At A Glance

Co-Founders of Bruce Bolt Bear and Gard Mayer started with a basic need for better batting gloves and ended with the creation of a seven-figure business! Along the way, they won hearts and sales by overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities, all because to Bear's entrepreneurial drive. Prepare to be moved by their narrative of resiliency, collaboration, and the influence of storytelling in the workplace.

Who is Bear? 

Meet Bear Mayer and Gard Mayer, Co-Founders of Bruce Bolt! 

About Bruce Bolt 

BRUCE BOLT was started in 2017 by 16-year-old Bear Mayer, who saw a need for better baseball batting gloves. Today we look to outfit athletes both on and off the field with premium equipment and apparel. Each day, we strive to BE BETTER when it comes to design, craftsmanship, materials, and customer service. 

Bear’s Journey 

Bruce Bolt was out of necessity. At 16 years old, Bear had just spent his last penny to buy a truck and asked his dad, Gard, for gas money only to receive the response, “Get a job.” With baseball as the primary focus, a job wasn’t in the cards, so Bear decided to take another piece of advice from his dad. “He has an entrepreneurial background and told me that all great companies start by fixing something everyone has a problem with.” 

Bear’s problem was batting gloves. He wanted to “make a durable, longer lasting batting glove with better craftsmanship and materials” and went to work designing on his computer after school. Through a family friend, he connected with Jeff Bereznik, CEO of Nakona, who introduced him to a manufacturing company. “We went through about 18 prototypes before getting something that we thought was good enough to bring to market,” Bear recalls. “In October 2018, we had our first sale.” 

Going Viral 

Bruce Bolt launched with 1,000 pairs of the same glove, averaging one to two sales a day. This all changed on February 6, 2020, when Whistle Media aired its “My Hustle” episode spotlighting Bear and his story. “The day the video was released, we went from four sales, which was our record, to 80 sales, then 80 the next day, then 100 the following and so on. We quickly sold out of the second stock of 1500 that we had bought.” 

The Pandemic hit a month later putting all sports on an indefinite pause. “Lucky, but unlucky. COVID gave me a chance to sit down with my dad, mom, and sister and think about what we really wanted to do with Bruce Bolt. Did we want to keep it going or was this just a fun project that had met its end.” Deciding to move forward, Bear is very thankful for his company’s continued success.

The Team at Bruce Bolt 

The Bruce Bolt team has grown from just Bear and his dad to above 10 full-time employees (6 are based in Austin). Following a hybrid model, local team members work three days in the office and two days remotely. A remote manager heads a customer service team of more than 15 agents based around the US. 

Hiring New Members: An Athlete’s State of Mind 

Bruce Bolt’s company culture can be compared to a sports team – everyone is working together for the win whether it’s the final game in a series or to hit a quarterly sales goal. Athletes understand what it takes to work hard without recognition, to grind it out, and help others, Gard notes. Furthering this sentiment are Bruce Bolt’s three core values: be kind, be better, and don’t eff this up. 

Bruce Bolt looks for people with an athletic background who understand the importance of teamwork. Bear gives an example, “Our Head of Customer Service, Anthony Eschete, was originally a customer and is based in Louisiana. He contacted my dad, they talked for 3 hours, and he told him how much he loved baseball, our brand and that he wanted to be a part of it. Since coming on in 2020, he has become an integral part of our company.” An Air Force Sergeant, Anthony sought fellow military members and veterans to join the customer service team. “They play men’s and women’s softball for the military, which is really cool,” Bear adds. 

COO Courtney Trevino was Bruce Bolt’s official first hire once they had enough money – Gard previously worked with Courtney and knew she could help them get to the next level. Bear credits her for finding the right people to fill various roles. “Courtney’s done a phenomenal job,” he says. “Everyone on the team does great work, loves the company, and is part of our family now.” 

Bruce Bolt’s CX Philosophy 

In addition to premium design, materials, craftsmanship, Bruce Bolt was founded on exceptional customer service with an emphasis on patience, understanding, kindness, and the ability to not take things personally. “We have an amazing customer service team of contracted agents who answer emails and text messages and take calls all day long,” Bear says. “They keep our customers happy and uphold our core values while doing it.” And when issues do arise, resolution often comes from finding a common ground with customers. 

Social Media and CX 

While the customer is always right, there is the idea of managing expectations in a way that is fair to the company. Social media has become a space where customers and brands interact and share experiences - and not without friction. “Some of our customer service agents are baseball and softball moms and members of Facebook groups,”

Gard says. “If they see an unfair complaint or statement being made, they ask that person to call us so we can talk about the issue further.” 

Balancing Personal Touch and AI 

At the beginning, Bear sent each customer a handwritten thank you note. Unable to keep up the gesture as the company grew, Bear looked to AI for help. He wanted a tool that maintained a personal touch and found a solution with Maverick AI. “It’s been useful for us. Using footage of me talking, a personalized video is made and sent to customers post-purchase.” They’ve seen a significant return on investment and positive feedback since incorporating the tool into CX. The videos are so popular that some pro players have made messages – the goal is to have the entire Bruce Bolt pro roster on video within the next year. 

Business Growth and Revenue Strategies 

After Bear’s feature on “My Hustle” went viral, Bruce Bolt skyrocketed from a six-figure to a seven-figure company to where it is currently growing between 200-300% a year. By leveraging AI and other technologies along with outsourcing, a high revenue per employee is maintained. The company has been able to give back to the community and do an end-of-the-year profit share with the Bruce Bolt Team, both core and contractual members. In some cases, that profit share is as much as their salary incentivizing the team to go that extra mile. 

Growing A Band Through Authenticity and Storytelling 

In addition to launching with an exceptionally designed and crafted batting glove, the trajectory of Bruce Bolt’s success is attributed to the Bear’s youth and authenticity – people were ready to support a good product and a good idea. Gard reveals that exit surveys show that 60% of customers were introduced to the company through word of mouth. Bear’s story draws people in and Bruce Bolt’s brand values, integrity, and commitment to excellence make them stay. 

Product Options and Customer Retention 

Customer retention plays a big role in revenue – on average, customers come back within 60 days after making a purchase. While Bruce Bolt’s batting gloves are made to last, people like to have multiple pairs on deck along with other sports equipment, accessories, and apparel for game day. “We offer a variety of products,” Bear says. “Our first pro to sign on was Harrison Bader. I worked with him to make a baby blue glove – everyone thought we were crazy. It ended up starting a trend in baseball of not just wearing basic black, white, or your team color. Rather, you can express yourself with the glove color you wear.” Their glove line ranges from mint to gold to ombre. 

Planning For Peak Season 

Like most E-Commerce brands, Bruce Bolt’s peak season happens during Q4 with 40% sales followed by a second spike when baseball starts in spring. Planning for sufficient product inventory is crucial during these periods. “We order from our factory four months

in advance. We’ve gotten so accurate at forecasting over the last 5 years, that we’re able to tell our 3PL exactly how many people they’re going to need based on what we know what they can do per person in volume,” Gard says. Strong Communication and management with outsourced labor and agencies is also important, and allows the core team to work efficiently, fulfilling orders and supporting customers. 

Intentional Product Expansion 

Bear Bolt has expanded its product line to include arm sleeves, leg sleeves, protective gear, and pine tar along with apparel such as hoodies, t-shirts, hats, and joggers. Bear points out that all products are held to the same high standards as their batting gloves. “We’re not just trying to put stuff out there. We’re making sure that we hold true to the 

idea of Bruce Bolt being the premium of everything we do.” 

After making a reputable mark in the world of baseball, Bear and Gard see opportunity for Bear Bolt in other sports. “We’ve had questions from the start asking us if we’ll ever make a golf glove or golf club. We’re close to having products ready and are looking at Q1 of next year. We are also working on a football glove.” 

They stress the brand’s third golden rule, ‘don’t eff this up’ when talking about product expansion. Rigorous thought and planning go into anything Bruce Bolt makes. No equity partners or outside investors, the company is responsible for its own cash flow. It’s limiting, Gard says, but puts a guard rail up around making any left field bets that could disrupt revenue or tarnish the brand. 

Advice for E-Commerce Entrepreneurs 

Gard’s advice to aspiring E-Commerce entrepreneurs is to start by focusing on something you are passionate about and make it great. “People are willing to pay a premium for great stuff that lasts,” he says. A young entrepreneur himself, Bear says, “It’s often not about what you know, it’s who you know,” believing that relationships can be invaluable sources of insight for getting ahead. They both view authenticity, quality, and exceptional customer service as hallmarks of a leading company. 

Tech Stack 

Gorgias 

Shopify 

Inventory Planner “It’s accelerated our growth, allowing us to order the right amount of inventory while forecasting and predicting on the products that are doing really well.” Klaviyo “We use Klaviyo for email.” 

Postscript “We use Postscript for texts.” 

Maverick AI “It’s been a massive thing for us. Using footage of me talking, a personalized video is made and sent to customers post-purchase.”