Building consumer brands from Oklahoma City
Why I'm building a portfolio of direct-to-consumer brands far from the coasts, and what I'm trying to learn in public.
I build and invest in consumer brands, and I do it from Oklahoma City.
Most people assume you have to be in New York or LA to build a brand. I don't think that's true anymore. The tools are the same everywhere, the customers are online, and the cost of testing an idea has never been lower. What actually matters is taste, speed, and a willingness to ship before it's perfect.
I run Okie Digital, an ecommerce agency that builds and grows direct-to-consumer brands, and I operate Lester LLC, a holding company for the brands I'm building myself. The agency keeps me close to what's working in the market right now. The holding company is where I take those lessons and place my own bets.
What I keep coming back to
A few things I care about and will probably write about a lot here:
- Brand as a real advantage, not a logo. Most categories are won on positioning and creative, not on the product spec sheet.
- Building fast. I'd rather launch a rough version and learn from real customers than plan for months.
- Owning a clear lane. The brands I'm most excited about own a specific person at a specific moment.
This isn't going to be polished essays. These are working notes: what I'm testing, what's failing, and what I'd do differently. If that's useful to you, good.
More soon.