# HIBT Lab! The Sorry Girls: Kelsey MacDermaid and Becky Wright

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2022-06-23
- Length: 43m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-23-hibt-lab-the-sorry-girls-kelsey-macdermaid-and-becky-wright

## Summary

Kelsey MacDermaid and Becky Wright, co-founders of the DIY media company The Sorry Girls, explain how they transitioned from film students creating Halloween costumes in 2010 to running a seven-figure media business with over 2 million subscribers. They discuss their organic growth strategy, which relied on reading audience comments and leveraging trending topics like the Black Swan movie, and their decision to leave traditional film jobs to pursue YouTube full-time in 2015. The episode details their revenue model, which combines YouTube ad CPMs, selective brand partnerships with companies like IKEA, and affiliate links, while highlighting their strict adherence to sustainability values that prevents them from selling generic merchandise.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-23-hibt-lab-the-sorry-girls-kelsey-macdermaid-and-becky-wright#t=0) Introduction: Kelsey MacDermaid and Becky Wright of The Sorry Girls
- [1:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-23-hibt-lab-the-sorry-girls-kelsey-macdermaid-and-becky-wright#t=109) The First Videos: Highlighter Costumes and the Black Swan
- [7:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-23-hibt-lab-the-sorry-girls-kelsey-macdermaid-and-becky-wright#t=450) Growing the Channel: Reading Comments and DIY Evolution
- [11:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-23-hibt-lab-the-sorry-girls-kelsey-macdermaid-and-becky-wright#t=666) Going Full-Time: Leaving Film Jobs and Incorporating
- [22:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-23-hibt-lab-the-sorry-girls-kelsey-macdermaid-and-becky-wright#t=1334) Revenue Streams: Ad CPMs, Brand Deals, and Affiliate Links
- [28:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-23-hibt-lab-the-sorry-girls-kelsey-macdermaid-and-becky-wright#t=1720) Values-Driven Business: Sustainability and Merchandise Decisions
- [40:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-23-hibt-lab-the-sorry-girls-kelsey-macdermaid-and-becky-wright#t=2447) Future Growth: Decoupling the Brand from the Founders

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Creator business](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/creator-business)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- The Sorry Girls (product)
- U.S. Bank (company)
- HGTV (company)
- CBC (company)
- Netflix (company)
- Disney (company)
- Apple TV (company)

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- [019: Organic haircare products with Susana Stewart & Caroline Maina of Fro Butter](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-09-20-019-organic-haircare-products-with-susana-stewart-caroline-maina-of-fro-butter) (Product Startup)
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## Citing this page

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