Chris Meade’s Unconventional Strategies for Scaling a DTC Brand

Scaling a DTC (direct-to-consumer) brand is rarely linear. Some founders invest heavily in ads, while others focus on building communities from the ground up. But for Chris Meade, co-founder of CROSSNET, it started with nothing more than a four-square volleyball net, a beach, and a lot of hustle.

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We sat down with Chris to talk about:

• How he bootstrapped CROSSNET from a $7k investment.
• The unconventional growth tactics that fueled their success.
• His approach to retail partnerships and scaling beyond DTC.
• Why financial literacy is the key to long-term success.

Bootstrapping CROSSNET With Just $7k

Most startups begin with raising capital or finding investors, but Chris took a different approach. With only $7k from a 401k, his priority was inventory. 

“Without the inventory, I had no business. No business, no money,” he says.

Without an ad budget, the team relied on an unconventional marketing strategy. Chris would take CROSSNET to the beach, invite strangers to play, and, by the end of the day, they’d have so much fun that they would buy the net on the spot. It was simple, scrappy, and effective. 

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The Reality of Early-Stage Growth 

Despite the initial enthusiasm, sales were slow. “We’d sell like one a day, maybe one every other day. The net cost $150, and we made about $70 in profit. With three co-founders, that meant I was making $20 a day. It wasn’t sustainable.”

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Breaking Into Retail

As CROSSNET grew, Chris knew DTC alone wouldn’t be enough. Retail was the next step, but how do you land major retail deals without connections?

LinkedIn.

So, Chris personally reached out to retail buyers on LinkedIn, keeping his outreach simple and human. 

“People turn into robots when they pitch. Buyers don’t respond to that. Keep it human, be concise, and get straight to the point.”

That strategy worked. CROSSNET is now sold by major retailers, including an upcoming launch in Target. 

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Unconventional Growth Tactics 

Beyond retail, CROSSNET leaned into unique strategies to drive more sales such as:

• Leveraging Amazon: “We’re Amazon’s #1 volleyball net, so we drive traffic from Facebook to a landing page that checks out on Amazon instead of our site. The conversion rate is just better.”
• Localized billboards: “For smaller retail chains in the Midwest, we buy billboards near store locations that say ‘CROSSNET now available at Sheilds, off Exit 82. These billboards are dirt cheap, and sometimes after the first month, no one buys them, so we get them for free for months.”

These tactics helped drive traffic, but Chris knew that converting visitors into customers was just as important as generating traffic to the website. That’s why CROSSNET used Tie to de-anonymize web traffic, turning previously anonymous visitors into contactable leads that could be nurtured into customers over time.

By identifying and nurturing site visitors who weren’t ready to purchase immediately, Tie ensured that fewer potential customers slipped through the cracks. 

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Capturing & Converting anonymous visitors 

For any ecommerce brand, driving traffic is only half the battle. Converting these visitors is what actually makes the difference.

“If I’m spending money on traffic and working my whole life to get customers to our store, I better be capturing as many people as possible,” Chris says. “Our product isn’t an instant purchase. It takes consideration. Tie helps us build a lead funnel and drip them into conversion when the time is right.” 

The Key to Long-Term Growth: Know Your Numbers 

For brands looking to scale, Chris has one important piece of advice: 

“Know your numbers better than you think you do. Every single dollar needs to be tracked. If you go weeks, months, or even a year without realizing you’re breaking even or losing money, things will fall apart. Financial literacy has never been more important in ecommerce.”

Tip: To stay on top of your numbers, build a routine around tracking them. A daily check-in lets you monitor cash flow, revenue, and channel performance. Then, set up a weekly meeting to analyze trends, spot inefficiencies, and fine-tune your strategy. This consistency makes sure you’re making the right moves to grow.

CROSSNET’s journey from a $7K investment to a national retail brand is proof that creativity, persistence, and smart financial decisions drive success. With a creative product, unconventional marketing tactics, and timely retail expansion, Chris has built a playbook that any emerging brand can learn from.

Want to maximize your ecommerce revenue like CROSSNET? Book a demo with Tie today.