Patrick Codu’s entrepreneurial journey is impressive. He launched Supply, a direct-to-consumer company selling razors and shaving products, in 2015, before selling the business in 2022. He came up with an idea, hired staff, grew revenue, and exited at a profit.
But his journey is incomplete. Although his talents apply to seemingly any industry, his identity has long been tied to supply. He is currently adjusting and planning his next move.
Patrick is one of the most popular guests on this podcast. in 2020 Appeared following 2021, April 2022and October 2022. In this recent conversation, he talks about life after resupply, what it feels like to step away from it and look forward.
The entire audio is embedded below. The transcript has been edited for length and clarity.
Eric Bandholz: Please let us know what’s going on.
Patrick Codu:It was quite a long journey. I was the founder and CEO of a shaving company called Supply, which I sold a little over two years ago. After the sale, I stayed with the company for about a year, running the business and watching it grow. I’m currently the Marketing Director for a snow ski startup called M1 Skis. It was a bit of a roller coaster, but in a good way.
bandholz: You took a step back from social media, especially from X. Why?
Kodu: After the sale, I suffered from burnout. I didn’t consciously decide to walk away from X. I simply stopped engaging. Burnout involves apathy and apathy toward things that once excited you, and X was one of them. But I stayed involved with Supply for a year after the sale, and it was productive. Sales and bottom line numbers have doubled.
I have built a strong team, especially my talented head of marketing, Trace Crawford, who has given me so much. As the year progressed, I became more of a leader than a doer, which helped me overcome burnout. That was a big part of the transition.
Bandholz: How does your leadership change when you stop doing everything yourself?
Kodu: Because I no longer have ownership, it doesn’t carry the same emotional weight as before. But I still had a financial incentive because my income was tied to business performance. This has allowed me to coach my team without micromanaging them. They knew what had to be done and I made them figure out how to do it. Our team was solid. No one left that year and the company continued to do well.
Bandholz: You are currently out of supply. How has your perspective changed?
Kodu: My income ended in August, but I had already left my day job a year ago. Trace took over as CEO and I stayed on as a consultant. My current role includes shooting advertising and providing strategic advice. I have absolutely no regrets about selling the business. It was the right choice for me, my family, and my company.
But leaving forced me to face my identity. I didn’t realize how much of my self-esteem was tied to being a “razor guy” until it went away. After the sale, I felt joy, but then I felt deep doubts and even depression. After experiencing burnout, I felt lost, didn’t know what I wanted to do next, and was hesitant to return to e-commerce.
bandholz: Why do entrepreneurs feel unfulfilled after selling their business?
Kodu: Many entrepreneurs believe that selling their business will make them happy, but that’s rarely true. participated in main street summitWe discussed how money, success, and fame don’t bring joy.
I realized that while selling supplies brought me financial security and freedom, it didn’t bring me lasting happiness. A job is essential to find joy and purposeAnd I’ve come to understand that in order to feel fulfilled, I need to build something, whether it’s a business or a personal project.
bandholz: Please tell us about your role at M1 Skis. Was this a deliberate instruction or an opportunity that just happened?
Kodu: It was a little bit of both. I’m responsible for marketing for M1 Skis, an early stage startup. When I joined the company, there was very little recognition of the company. I have the responsibility of building brands from the ground up and I love it. I work remotely part-time for a friend. It’s a perfect fit. At first I was hesitant to return to work, but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.
bandholz: How do you approach marketing M1 skis compared to supply?
Kodu:The marketing strategies are surprisingly similar. Supply was selling high-end razors, but in order to do so they needed to explain to customers why they should invest in a more expensive product than their competitors. Same challenge with M1 skis.
Unlike anything on the market, our skis are made from solid aluminum. It’s more expensive than traditional skis, and people are skeptical of the technology. My job is to explain why our products are worth the investment and build customer trust through education and engagement.
This experience was amazing. Instead of worrying about payroll and invoices, you can now focus on the things you enjoy, like building your brand. The best thing is that you won’t be sleep deprived like you were with Supply. I’m still focused on M1’s success, but I’m not thinking about it 24/7. It’s very safe because you can check out even when you’re not working.
bandholz: Would you consider starting another business?
Kodu: You can do that, but I would take a completely different approach. I would like to start a small, manageable business with minimal stress. Something that fits your lifestyle even if your income is reduced. It will be niche, high-margin, and not dependent on ongoing social media or inventory management. I want a business that is profitable for me and doesn’t add unnecessary complexity to my life.
Bandholz: You advocate simplicity.
Kodu: that’s right. Supply complexity has become overwhelming. I used 30 apps across my Shopify store and multiple social media channels. It was tough to manage. At M1 Skis, we’ve kept things simple. I use Shopify Email instead of complex services like Klaviyo and have not installed any additional apps. This approach allows you to focus on building great products and telling their stories.
Bandholz: Where can I buy these skis and contact you?
Kodu: M1skis.com. I’m here linkedin and ×.
