The Adventure Challenge
2019 :: 2023
Redding, CA
The Adventure Challenge is a direct-to-consumer, eComm brand founded in late 2018. They sell scratch-off adventure books, date night subscription boxes, and other supplemental products for romantic or personal connection. I joined the team in early 2019, shortly after their initial go-to-market launch.
My first role with the company was as a lead creator for ads, media, and brand assets. I produced multiple ads that generated multiple millions in new revenue, and helped scale the companies top line from $6M to over $73M in just 3 years time.
As the company scaled, so did my role. By the end of my first year, I was working side-by-side with the founders and CEO, and directly overseeing operations, finance, forecasting, and product planning. In my role, I built out YOY forecasts that hit 95% accuracy on inventory planning. I also created a system to maintain 15-20% profit payout margins, in the midst of growing more than double every year.
I directly oversaw the building of the team from 6 to 94 staff members; as well as running a finance department that had to constantly pivot and readjust to staggering growth numbers. In the end, my role could be called many things - so it’s probably closest to call it VP or General Manager.
I want to continue to bring that ‘intra-preneurial’ capability to wherever I work. Blending my strengths of creativity and branding with my skills in operations, strategy, and fiscal management.
1: Media & Production
I joined The Adventure Challenge within the first 6 months of operations. At that time, scaling was the most important goal - and the primary way to do that for the DTC was to increase ads and media. In my first few months, I produced and directed multiple ads that highlighted the benefits of the product, explained how it works, and showcased an aspirational relationship. The videos were professionally recorded to establish credibility for the new brand; and had multiple hooks and cuts to learn most quickly how our audience responded to the product.
As time went on, I oversaw the building and leading of a full scale media team. This included videographers, editors, writers, producers, and content creators. Overseeing a team of 15 production team members, we went on to manage a full scale media strategy. We did everything from UGC style videos, to cinematic brand films that were nominated for prestigious awards.
The 100+ video assets that I was able to directly participate in leading, producing, or managing have generated over $125M+ revenue, and 30M+ views - establishing The Adventure Challenge as a household brand name.
2: Product & Expansion
The company launched with only 1 product in the fall of 2018 - “The Couple’s Edition.” By winter of 2019, I had developed the systems and built the team for new product development - where we expanded our product line to 4 products within the first year - Family, Friends, and Solo edition added.
Eventually the team formed a new department that released over 10 new products in the following 2 years before my departure. I continued to provide strategy, product innovation, research, and insights to the product team until my exit in 2022.
During the Summer/Fall of 2020, our growth strategy included expanding into new countries. I was responsible for hiring and leading the team that opened up 4 new countries. We started with the UK and Canada. In those countries, language wouldn’t be a barrier, which meant quicker go-to-market with existing english ads and products.
I was leading the charge in ensuring that our organization had proper logistics, compliance, management, and storefronts in place for these new markets. Once opened, each new market generated over $1M+ in ARR - adding multiple percentage points to our bottom line.
Accomplishments
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I was a founding member, and pivotal executive leader in training, strategizing, and developing a world-class creative media team. For years, I wrote, produced, directed, or supervised on hundreds of video assets T.A.C. created. During my 4 year tenure, I built an in-house team of over a dozen editors, producers, and content creators - that ultimately produced multiple commercials and short films that have been nominated for such honors as the Webby and Telly awards.
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Part of our strategy for rapid growth included launching new product lines and opening online stores in new countries. I developed a intricate method of measuring and testing new markets to determine best opportunities - through which T.A.C. opened in 4 new countries and generated over $20M+ in new revenue under my leadership. As well, I developed the initial systems and built the team for new product development - where we expanded our product line by 10x, and generated an additional $100M+ in new revenue during my 4 year tenure.
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When I joined the T.A.C. executive team, there were no processes or personnel in place for tracking inventory, financial planning, forecasting, or budgeting. I stepped in, and immediately built out our forecasting model. With my direct oversight, the company was able to scale it's model from 10,000 units monthly to over 100,000 in only 18 months. This took a delicate balance of cutting costs, improving efficiencies, re-investing profits, and securing capital. Stakeholders were able to take home multiple millions of dollars in profit every year that I was running finance & ops - even in the midst of radical growth. A feat that any CFO would tell you is quite challenging.
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Growing a team from 6 to 96 in 3 years time can take a devastating toll on culture. But at T.A.C. we refused to be another statistic. While I had a seat at the executive table, I oversaw and implemented the companies first benefits program, a company-wide OKR system, introduced detailed project management, created a bonus plan, and generally fought for the well-being of our incredible staff. I had to be a part of leading both mass hiring and mass firing eras. I feel more confident now than ever in my ability to lead, manage, and care for a growing team.
$6M to $73M
From 2019-2021, I led creative, marketing, media, operations, budgetary, and product initiatives, at the executive level, that contributed to the exponential growth.
5+ New Countries
Summer & Fall 2021, I hired and led a growth team that launched online markets in the U.K., Australia, Canada, and EU. Plus the USA.
30+ Productions
Everything from new products, to holiday campaigns, to short films, and even annual documentaries - I led a creative media team to produce hundreds of great assets.
5 to 95 Staff
I helped run and organize the staff scaling initiative. I personally reviewed over 100 candidates, across 25 different positions, in only 3 years time.
10+ New Products
With the team and founders, we launched more than 10 new product innovations and variations; including a subscription box, SAAS, and more adventures.
630% Growth
In 1 calendar year, we grew by more than 6x; yet, through fiscal rigor and operational strategy, I ensured we didn’t carry any debt beyond that year, & still paid out profits to shareholders.
The Growth Story
Read the story of how the Couple’s Edition book from The Adventure Challenge grew from a random idea in the founder’s garage, to an international date night leader.
In late 2018, creator Bryant Ellis and co-founder Ben Day launched The Adventure Challenge “Couple’s Edition” book on a Shopify store, using Meta advertising. By March of 2019, the store was averaging about $12,000/day in revenue. That’s when I joined the team.
Create new, more compelling ads. I joined the team, and immediately got to work on creating what eventually became the highest returning ad in TAC history. We called it the “Sam & Spencer” ad (which is the names of the couple featured). I was able to produce and edit the piece for less than $10,000 total. The original ad + variations and snippets from the production have brought in over $25M in direct ROAS in the 4 years since.
Update the website and branding. In the summer of 2019, myself and the executive team underwent a complete facelift for the brand. This included a new logo, a website redesign, and updating all brand assets photography and creative. I was a key leader in the creative process, and creative directed much of the media and brand collateral.
Innovate the product. Right out of the gate, I got to work on updating the Couple’s Edition - content and design. We knew that scaling the product was going to require better word of mouth, which meant delivering a more memorable product. I also created a “product management” team that crafted 2 new editions (Family & Friends) in the first year - which bolstered Q4 revenue by 25%.
Improve processes. By month 4 on staff, I created a budgeting and forecasting system for the company from scratch. This allowed us to predict a 6-month sales projection with 95% accuracy, and assume capital within 98% accuracy of demand. This pinpoint accuracy allowed the company to scale quickly, without missing out on opportunity - while simultaneously not getting in too deep and sinking the company in debt.