How To Turn a Hobby Into a Beloved Brand | With Todd Balsley Ep. 16

What happens when a leather craftsman decides to go all-in on building a brand for photographers?

Meet Todd from Clever Supply, a maker who turned his garage hobby into a decade-long creative business loved by world-class photographers like Peter McKinnon and Joe Greer.

In this episode of Anatomy of a Brand, we dig into:

-How to grow a product-based brand from zero to scale
-The power of listening to your audience (even when it hurts)
-How collaborations and YouTube creators can catapult your brand visibility
-The importance of branding evolution vs. reinvention
-And why every creative founder hits the “awkward teenager” phase in business

If you’re a creator, brand builder, or product maker, this one’s packed with practical lessons about turning passion into a purposeful brand that lasts.

00:00 — Todd’s 10-Year Journey from Garage Crafter to Brand Builder
01:00 — The Soul Behind Clever Supply: Tools for the Creative Photographer
02:30 — How a Kickstarter Pivot Redefined His Brand’s Future
04:10 — Why Listening to Customer Feedback Changed Everything
06:00 — The Power of Made-to-Order: Building a Scalable Small Brand
09:00 — How a YouTube Feature Exploded Clever Supply’s Growth
12:30 — The Art of Collaboration: Working with Peter McKinnon & Joe Greer
16:45 — The Beauty of Heritage Design in a Modern Creator Economy
18:30 — Learning to Rebrand: Evolving Without Losing Your Soul
20:15 — Lessons on Failure, Adaptability, and Staying a Lifelong Student
22:00 — Todd’s Message to Creators: Why Your Work Matters More Than You Think

Follow Clever Supply:
Instagram → @cleversupplyco

Website → cleversupply.co

More from Anatomy of a Brand:
Instagram → @anatomyofabrand

YouTube → @AnatomyofaBrand