Ep 42: Stu Shank on Starting a Family Knife Business

Stu Shank is the Co-Founder and CEO of Reiff Knives, a new direct to consumer, family-owned American made knife company, 

Last summer, I first became aware of them when they launched a very successful crowdfunding campaign to back their knives. I was super impressed with their branding, marketing strategy, and, most importantly, the quality of their blades.

My brother Adam and I had the pleasure of hanging out with Stu and his brother Ben last month at Blade Show Texas, and all four of us really hit it off over drinks talking about family-owned businesses, the outdoor industry, and our passion for creating high quality, American made products. 

Quotes:

"Be passionate about what you do."

"If you're going to be stressed out about something, it might as well be your thing and not somebody else's." 

Topics Discussed:

Stu's background & previous work experience Starting a family businessGoing full time with Reiff KnivesWorking in the outdoor industryFrom conception to launching a companyNavigating a Kickstarter & pre-ordersKnife designingBeing a steel nerdThe "perfect" knifeG10 handle benefitsAmerican MadeDrop point vs. Tanto Crowd FundingIndustry relationshipsBeing in love with the outdoor experiencePersonal responsibility for natureBuilding quality productsPrincipals, ethics & a moral compassScaling a startupBuilding a generational businessEssential outdoor gearCPM3V Steel

Resources Mentioned:

Reiff KnivesInstagram: Reiff KnivesFacebook: Reiff KnivesYoutube: Reiff KnivesKickstarted: Reiff KnivesESEE KnivesTuff Possum GearThe Hidden WoodsmenWarbonnet OutdoorsStargazer Cast IronBook: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Book: Ishmael by Daniel QuinnBook: The Bible

The Adventure Made Podcast is sponsored by Rewild Gear. Essential gear built for the great outdoors, designed to fuel your next adventure. Come find your wild at RewildGear.com!