# Cotopaxi: Davis Smith

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2020-05-04
- Length: 1h 05m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-05-04-cotopaxi-davis-smith

## Summary

Davis Smith, founder of Cotopaxi, recounts his journey from selling pool tables on eBay to launching a socially conscious outdoor gear brand. He details the painful failure of his second startup, baby.com.br, and the lessons learned about co-founder dynamics and market selection. Smith explains how he structured Cotopaxi as a B Corp with a mission to eradicate poverty, securing funding from Kirsten Green despite the unconventional 'give-away' model. The episode highlights Cotopaxi's unique marketing strategy involving 'Questival' events and live llamas, as well as its supply chain innovations using remnant materials.

## Chapters

- [0:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-05-04-cotopaxi-davis-smith#t=46) Introduction: Davis Smith and Cotopaxi
- [10:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-05-04-cotopaxi-davis-smith#t=619) Pooltables.com: Early Entrepreneurship and eBay
- [20:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-05-04-cotopaxi-davis-smith#t=1250) Baby.com.br: Expansion to Brazil and Failure
- [35:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-05-04-cotopaxi-davis-smith#t=2156) Founding Cotopaxi: Mission, Team, and Funding
- [51:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-05-04-cotopaxi-davis-smith#t=3063) Cotopaxi Launch: Questivals, Llamas, and Marketing
- [56:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-05-04-cotopaxi-davis-smith#t=3362) Impact Model, Supply Chain, and Pandemic Response

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Cotopaxi (company)
- Pooltables.com (company)
- baby.com.br (company)
- Warby Parker (company)
- Tom's Shoes (company)
- Patagonia (company)
- REI (company)
- Kirsten Green (other)
- Stefan Jacob (other)
- Kimball Thomas (other)
- Steve Gibson (other)

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## Citing this page

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