Amazon OG Frankie Thorogood’s Near Fatal Crash To Spectacular Exit in 18 Months
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– *About Frankie*: Not commonly found in traditional FBA circles like Facebook groups or events, Frankie is an old-school seller who’s carved out his unique path in the FBA community.
### The Early Years: Starting on eBay
– Frankie shares that he got his start in 2012 on eBay.
– Frankie recounts how eBay served as his starting point before Amazon became the juggernaut it is today.
– He believes eBay offered essential lessons in understanding marketplace dynamics.
### Frankie’s Iconic First Product: The Snood
– Frankie reveals he started by selling football snoods that gained popularity among Premier League players.
– A spike in sales occurred when the Football Association banned the product.
### Tackling Marketplace Dynamics
– Frankie discusses the challenges of maintaining a business amidst stiff competition.
– He notes that these hurdles encouraged him to look for more sustainable, unique products.
### Transitioning into Compression Sportswear (early years)
– Frankie shifts focus to compression sportswear, a booming category.
– Shares his experience visiting the Canton Fair in China to source quality suppliers.
– Talks about how he broadened his product range and brand.
### The Jump to Amazon
– Frankie initially was hesitant about moving to Amazon due to its complex Flat file process.
– Decided to take the leap, which coincided with Amazon becoming a dominant marketplace.
### Building a Brand
– Danny questions Frankie about his journey in brand building.
– Frankie admits initial resistance to Amazon but couldn’t ignore its market significance.
– Frankie summarises his journey and the unique aspects of his compression sportswear brand.
– *Lemon Market Concept*: A marketplace scenario where product quality is unknown until after the purchase.
– *Focus on Sportswear Fabric*: Quality relies heavily on fabric and fit.
– *Customer Feedback*: Importance of involving customers in product development.
– *Pitfalls of Rapid Scaling*: Discusses how expanding too quickly nearly led him to bankruptcy.
– *Decision to Sell Business*: Explored selling the business after a near-decade in operation.
– *Brand Milestones*: Overcame cash flow issues between 2014 and 2018.
#### The Exit Strategy and Beyond:
– Frankie and Danny discuss exit strategy planning, valuations, and Frankie’s new ventures post-exit.
