Ep 395 | Alex Schinasi

Written By Yasmin Nouri

From Business Idea to Sold-Out: Steph Hon's Playbook for Building a Business From Scratch

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Alex Schinasi is the co-founder of Hulken, the cult-favorite rolling tote brand that turned a simple, everyday product into something people can't stop talking about, and is now sold in major retailers like Target and Costco.

But what makes Alex’s story so interesting is that Hulken was never supposed to be a business. Her father had actually invented this rolling tote years earlier, and the family had been using it for everything from groceries to laundry, but they never thought to sell it. Then COVID hit, and her husband, who had spent his entire career as a professional drummer, suddenly found himself without work. So he thought, why not put the bag online and see if anyone buys it?

And that's exactly what they did. They launched a simple Shopify website, created their logo on Canva, and started packing orders from their New York City apartment. They didn't have a big team or a fancy marketing strategy. Instead, they focused on making a great product, listening to customers, and building word of mouth. And here's what's incredible: while Alex was still running her other company full-time, Hulken grew to nearly $30 million in annual revenue. 

In this episode, Alex breaks down what it really takes to get a business off the ground without quitting your job or spending a fortune before you even know if your idea will work. We talk about simple ways to test an idea, how to know if people are actually willing to pay for your product, and why she believes getting the product right matters far more than fancy branding early on. She also shares how they found their first customers, turned word of mouth and influencers into a powerful growth engine, and eventually used paid advertising to take the business to the next level. We get into the biggest lessons from her two previous business exits, when to pivot, how to make sure the numbers actually work, and how to scale a profitable business without a huge team or outside investors.

If you've been sitting on a business idea but feel like you don't have the money, experience, or perfect plan to get started, Alex's story is such a great reminder that you don't need everything figured out. Sometimes you just have to put your idea out there, see if people want it, and learn as you go.

Show Notes:

  • How a career in film production led to her first startup.  [02:51]

  • Pivoting from online art sales to B2B software—and eventually an exit. [04:00]

  • How meeting the right co-founder sparked her entrepreneurial journey. [04:31]

  • Why founders need to listen to market signals, not just their ideas. [06:01]

  • Why moving fast and prioritizing commercial value matter. [06:54]

  • How to spot product-market fit through data and willingness to pay. [08:00]

  • How Alex’s father’s invention inspired the Hulken rolling bag. [10:04]

  • Turning a family product into a business during COVID. [12:41]

  • Why perfecting the product came before branding and marketing. [13:32]

  • Applying tech startup lessons to a physical product business. [15:45]

  • Why solving a real problem matters more than early branding. 16:29]

  • How a manufacturing partnership helped Hulken grow without outside funding. [17:36]

  • How customer feedback shaped Hulken product improvements. [19:35]

  • Growing through small ad budgets, word of mouth, and creators. [21:28]

  • Why organic demand made paid advertising more effective. [23:43]

  • Scaling Meta ads while balancing marketing and operational costs. [27:37]

  • How a family-run side project grew into a multimillion-dollar business. [31:09]

  • Joining Hulken full-time after selling her tech company. [31:38]

  • Managing inventory shortages, retail launches, and rapid growth. [35:38]

  • Why Hulken chose retail as its next growth opportunity. [46:07]

  • Growing with a lean team, specialized agencies, and AI. [49:47]

  • How centralizing company knowledge helps AI improve efficiency. [51:35]

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Ep 394 | Steph Hon