# Crumbl: Jason McGowan

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2025-08-11
- Length: 1h 04m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-08-11-crumbl-jason-mcgowan

## Summary

Jason McGowan, co-founder of Crumbl Cookies with Sawyer Hemsley, explains how he applied tech startup methodologies to build a 1,000-store franchise chain. McGowan details the rigorous A/B testing of recipes, the strategic decision to franchise early to avoid outside capital, and the use of weekly rotating flavors and TikTok virality to drive demand. He also discusses the operational challenges of scaling logistics, managing a remote workforce of bakers, and the legal battles with competitors over stolen trade secrets.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-08-11-crumbl-jason-mcgowan#t=0) Introduction: Jason McGowan and Crumbl's Tech-First Approach
- [4:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-08-11-crumbl-jason-mcgowan#t=289) McGowan's Background: Tech Career and Missionary Work
- [15:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-08-11-crumbl-jason-mcgowan#t=953) Product Development: A/B Testing the Perfect Cookie
- [23:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-08-11-crumbl-jason-mcgowan#t=1422) Launch Strategy: The First Store and Delivery Logistics
- [34:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-08-11-crumbl-jason-mcgowan#t=2082) Scaling and Franchising: The Bountiful Experiment
- [47:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-08-11-crumbl-jason-mcgowan#t=2828) Brand and Marketing: Pink Boxes, TikTok, and Weekly Drops
- [59:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-08-11-crumbl-jason-mcgowan#t=3569) Legal Battles and Future Growth

## Topics

- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Crumbl Cookies (company)
- Sawyer Hemsley (other)
- BYU.com (product)
- Family Link (product)
- Pick.com (product)
- Ancestry (company)
- Ember (product)
- DoorDash (product)
- Insomnia Cookies (company)
- TikTok (product)
- Mrs. Fields (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Founder Feature:  Taylor Espinoza of Unicorn Bites](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-01-16-founder-feature-taylor-espinoza-of-unicorn-bites) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Maxi Heidenblut of Häppy Candy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-04-04-founder-feature-maxi-heidenblut-of-happy-candy) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [244 - Jody Polishchuk from Sundays on how they made the first zero sugar creme cookie](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2024-02-16-244-jody-polishchuk-from-sundays-on-how-they-made-the-first-zero-sugar-creme-coo) (People of Packaging)
- [Founder Feature: Jenifer Shwartz of Freezcake](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-03-28-founder-feature-jenifer-shwartz-of-freezcake) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Lindsay Hancock of My Better Batch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-02-27-founder-feature-lindsay-hancock-of-my-better-batch) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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