14 Jake Kassan: Co-Founder & President of MVMT Watches

Early Ventures

Jake Kassan's entrepreneurial journey began in his teenage years, where he leveraged social media platforms to sell products like t-shirts, reaching impressive sales figures. He realized the potential of unconventional marketing strategies, which allowed him to capitalize on opportunities that traditional marketers often overlooked. Kassan shares, "I saw that and I went, okay, you don't have to have this like, structured advertising marketing like this. I'm doing things that marketing execs don't even know" 1. His early ventures taught him the importance of being scrappy and innovative, which laid the foundation for his future success with MVMT Watches 2.

   

Crowdfunding Success

Kassan's success with MVMT Watches was significantly boosted by his strategic use of crowdfunding platforms like Indiegogo. He raised $300,000 by pre-selling watches, which allowed him to fund the initial production without traditional capital. Kassan explains, "I told my story, I explained what the whole concept of the brand was, and I gave the customers essentially 50 days to pre order" 3. His innovative growth hacking techniques, such as leveraging Reddit and blogs for exposure, further amplified his campaign's reach and success 4.

   

Overcoming Challenges

Overcoming personal and professional challenges was crucial in Kassan's journey to building a successful brand. After a previous business failure left him in debt, he faced pressure from family and uncertainty about his future. Kassan reflects, "I was definitely freaking out for a little bit, trying to figure out what I wanted to do" 5. However, his fear of not trying, rather than fear of failure, drove him to pursue his goals relentlessly. This mindset, combined with a strong belief in the law of attraction, helped him navigate obstacles and remain focused on his vision 6.