# Live Episode! Walker & Company: Tristan Walker

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2019-09-30
- Length: 1h 01m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-30-live-episode-walker-company-tristan-walker

## Summary

Tristan Walker, founder of Walker & Company (Bevel), explains how his personal struggle with razor bumps for men of color led to the creation of a single-blade shaving system and a broader beauty brand. He details the difficulty of raising venture capital from investors who didn't understand the problem, the strategic pivot to a subscription model, and the eventual sale of the company to Procter & Gamble in 2018. Walker also discusses his decision to move the company's headquarters from Silicon Valley to Atlanta and his role as P&G's first Black CEO.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-30-live-episode-walker-company-tristan-walker#t=0) Introduction: Tristan Walker and Walker & Company
- [3:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-30-live-episode-walker-company-tristan-walker#t=233) Early Life, Education, and Wall Street
- [11:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-30-live-episode-walker-company-tristan-walker#t=690) Stanford, Foursquare, and Andreessen Horowitz
- [19:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-30-live-episode-walker-company-tristan-walker#t=1181) The Origin of Bevel and Product Design
- [29:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-30-live-episode-walker-company-tristan-walker#t=1776) Pitching VCs and Raising Seed Capital
- [37:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-30-live-episode-walker-company-tristan-walker#t=2263) Manufacturing, Prototyping, and Launch
- [45:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-30-live-episode-walker-company-tristan-walker#t=2703) Growth, Retail Expansion, and Target Deal
- [52:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-09-30-live-episode-walker-company-tristan-walker#t=3137) Acquisition by Procter & Gamble and Legacy

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Bevel (product)
- Procter & Gamble (company)
- Foursquare (company)
- Andreessen Horowitz (company)
- Dollar Shave Club (company)
- Harry's (company)
- Target (company)
- Code 2040 (company)
- Lehman Brothers (company)
- J.P. Morgan (company)
- Stanford University (other)
- Hotchkiss (other)
- Unilever (company)
- Johnson & Johnson (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Founder Fundraising Journey: Victor Guardiola, Bawi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-08-01-founder-fundraising-journey-victor-guardiola-bawi) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [018: Re-inventing the walker with Jennifer Harris of Motivo](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-09-13-018-re-inventing-the-walker-with-jennifer-harris-of-motivo) (Product Startup)
- [Oddball's Path From Idea to Funding a Nationwide Target Launch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-07-11-oddballs-path-from-idea-to-funding-a-nationwide-target-launch) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder + Funder: Fundraising, Founder-Investor Fit, and Building the Next Big Breakfast Brand with Emily Groden of Evergreen and Brian Bernstein of Rich Products Ventures](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-06-20-founder-funder-fundraising-founder-investor-fit-and-building-the-next-big-breakf) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Emmanuel Waters and Courtney Tucker of Old Hillside Bourbon](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-03-06-founder-feature-emmanuel-waters-and-courtney-tucker-of-old-hillside-bourbon) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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