Starting a Multi-Million Dollar Business From Your Living Room with Lindsay McCormick, Founder of Bite

Lindsay McCormick is the Founder and CEO of Bite, a brand of sustainable oral care products.

Back in 2016, Lindsay was working as a TV producer on HGTV’s “House Hunters.” She was traveling the country, living out of her carry-on, and relying heavily on travel-size toiletries. While she was staying at hotels, she noticed how many of those tiny tubes of toothpaste she was using and throwing away every month. 

As a passion project, Lindsay was spending her nights and weekends learning how to make alternative toothpaste that was more sustainable. She invested $6,000 of her own money to start the business and has now turned it into an 8-figure company without any outside funding. 

We’ll talk to Lindsay about switching careers and diving into an industry she had zero experience in, her appearance on Shark Tank and what it felt like to decline Mark Cuban’s offer, and how she went from creating a product in her living room to building a multi-million dollar business.

Our conversation also touches on how big and small brands can work together to shift consumer behavior, how niche businesses can compete in crowded markets, and the importance of being ok with being uncomfortable as a founder.  

In this episode, we'll talk to Lindsay about:

* Hear about Lindsay’s life in her early 20s and what her main goals at that time were. [2:21]

* Lindsay’s decision to buy a one-way ticket to Alaska and the year of travel that followed. [5:15]

* How Lindsay got her job at House Hunters and how it sparked the idea for Bite. [6:05]

* Lindsay’s learning journey and what she discovered when she started exploring oral health products. [7:44]

* How Lindsay created awareness for her products in the early days. [9:29]

* An important lesson in serving an under-served audience, even in a crowded market. [10:29]

* What Bite looked like before their viral video and how the company exploded after. [11:27]

* How Lindsay found a co-packer that aligned with Bite’s ethos. [14:25]

* How Bite has considered their higher price point and how customers have responded. [17:22]

* Big and small brands are not competitors; they can have a symbiotic relationship. [19:18]

* Why being an online company has helped Bite carve a niche for itself. [20:01]

* Lindsay’s take on fundraising and her decision to bootstrap the business. [21:43]

* The inspiration behind appearing on Shark Tank and what Bite was looking for. [23:19]

* How going viral prepared Bite for potentially finding a partner. [28:55]

* Why Bite’s biggest challenge is also their biggest opportunity. [29:29]

* Getting comfortable with the constant discomfort as a founder. [30:33]

* Different ways that Lindsay takes care of herself as a woman entrepreneur. [31:57]

* How Lindsay cultivates her ability to be proactive rather than reactive. [34:24]

* Something Lindsay is proud of that most people don’t know. [35:42]

* What it has been like building a company as a couple for Lindsay and her boyfriend. [37:40]

* What wealth means to Lindsay at this point in her life. [39:48]

Follow Lindsay: 

* Website: https://bitetoothpastebits.com/  

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bite/ 

* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heylindsaymc/ 

Follow Yasmin: 

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/

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