2001
When Jim Weber became CEO, Brooks Running had about $60 million in annual revenue.
“It was a business of pretty modest size. It was a $60 million revenue business.”
Topic
Jim Weber
17 facts from 3 episodes, in date order. These are what speakers said on the shows, each linked to the moment it was said. They aren't independently verified.
2001
Brooks Running was losing $5 million a year and carried $30 million of debt when Jim Weber took over.
“the company was losing $5 million a year. It was $30 million in debt.”
2001
Jim Weber said Brooks Running generated $10 million of cash in his first nine months by shrinking its balance sheet.
“And we generated $10 million of cash that first nine months. That's how much we shrunk the balance sheet with focus.”
2002
When Jim Weber took over in 2002, Brooks Running was losing about $5 million a year, according to the host.
“The company was losing money, I think, $5 million a year in the red.”
2012
Jim Weber said he and two Brooks marketing leaders were removed from the U.S. Olympic track and field trials after Brooks flew a banner plane over the stadium.
“They kicked me out, our head of marketing, and our head of sports marketing.”
2019
Jim Weber said Brooks Running's 2019 distribution center launch failed and disappointed customers for three to six months.
“And it didn't work. And so we just disappointed customers for three to six months. It was awful.”
2020
Jim Weber said the share of Brooks products sold through websites rose from 30% to 80% by the end of April 2020.
“digital went from 30% of all of our products going through a website of somebody's, ours or another partners. It went to 80% by the end of April.”
2020
Jim Weber said Brooks Running restarted its supply chain at least six to twelve weeks before other brands during COVID.
“We turned our supply chain on at least 6 to 12 weeks before anybody else did.”
2021
Jim Weber said Brooks Running grew revenue 27% in 2020 and 31% in 2021.
“We grew 27% in 2020. We grew 31% in 2021.”
2022
Jim Weber said Brooks Running had become the top U.S. running shoe brand, with a 21.5% share of performance running.
“We became the number one running shoe brand in the United States in the last 12 months, last month. 21.5% share in performance runs.”
Undated
Under CEO Jim Weber, Brooks Running grew from a few million dollars of revenue to over a billion dollars a year, competing with Nike and Adidas.
“they went from like, de minimis small number of millions of revenue to over a billion in revenue a year, competing with Nike and Adidas.”
Undated
Jim Weber said the athletic footwear habit of making products for every sport came from factory owners needing to keep factories busy all year.
“the mindset in our industry literally came from owning a factory. When you had a shoe factory, you had to keep it busy all year long and keep the people employed.”
Undated
Jim Weber said Brooks Running's return on tangible net assets has been over 50% for 15 years.
“Our return on tangible net assets has been over 50% for the last 15 years.”
Undated
Jim Weber said a frequent runner who runs 20 to 30 miles a week uses about 2.6 pairs of shoes a year.
“A frequent runner will put 20 to 30 miles a week. They'll go through 2.6 pairs of shoes a year.”
Undated
Jim Weber said he negotiated independence for Brooks Running when Russell Athletic bought it.
“And they ended up, we negotiated our independence. I pitched us, we're the crazy uncle out in Seattle.”
Undated
Jim Weber said Brooks Running's 10-year vision is to grow from about 15 million to 60 million customers and reach $4 billion in revenue.
“So we see an opportunity for 60 million customers, 60 million uniques up from maybe 15 million today, four bagger, and four billion in revenue.”
Undated
Jim Weber said his esophageal cancer carried a five-year survival rate of 20% when he was diagnosed.
“And they always give you a five-year survival rate. My five-year survival rate was 20%. One in five.”
Episodes