He Started with $400… And Became an NBA Brand | Christian Resiak, Howl + Hide

On today's show I sat down with Christian Resiak, founder of Indianapolis leather goods brand Howl + Hide, launched in 2014 after he taught himself leatherwork.

Resiak grew up near Michigan City's Lake Michigan shoreline, moved to Noblesville, and left Purdue after six months to pursue retail management roles in Peoria, Illinois and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he learned branding, merchandising, and store operations.

After returning to Indianapolis in 2012, he worked briefly at Verizon and Angie's List before discovering leatherwork in 2014, starting with hand-sewn wallets and bags, and transitioning from Etsy to his own site in 2015.

He left Angie's List, bartended to pay bills, joined a Mass Ave makerspace incubator, opened early retail/workshop spaces, and used trade shows to land wholesale and corporate opportunities, including John Wayne wallets.

The business expanded into retail, corporate "collab" products, and an in-house factory, working with brands like Jet Access, Wilson, and NBA teams including the Pistons and Pacers, while emphasizing culture, EOS processes, and scaling without losing the brand's soul.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about:
- The Origins of Howl + Hide
- Expanding Business into Retail
- Collaborating with Major Brands and Professional Teams

Thank you to our partners:
ClusterTruck (use code GETIN at checkout for $5 off orders of $25 or more)
Kirklin

Check out these great clips from the show:
01:23 Guest Introduction: Christian Resiak, Howl + Hide
02:29 Growing Up Michigan City
05:10 Noblesville High And Skate Shop
08:43 Dropping Purdue For Retail
10:33 Peoria Lessons And Growth
18:02 Sioux Falls Culture Shock
21:21 Back To Indy Verizon To Angie's List
24:48 Falling Into Leatherwork
27:00 First Wallet And First Bags
29:14 Etsy Launch And Early Sales
30:56 Scaling Mindset 80 20
31:48 Launching the Brand
32:46 Origin of Howl and Hide
34:18 Quitting for Full Time
36:09 Mass Ave Maker Space
44:13 First Storefront Lease
47:32 Trade Shows and Wholesale
51:20 Big Orders Growing Pains
53:39 First Hire and Systems
56:44 COVID Boom and Masks
59:14 Corporate Gifting Expansion
01:01:44 Content and Team Culture
01:05:14 Leadership Empathy and EOS
01:07:28 Traction and EOS Hacks
01:07:57 Meeting Culture and Board
01:08:29 Cody and Barbershop Move
01:09:37 Clay Terrace Pop Up Win
01:10:19 New HQ Build Out
01:11:22 Fountain Square Block
01:12:23 Three Revenue Streams
01:13:25 NBA Breakthrough Story
01:15:58 Pacers and All-Star Bags
01:17:42 Festivals and Big Purpose
01:18:49 Team Structure and Factory
01:20:46 Vision and Made in USA
01:22:41 Independence and Regenerative
01:27:00 New Products and Collab
01:28:30 Indiana Lightning Round
01:32:44 Hidden Gem Leather Shop
01:34:50 Hoosier Shoutouts and Wrap
01:36:27 Where to Find Howl + Hide

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