# 228: How Tommy John Became a 9-Figure Underwear Brand with Tom Patterson

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/beyond-a-million-4835442/228-how-tommy-john-became-a-9-figure-underwear-brand-with-tom-patterson
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/beyond-a-million-4835442/228-how-tommy-john-became-a-9-figure-underwear-brand-with-tom-patterson.md
Podcast: [Beyond A Million](https://stenobird.com/podcast/beyond-a-million-4835442)
Published: 2026-05-14T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://beyondamillion.com/audio/tom-patterson-tommy-john-9-figure-underwear-brand
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bradweimert/228_-_How_Tommy_John_Became_a_9-Figure_Underwear_Brand_with_Tom_Patterson.mp3?dest-id=2974040
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Duration seconds: 3253

## Resource

Today, I'm talking with Tom Patterson , founder of Tommy John, the underwear brand that turned a frustrating problem into a 9-figure business. Tom started the company after getting tired of undershirts constantly coming untucked while working in medical sales. What began as a simple fix turned into one of the biggest direct-to-consumer apparel success stories of the last 15 years. In this conversation, we break down how Tommy John bootstrapped its way to over $100M in revenue before taking meaningful outside capital, why Howard Stern and Kevin Hart became game-changing growth channels, and what founders misunderstand about building premium consumer brands today. Tom also shares lessons on raising capital, balancing wholesale with direct-to-consumer, building a company with your spouse, and why experience can actually become a disadvantage in fast-changing markets. Key Takeaways (01:27) Leveraging Howard Stern's Audience (03:08) Pioneering Podcast/Radio Marketing (04:25) Starting Tommy John with $100 and a Sketch (07:27) How Useful is a Patent? (11:12) Evolve and Innovate (13:49) AI's Future In Product Development (15:04) How to Defend Against Knockoffs (18:01) Wholesale Vs DTC Margins Explained (21:33) Why Women Became 30% of Sales (26:26) How Tommy John Financed Growth (30:47) Kevin Hart's Unexpected Partnership (33:08) The Kobe Bryant Deal That Fell Apart (36:05) Selling A Minority Stake (38:20) Running A Business With Your Spouse (42:36) Experience Can Be Your Worst Enemy (44:38) Handing Off The CEO Role (46:53) Avoiding The Post-Exit Crisis (48:24) Lifestyle Businesses Are Changing (50:23) The Truth About Raising Venture Capital (52:06) Advice For New Entrepreneurs Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/879q12wejtw Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok…

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