# Bogg Bag: Kim Vaccarella. The $100 Million Business She Almost Abandoned

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2026-09-07
- Length: 1h 23m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-07-bogg-bag-kim-vaccarella-the-100-million-business-she-almost-abandoned

## Summary

Kim Vaccarella, founder of Bogg Bag, explains how she pivoted from an idea to a $100 million business after her first $30,000 production run from China arrived with defective bags due to manufacturing laziness. She describes borrowing $120,000 from colleagues to restart with a new factory, sharing trade show booths to save costs, and leveraging the washable nature of the EVA material to gain traction during Superstorm Sandy and the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccarella details turning down a massive acquisition offer to maintain control, eventually securing investment from Andrew Rosen and Lou Frankfurt to scale the company while keeping her day job for years.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-07-bogg-bag-kim-vaccarella-the-100-million-business-she-almost-abandoned#t=0) Introduction: Kim Vaccarella and Bogg Bag
- [4:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-07-bogg-bag-kim-vaccarella-the-100-million-business-she-almost-abandoned#t=273) Early Life and Commercial Real Estate Career
- [15:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-07-bogg-bag-kim-vaccarella-the-100-million-business-she-almost-abandoned#t=913) Inspiration from Crocs and Initial Prototyping
- [38:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-07-bogg-bag-kim-vaccarella-the-100-million-business-she-almost-abandoned#t=2297) First Production Run and Defective Shipment
- [44:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-07-bogg-bag-kim-vaccarella-the-100-million-business-she-almost-abandoned#t=2658) Superstorm Sandy and Product Redemption
- [54:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-07-bogg-bag-kim-vaccarella-the-100-million-business-she-almost-abandoned#t=3245) Restarting with New Factory and Trade Show Hustle
- [1:02:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-07-bogg-bag-kim-vaccarella-the-100-million-business-she-almost-abandoned#t=3762) Leaving Day Job and COVID-19 Growth
- [1:09:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-07-bogg-bag-kim-vaccarella-the-100-million-business-she-almost-abandoned#t=4160) Rejecting Acquisition and Scaling with New Investors

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Bogg Bag (product)
- Crocs (product)
- EVA (material)
- Target (company)
- Nordstrom (company)
- Dick Sporting Goods (company)
- Peloton (product)
- Andrew Rosen (other)
- Lou Frankfurt (other)
- Hussein (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [044: Turning customizable jackets into a multi-million dollar business, Elyse Daniels of Exodus Wear](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-03-14-044-turning-customizable-jackets-into-a-multi-million-dollar-business-elyse-dani) (Product Startup)
- [Kickstarter, Copycats, and Comebacks: RiutBag’s Rise](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-07-01-kickstarter-copycats-and-comebacks-riutbags-rise) (It's Only a Prototype)
- [Against All Odds: Overcoming Huge Setbacks to Sell 5 Million Worldwide](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-05-15-against-all-odds-overcoming-huge-setbacks-to-sell-5-million-worldwide) (It's Only a Prototype)
- [024: Aligning passion & business with Terry Lin of Forever Home Blankets](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-10-25-024-aligning-passion-business-with-terry-lin-of-forever-home-blankets) (Product Startup)
- [217 - Erica Rankin on her packaging pivot at Bro Dough](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-10-10-217-erica-rankin-on-her-packaging-pivot-at-bro-dough) (People of Packaging)

## Citing this page

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