The Serious Guy Behind Dollar Shave Club's Crazy Viral Videos
Inc.|April 2016
Kris Frieswick
The Serious Guy Behind Dollar Shave Club's Crazy Viral Videos

YOU EXPECT Michael Dubin to be funny. After all, he wrote, produced, and starred in one of the funniest and most viral commercials that’s ever been posted on YouTube, a 2012 ad for his company, Dollar Shave Club. In it, he brings the viewer on a tour of his ware house to explain why “our blades are f**king great.” A flood of visitors crashed his company’s servers 90 minutes after the video went live. It has been watched more than 22 million times. That video, and the story of its creation—Dubin wrote it, ,and then he and a friend shot it in a single day for less than $4,500—has gone on to become entrepreneurial folklore. Today, DSC is the second-largest men’s razor seller in America—topped only by Gillette.

But in person, Dubin is taciturn. What does he like to do when he’s not working? “I like to sit.” He later adds, “I also read and think.”

Maybe he’s tired. Dubin has just flown in to New York City from Los Angeles, where DSC is based and he lives, and the plane didn’t land until nearly midnight. Perhaps Dubin has a lot on his mind. DSC, which he co-founded in 2011 with Mark Levine, has just launched Big Cloud, a line of skin care products for men, following up on the launches of the Boogie’s line of men’s hair care products and One Wipe Charlies “butt wipes.” All this on top of distributing more than 70 million razors each year through $3 to $9 monthly subscriptions.

This story is from the April 2016 edition of Inc..

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the April 2016 edition of Inc..

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM INC.View All
A Bankable Pet Project - How Moonshots Capital helped eTailPet scale up and attract a buyer in just three years.
Inc.

A Bankable Pet Project - How Moonshots Capital helped eTailPet scale up and attract a buyer in just three years.

Berenice Giannini's startup, eTailPet, wasn't a natural fit for Moonshots Capital. The Austin-based venture firm, launched in 2014 by Kelly Perdew and Craig Cummings, both of whom had previously served in the U.S. Army, frequently backs companies founded by military veterans.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Backers Should Have Your Back - The best capital provider for your business will offer a helping hand, not just deep pockets.
Inc.

Backers Should Have Your Back - The best capital provider for your business will offer a helping hand, not just deep pockets.

Three years ago, U.S. entrepreneurs were enjoying one of the best funding environments in decades. Venture capital and private equity hit all-time highs as banks loaned at historically low interest rates. All you needed to get a term sheet, it seemed, was a smile and a pitch deck.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
Lift Off - Would you pay $50,000 to touch the edge of space?
Inc.

Lift Off - Would you pay $50,000 to touch the edge of space?

Would you pay $50,000 to touch the edge of space? Meet the entrepreneurs providing a rarified clientele with a luxurious, once-in-a-lifetime journey.So you want to go to space. To take in the expansive curvature of the Earth glowing miles above the atmosphere, surrounded by pure darkness. To experience the mind-altering overview effect described by astronauts as a transcendent state of awe, staring back at the planet on which you've inhaled your every living breath.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2024
There Will Always be Those Who Doubt You and Your Vision. Here's How to Tune Them Out. - Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy,
Inc.

There Will Always be Those Who Doubt You and Your Vision. Here's How to Tune Them Out. - Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy,

Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy, the midlife wisdom school I co-founded in 2018.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
A Scientific Discovery that Unlocks Your Body's Healing Power
Inc.

A Scientific Discovery that Unlocks Your Body's Healing Power

The founder of Stemregen, a company that creates powerful supplements that stimulate the body's natural repair system, explains how a \"fringe idea\" opened up a new world of stem cell therapy.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Transformative Growth: Agency Masters the Art of Evolution
Inc.

Transformative Growth: Agency Masters the Art of Evolution

As a destination marketer, Awestruck has mapped out a journey to success by constantly developing its services and its staff.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
For the Love of the Restaurant Experience
Inc.

For the Love of the Restaurant Experience

The founder and CEO of DJB Hospitality shares his passion for the challenging and uniquely rewarding hospitality industry.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Custom PEO Solutions for Blue-Collar Industries
Inc.

Custom PEO Solutions for Blue-Collar Industries

COMPEO is an HR management solutions provider with a jaw-dropping five-figure growth rate.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Homebuying Was BrokenMeet the Founders Here to Fix It
Inc.

Homebuying Was BrokenMeet the Founders Here to Fix It

Cecilian Partners is a fast-growing technology firm providing end-to-end solutions for production homebuilders and land developers.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
A Focus on Complete Solutions for Regulatory Environments
Inc.

A Focus on Complete Solutions for Regulatory Environments

The Northcross Group develops sustainable processes for clients with compliance needs.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024