Bear Hollow Supply | Facing the Challenges of Social Media, Failure, and Ai
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Episode Recap
What does it take to step into a family business at 17 and find your own direction for its future?
In our latest podcast episode, Brady Yoder of Bear Hollow Supply shares how trying new things, knowing his numbers, and staying authentic in marketing helped transform a family-owned specialty hardware company into a successful e-commerce business.
Here are a few highlights from our conversation.
Stepping Into the Family Business
Bear Hollow Supply began in the early 1990s when Brady’s grandfather, Roman Yoder, started making bed brackets. Brady grew up working in the shop but never planned on taking over the business.
That changed in 2017 when, at just 17, Brady had the opportunity to step in as his grandfather prepared to retire.
Early on, Brady experimented with different ways to grow, including adding new product lines. Some worked, while others helped him realize what Bear Hollow Supply wasn’t.
The experience taught him that growth sometimes means trying something new—and being willing to change direction when it doesn’t work.
From Wholesale to E-Commerce
When Brady stepped into Bear Hollow, the business was essentially 100% wholesale. He began exploring retail and e-commerce, eventually transforming the company to roughly 80% retail and 20% wholesale.
But e-commerce wasn’t an instant success, and it took roughly two to three months to make the first online sale.
As Brady put it, “You can make the best product in the world, but if no one knows about you, you’re not going to go anywhere.”
Marketing Through Authenticity
Social media became an important part of building that awareness. Instead of simply showing products and asking customers to buy, Bear Hollow shifted toward creating content customers actually care about—products in use, behind-the-scenes footage, real people, and real stories.
One raw video that took around 15 minutes to create went on to receive more than 10 million views.
Yet Brady doesn’t measure success by followers or views alone. Revenue and return on advertising spend provide a much clearer picture of whether that attention is actually helping the business.
Working on the Business
One of Brady’s biggest lessons came after a year when Bear Hollow sold more than ever and worked harder than ever, yet had surprisingly little to show for it financially.
It forced him to dig into the numbers and recognize that he had been spending too much time working in the business rather than on the business.
By examining margins, expenses, products, and profitability, Brady gained a clearer direction for the company and began focusing resources on what was actually working.
Bear Hollow Supply also uses AI to make many behind-the-scenes tasks more efficient, while intentionally keeping customer-facing marketing authentic and human.
Throughout the episode, Brady’s story reinforces three important lessons: don’t be afraid to try new things, know your numbers and your company’s direction, and stay authentic in how you connect with customers.
If you enjoy conversations about entrepreneurship, e-commerce, marketing, and building a stronger business, you won’t want to miss this episode with Bear Hollow Supply.