 13 years previous. My dad is an entrepreneur, and I at all times knew that I needed to do my very own factor in the future. So after we bought the decision that Shark Tank was , it was like a childhood dream come true.
Being on Shark Tank gave us entry to an enormous viewers, even when they weren’t essentially our goal buyer. The individuals who watch the present aren’t essentially closely tattooed, however they could have nieces, nephews, or grandkids who’re concerned with tattoos. That goes a great distance for gifting through the vacation season and general model consciousness.
It was a tremendous expertise, and we realized rather a lot from the sharks. We had been in a position to safe a take care of Mark Cuban, who has been a fantastic accomplice for us, and nonetheless is. He is been very supportive and has helped us navigate the retail panorama. We’re grateful for the chance that Shark Tank gave us, and we’re excited to see the place Mad Rabbit goes from right here.
Knox: Since launching the unique therapeutic balm, you might have expanded throughout a number of merchandise. What drives that product innovation technique in deciding one thing’s the appropriate product to launch underneath Mad Rabbit?
Zak: At Mad Rabbit, we’re proud to say that lots of our product concepts come from our neighborhood. We have turn into an umbrella for a bunch of various subcultures who’re captivated with sporting their hearts on their sleeves. We’ve surfers, cooks, hairstylists, tattoo artists, and extra. All of those individuals are introduced underneath the Mad Rabbit umbrella, and so they join on issues like sharing tattoos, greatest suggestions and tips.
Most excitingly for us, we get to leverage conversations between the model and our customers. Most of our merchandise have truly come from ideation inside our on-line communities. They’ve requested for soaps, lotions, and different merchandise, which is actually thrilling as a result of it extends past the aftercare interval. We’re in a position to give attention to day by day care and upkeep, which is actually essential for long-term care of tattooed pores and skin.
Loads of the CPG giants on the market are formulating for the mass shopper, and till the variety of US adults with no less than one tattoo passes 51%, they do not see it as a market price formulating for. However we’re small and nimble, and we hearken to our prospects. We are able to ideate and innovate accordingly.
As soon as now we have these concepts, we transfer on to the prototyping and product growth stage. We get samples from our chemist and our producer. After which one among our last checks is with Dr. Elliot Love, who’s on our advisory board. He is a tattooed dermatologist and pores and skin most cancers surgeon. He is a powerful level of authority that we’re in a position to leverage from a scientific ingredient perspective to place the cherry on prime, if you’ll.
Knox: Your retail technique can be distinctive in that you simply promote not solely by way of direct to shopper but in addition locations like City Outfitters, GNC, and tattoo retailers throughout the nation. What led you to this technique versus chasing a mass retailer initially?
Zak: We undoubtedly wish to be wherever our prospects wish to purchase us, together with mass retailers. However our preliminary technique was direct-to-consumer on-line solely, by way of Shopify, Fb, and Amazon. That is how we reached our million prospects right now.
As soon as we gained some model consciousness, we began launching in “model accretive” retailers, like City Outfitters. A lot of our prospects are underneath 35 years previous dwelling in metropolitan areas are passionate younger individuals, which is precisely City Outfitters’ buyer base.
We additionally noticed a possibility within the well being and wellness trade. Well being followers care about what they put in and on their our bodies, and so they need their tattoos to look good too. That is why GNC noticed a fantastic alternative for us to increase past dietary supplements and into skincare.
The tattoo parlor channel is actually essential for us. It is level of care, billboard area. We promote aftercare merchandise the place they’re wanted and after they’re wanted, and most significantly, we get the artist’s advice on our aspect. The tattoo artist is the authority on methods to heal a tattoo, so profitable over their advice is essential.
With the tattoo trade approaching 51% of US adults having no less than one tattoo, the artist is actually the bread and butter for us. We even have the chance to promote in different fragmented retailers like surfers, skate boarders, cooks, hair stylists, and barbers. Tattoos are the frequent hyperlink that may promote throughout numerous channels.
Knox: Together with your current Sequence A funding from Lucas Model Fairness, what are the plans for the enterprise as you carry on this funding?
Zak: A part of the funds we raised are for constructing out our boots-on-the-ground gross sales workforce. There are about ~30,000 tattoo parlors within the US, and it is a actually essential area for us to win over. We have at all times been a strictly digital model, so constructing a giant gross sales workforce is a brand new enterprise for us.
We’re additionally seeking to up our content material manufacturing. We’re opening a headquarters in Los Angeles this spring/summer time that may function a content-enabled tattoo studio. Our professional workforce artist will likely be tattooing there, capturing 360 content material, and offering product testimonials. We’re additionally giving them an area to file and develop their very own private model, which is an thrilling alternative for us to empower them and supply mutual worth.
Lastly, we’re specializing in further product growth. Most of our merchandise right now are consumer-facing, however we’re engaged on improvements that may give the artist a greater tattoo expertise. This may go a great distance in profitable over their advice for aftercare and day by day upkeep.