He noticed men wouldn't talk about below-the-waist grooming — and built a $300 million brand on it
4 min read · RealCase summary
Paul Tran founded Manscaped in 2016 after a string of earlier ecommerce ventures and leadership roles in software and consumer brands, and grew it to $300 million in revenue within about three years.
He validated the idea before building anything: "I tested it in the most straightforward way possible: I asked my friends." The first trimmer he shipped sold out within two weeks, which pushed the company into rapid iteration -- the product moved through several generations, the Lawn Mower 2.0 through 5.0, adding a proprietary SkinSafe blade and waterproof design based on customer feedback along the way.
Early growth leaned on direct-response marketing during the DTC advertising boom, then shifted into retail: Manscaped committed close to $60 million in marketing spend around its Target launch, a bet made only after demand had already been validated. The brand now sells in 39 countries and through major retailers including Target, Walmart, and Best Buy internationally.
Key takeaways
- ›Validated the idea by asking friends directly about grooming habits before building the product
- ›Sold out the first version of the 'Lawn Mower' trimmer within two weeks, then iterated through five product generations based on customer feedback
- ›Scaled to $300 million in revenue and 15 million-plus customers across 39 countries within three years, later expanding into major retailers like Target and Walmart
Original source
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