In the high-stakes arena of direct-to-consumer (D2C) e-commerce, few entrepreneurs are as intimately acquainted with the fundamental friction between product categories as Eric Steckling. As the CEO overseeing two distinct brands—Brio, a men’s grooming staple, and Ollie, a rapidly evolving oral care powerhouse—Steckling serves as a case study in the strategic complexities of modern retail.
His journey, which began with the founding of Brio in 2014 and expanded significantly with the 2022 acquisition of Ollie from entrepreneur Aaron Marino, offers a masterclass in the divergent economic models of "durables" versus "replenishables." In a recent conversation with Eric Bandholz, Steckling peeled back the curtain on the operational realities of managing two portfolios that require vastly different marketing, retention, and scaling strategies.
The Core Challenge: Durables vs. Replenishables
The fundamental tension in Steckling’s business model lies in the lifecycle of the products themselves. Brio, built on the strength of high-quality beard trimmers, faces the classic "durable goods dilemma."
The Brio Burden: Lifetime Value Constraints
When a customer purchases a premium beard trimmer, they are making a long-term investment. If the product is engineered correctly, it lasts for years. While this builds brand loyalty and positive sentiment, it creates a recurring revenue deficit. As Steckling notes, Brio’s primary challenge is that the customer base does not naturally provide a high long-term value (LTV). Even with ancillary sales of blades and accessories, the purchase frequency remains low compared to consumable goods.
For the D2C founder, this necessitates a relentless focus on customer acquisition—a costly endeavor in an era of rising Meta advertising rates. Without the recurring "hook" of a consumable, the marketing cycle becomes a treadmill of finding new customers to replace the dormant ones.
The Ollie Opportunity: The Power of Habits
Conversely, Ollie represents the "holy grail" of D2C: high-frequency, replenishable goods. By shifting focus toward toothpaste, mouthwash, and whitening strips, Steckling has tapped into the daily habits of consumers. Because these products are used multiple times per day, they are perfectly suited for a subscription-based model. This shift allows for a more predictable cash flow and a more sustainable marketing ecosystem, where the LTV of a customer increases naturally through consistent, automated replenishment.
Chronology: From Grooming Startup to Multi-Brand Operator
To understand Steckling’s current trajectory, one must look at the evolution of his companies over the past decade.
- 2014: Eric Steckling launches Brio, entering the competitive men’s grooming space with a focus on high-durability, high-quality beard trimmers.
- 2020–2021: As Brio matures, Steckling begins to experiment with oral care, integrating sonic toothbrushes into the Brio catalog to leverage existing traffic.
- 2022: Steckling acquires Ollie from Aaron Marino. At the time, Ollie was primarily known for its teeth-whitening strips.
- 2023: A period of structural realignment. Steckling attempts to merge the brand identities but eventually decides to decouple them, recognizing that the consumer psychology for grooming tools and oral health is distinct.
- 2024: Current state. Steckling shifts his operational focus toward scaling Ollie’s subscription model and exploring innovative product lines like enzyme-based whitening, while maintaining Brio as a specialized, niche grooming brand.
Strategic Decision-Making: The "Listen and Pivot" Methodology
One of the most profound insights from Steckling’s tenure is his approach to product development. In the fast-paced D2C market, intuition is often touted as the founder’s greatest asset, but Steckling advocates for a data-driven, customer-centric feedback loop.
The Fluoride Case Study
A prime example of this methodology occurred during the launch of an Ollie toothpaste line. The product was formulated with a specific set of ingredients and gained immediate traction. However, a significant segment of the customer base expressed a desire for a fluoride-free version.
Steckling admitted to being "on the fence." His internal dilemma reflected a classic business conflict: sticking to the original product vision versus catering to the vocal demands of the market. Ultimately, he chose to pivot. The introduction of a fluoride-free variant resulted in a significant uptick in sales, proving that in the D2C space, customer feedback is often the most reliable roadmap for product iteration.
The "Stop" Signal
When asked how to determine if a product’s lack of success is due to poor messaging or a fundamental market mismatch, Steckling offers a pragmatic test: "As long as we’re making changes and trying new approaches, we keep going. But if we get to a point where we don’t know what to change, maybe it’s time to stop." It is a candid admission that even successful founders must be willing to kill their darlings if the data suggests the market simply isn’t interested.
Minimizing Churn in a Subscription Economy
Churn is the silent killer of D2C brands. For subscription-based businesses like Ollie, retention is the lifeblood of profitability. Steckling’s strategy for minimizing churn is refreshingly simple: Product superiority.
"You don’t need a massive, aggressive subscription strategy if your product is so good that customers want to keep buying it," Steckling notes, echoing a philosophy shared by many in the industry. By focusing on products that people use daily, he ensures that the "fixed delivery cycle" feels like a convenience rather than a burden. He believes that the most effective way to lower churn is to provide value that exceeds the cost, making the subscription an obvious choice for the consumer.
The Bootstrapper’s Trade-off: Scale vs. Autonomy
A central theme in Steckling’s career is his commitment to bootstrapping. Unlike many D2C brands that chase venture capital to fuel hyper-growth, Steckling has maintained ownership and control.
The Speed vs. Control Dilemma
While some might argue that venture capital would accelerate growth, Steckling is skeptical. He questions whether outside capital would actually scale his revenue any faster, given that the primary constraint in D2C is often the efficiency of customer acquisition channels (like Meta or TikTok) rather than just raw capital.
By avoiding the pressures of investors, Steckling maintains the agility to pivot his product strategy—like the decision to make Ollie fluoride-free—without needing to justify every move to a board. The trade-off, he acknowledges, is that he may never build a "billion-dollar brand" in the traditional sense, but he has built a resilient, profitable, and autonomous enterprise.
Future Implications and Retail Expansion
Looking ahead, Steckling is not resting on his laurels. His focus for the next phase of growth includes:
- Expanding the Product Suite: Leveraging the innovation behind enzyme-based whitening and new mouthwash formulas to expand Ollie’s market share.
- Influencer Ecosystems: Moving beyond traditional Meta advertising, Steckling is prioritizing the creation of an "army of TikTok Shop affiliates" to drive organic discovery.
- The Wholesale Question: While currently focused on D2C channels (website and Amazon), Steckling recognizes that true scale will eventually require a move into brick-and-mortar retail. The "retail shelf exposure" is the next frontier for both Brio and Ollie.
The Evolution of Entrepreneurial Vision
Perhaps the most humanizing takeaway from Steckling’s journey is his admission that he had no "grand vision" when he started. He notes that the more he speaks with other entrepreneurs, the more he realizes that the myth of the ten-year, unwavering master plan is exactly that—a myth.
"You’re making decisions month-by-month and year-by-year of what seems right at the time," he says. This iterative, humble approach is perhaps the most vital trait for any founder operating in the unpredictable climate of modern commerce. By remaining flexible, listening to his customers, and understanding the core mechanics of his products, Eric Steckling has managed to carve out a sustainable path in a landscape that often rewards growth at all costs.
For now, the focus remains clear: Brio for the grooming enthusiast, and Ollie for the daily oral health routine. Two brands, two models, one consistent CEO navigating the complexities of the D2C world one day at a time.
