melin.com

In the world of fashion, where style and luxury collide, Melin Brand emerged as a premier hat company. However, it wasn’t always this way. My journey with Melin Brand began through the introduction of a close friend and business mentor, Brian Jellig. Brian, with his keen insights into industry trends, was instrumental in my involvement with the company. What made our collaboration special was our shared ability to wear “multiple hats” (see what I did there), quite literally, and bounce innovative ideas off each other.

Melin Brand, back then, was a small outfit striving to make its mark. Brian Jellig joined forces with founders Brian McDonnell (aka McD) and Corey Roth to breathe life into this budding venture. I was simultaneously juggling a tech job in San Francisco, flying back and forth when Brian Jellig extended an invitation to meet McD and Corey at their office. After our first encounter, it was crystal clear – they needed everything, and with Brian and me on board, we had a remarkable opportunity to turn their dream into reality.

The story of Melin Brand could be a book in itself, but let’s dive into the purpose of this portfolio highlight – Melin.com. Initially, they had a colleague set them up on Magento, a robust platform but perhaps too intricate for a startup. Like in a big way. I knew that, at its core, Melin was about exquisite hats, and Shopify was the perfect platform to scale and grow the business efficiently. So, we redirected the funds previously spent on Magento towards Shopify and invested in the necessary applications to make it run like a well-tuned Ferrari. This allowed us to gather invaluable customer data and insights crucial for boosting conversions. It’s worth mentioning that I constructed the current Melin website in just three days, pulling four consecutive all-nighters in their office to bring the vision to life.

Now, let’s talk about the pivotal role I played in shaping Melin Brand’s digital presence. I embarked on a mission to create a custom Shopify website from scratch, meticulously orchestrating every aspect, from photography to advertising. I reimagined and reshoot all the product photography to showcase the hats in their full glory. Crafting captivating online marketing campaigns, I engaged the audience and created segmented email lists while introducing SMS marketing. Giveaways and social media activations further solidified our online presence and audience growth.

Sales began to soar, and a turning point came when Brian Jellig introduced a new hat style, WaterMelin, at a lower price point while maintaining the brand’s luxury feel. This allowed us to tap into a broader customer base, previously elusive due to high prices. Additionally, we partnered with action sports athletes, like my long-time friend Ryan Sheckler, and embraced the California-lifestyle vibe that Melin Brand emanated.

This journey highlights the importance of aligning your business elements in the right order. For Melin Brand, the perfect website, effective advertising, and the right product at the right price met the right audience, igniting a skyrocketing success story.

In the first month of our transformation, Melin Brand saw a remarkable 40% increase in revenue. But that was just the beginning. By the end of three months, revenue had surged by a staggering 90%. This remarkable growth not only validated our strategies but also solidified Melin Brand’s position as a rising star in the fashion industry. From there it wouldn’t slow down and the story continues.

My time working with Melin Brand was an exhilarating journey from a small startup to a powerhouse in the fashion industry. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and strategic planning in making dreams come true.