Shows
The Unofficial Shopify PodcastHow Portland Leather Hit $500M + Top 50 on ShopifyAlso on YouTube: youtu.be/nckQhAvYA-Q"We'll have done over 500 million in total sales. We'll do 310 million in the next 18 months."Curtis Matsko went from art festivals to a top 50 Shopify store by doing everything conventional wisdom says not to do. His company controls every step from raw material procurement to customer delivery, achieving top 50 Shopify status while maintaining 50% repeat customer rates on non-consumable goods.Today he owns the biggest leather factory in North America and has some very strong opinions about banking, business clichés, and why most Shopify owners are doing i...2025-08-0548 min
Build a Business Worth BuyingHow Portland Leather Built a $200M Brand Without Venture Capital or Following E-Commerce TrendsOn this episode of Build a Business Worth Buying, host Aaron Alpeter sits down with Curtis Matsko, the unconventional CEO and founder of Portland Leather Goods—a brand famous for its cult following, vertical integration, and refusal to follow the typical startup playbook. Curtis shares the behind-the-scenes story of transforming a garage side-hustle into a nearly $200 million business, all without raising venture capital.You’ll hear how Curtis doubled revenues year after year, why he believes setting almost impossibly high goals matters, and how he built a winning team and culture rooted in creative risk-taking, authenticity, and a re...2025-07-2955 min
Disruptive Influence with Jeff AbracenEp 31: "Put Gas on Your Strengths!" with Curtis MatskoCurtis Matsko turned a pink diary and a garage startup into a $180 million leather-goods empire - then doubled it year after year by unleashing what he calls “founder magic.” He shares how leaning into your strengths and embracing the unknown can turn every setback into a launchpad for growth.Curtis Matsko is the CEO and co-founder of Portland Leather Goods, one of North America’s fastest-growing DTC and retail brands. A self-described “over-educated jerk” who never held a real job beyond three days, he’s built his business on pattern recognition, calculated risks, and unapologetic authenticity.Mariana Pa...2025-07-251h 21
Secrets To Scaling Your Ecommerce Brand5 Lessons While Building A Billion Dollar Brand with Curtis MatskoSend us a textIn this deep-dive conversation, Jordan West welcomes Curtis Matsko, founder and CEO of Portland Leather Goods, to unpack exactly what it takes to build—and lead—a billion-dollar brand in 2025. From humble beginnings in a single-stall garage to scaling a global operation with hundreds of thousands of square feet of manufacturing, Curtis shares the raw decisions, leadership principles, and mindset shifts that have fueled exponential growth.Timestamps:00:07 – Intro: “How do you build a billion-dollar brand in...2025-06-2740 min
DTC PodcastEP 483: Velocity Wins: How Curtis Matsko Scaled Portland Leather Goods to 9 Figures by Moving Faster Than Everyone ElseSubscribe to DTC Newsletter -https://dtcnews.link/signup📢 What does it really take to scale a 9-figure DTC brand? Relentless speed, constant reinvention, and never playing defense.In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we sit down with Curtis Matsko, founder and CEO of Portland Leather Goods, to break down how he built one of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer brands by outpacing the competition at every turn.Curtis doesn't hesitate—he makes decisions fast, learns fast, and scales fast. While most brands overanalyze, he moves forward, makes adjustments in real time, a...2025-02-1750 min
Startups With Stu$200M Without a Single Investor: The Marketing Genius Behind Portland Leather Goods"You're not a marketing genius. You don't even have a job. You do yoga all the time." These were the words Curtis Matsko's girlfriend hurled at him when he boldly declared he was going to quit his job and start a hundred-million-dollar company selling leather journals. Her response? "That's the stupidest idea ever." Fast forward to today, and Curtis Matsko didn't just prove her wrong - he built a $200 million global leather goods empire that sells one product every three seconds on Black Friday. From hustling at art festivals to building a 600,000 square foot international operation, Matsko's journey...2025-02-0451 min
Up Arrow PodcastThe Steve Jobs of Leather: Growing a DTC Brand to $150M With Curtis MatskoCurtis Matsko is the Founder and CEO of Portland Leather Goods, a DTC high-quality leather goods company. He built the brand out of his garage, scaling it from zero to over $100 million in yearly revenue. As a serial entrepreneur and digital marketing expert, Curtis has worked in design production, marketing, and customer service. In this episode… When scaling your business, it’s essential to recognize that what got you from zero to $10 million won’t get you from $10 to $100 million. Significant revenue jumps entail higher costs and larger operations, so relying on your previous successes will on...2025-01-141h 19
The Unstoppable Marketer®EP. 109 How Doing Things Different Built a $100M Brand – Curtis Matsko of Portland Leather GoodsIn this episode of The Unstoppable Marketer, hosts Trevor Crump and Mark Goldhardt sit down with Curtis Matsko, founder of Portland Leather Goods, the fastest-growing leather bag company in North America. Curtis shares his incredible journey—from selling journals at art festivals to building a $100M+ e-commerce empire. He dives into the challenges of scaling a business, the power of customer insights, and why being adaptable in marketing is key to long-term success.Curtis explains how focusing on hero products, refining processes, and making bold decisions propelled his company to the top. Whether you’re a small busi...2024-12-2658 min
OPERATORSE083: Curtis Matsko: Operators X Portland Leather GoodsCurtis Matsko, Founder of Portland Leather Goods.
00:00 Introduction
05:01 The Move to Mexico and Manufacturing Growth
11:14 The Evolution of Portland Leather
16:51 Marketing Strategy and Product Development
22:32 Supply Chain Control and Efficiency
28:52 Future Plans and Business Growth
32:14 Building a Competitive Supply Chain
35:10 The Importance of Quality Leather
38:05 The Vegan Leather Debate
41:42 Marketing as a Core Strategy
46:01 Managing Growth and Operations
51:43 Innovative Marketing Tactics
57:02 The Role of Secondary Markets
2024-11-201h 04
Remarkable Marketing PodcastFounder Starts in Garage, Builds Company to $120 million in 6 Years, Gets 185,000 Five Star Reviews and Becomes Biggest Marketer on EtsyIn this episode, Curtis Matsko, the CEO and Founder of Portland Leather Goods, shares how he built a $125 million business in just years. Starting on a bet to impress his girlfriend, Curtis leveraged his expertise in Internet marketing to sell leather journals at art festivals, eventually becoming the top seller on Etsy, getting 185,000 Five Star reviews and establishing the largest leather production factory in North America. The key to Portland Leather Goods' success are unique marketing strategies, exceptional product quality, and the power of referrals. Curtis emphasizes the importance of being fearless, creative, and different in marketing, as well a...2024-04-1423 min
Deeper Knowing with Vendy SteinbergaFrom Nearly Broke to $128M... How? Curtis MatskoJourney with Curtis Matsko from struggling at art fairs to $128M CEO of Portland Leather Goods. Discover how he went from selling handcrafted journals on Etsy to launching a Shopify store in 2019, skyrocketing from $3M to $128M. 'Deeper Knowing' dives into the real challenges and mindset of building a business from scratch.
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📜 TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
01:07 - $3M to $128M in 5 years
06:28 - Where does Curtis drive comes from?
11:28 - From art festivals to Etsy and Shopify
13:48 - How to...2024-01-301h 54
Growth Think TankLeading a Company to Predictable Success with Curtis Matsko at Portland Leather GoodsEmbark on a profound exploration of Leading a Company to Predictable Success in our latest podcast episode. Discover how visionary leaders navigate the intricate landscape of Leading a Company to Predictable Success, employing strategies and insights that shape the future trajectory of their organizations. Today's guest is Curtis Matsko, Founder & CEO of Portland Leather Goods. Portland Leather Goods has sold handmade, quality leather goods all around the world since 2015. Curtis delves deep into the essential elements of Leading a Company to Predictable Success, offering actionable tips and invaluable advice. Uncover the key principles and methodologies pivotal in Leading a...2023-12-1123 min
Startup SavantThe Power of Self-Belief with Curtis Matsko of Portland Leather GoodsCurtis Matsko, the founder of Portland Leather Goods, joins the podcast to share the story and learnings of growing his company from its humble origins launching inside his garage. Curtis shares tales about convincing his girlfriend to leave her job and trust in his now wildly successful company and living at a Zen monastery. Portland Leather Goods: https://www.portlandleathergoods.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-matsko Startup Savant Links: https://startupsavant.com/podcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@StartupSavantPodcast/https://www.instagram.com/startupsavantpodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-savant/
2023-11-2954 min
Standout Business Show — Video Marketing & Content Marketing Strategy for Your Expert Business129. From Zen Monastery to Million Dollar Brand with Curtis MatskoWhen you think about standing out, you're probably thinking along the lines of doing something SO different that everyone will notice. But, what if standing out had more to do with what's going on inside you? What if standing out was an inside job?To help us explore what that looks like I invited Curtis Matsko onto the show . Curtis is the CEO & founder of Portland Leather Goods (a super cool company) which started on a dare, when he took a scrap of leather, designed a journal, and propelled it into a $...2023-11-2028 min
Business LegacyThe Secrets Behind Portland Leather Goods: Curtis Matsko on Crafting Exquisite Leather ProductsThis week’s episode of the Legacy Podcast, Paul Dio chats with Curtis Matsko, the founder of Portland Leather Goods. Listen to the insightful conversation with Curtis Matsko. Curtis shares his journey of starting a company and becoming the largest leather bag maker in America. He discovered the importance of craftsmanship and quality when he couldn't find a high-quality leather journal in the market and decided to make one himself. The exceptional quality of Portland Leather Goods' products has created a loyal following, with customers obsessing over the feel and smell of the real leather used...2023-10-3030 min
The Entrepreneur Next Door 🏡[49] Curtis Matsko: From Sobriety to $120+ Million Entrepreneurial SuccessYour search is over. If you're a business owner or a startup founder who has yet to find the formula for successfully growing your business while maintaining a happy work-life balance. Cutis Matsko, the CEO of a growing $120+ business, proudly declares, "I've had a great life, and I am nearly always happy!" Curtis shares his early struggle with alcoholism and the event that inspired his leather goods business. He backs his self-proclaimed "I'm a marketing genius" with impressive accomplishments and ongoing success.Spoiler alert: You will not hear about marketing hacks...2023-09-271h 01
Online Marketing Secrets PodcastOnline Marketing Secrets: Episode #37 - How to Build a $100 Million Dollar Empire Online In Just 6 Years w/Curtis MatskoCurtis Matsko is a serial entrepreneur, digital marketing expert, and riveting story teller—an eclectic mix of insight, creativity, and humor. He took a scrap of leather, designed a journal, and propelled it into a $100,000,000 a year brand which was named a Top10 fastest growing Apparel and Accessories digital companies. In 2022, he launched Patina.com, a shoe and accessory company, paced to do $10,000,000 in its first year. Curtis has started and heads The Ranch Project, helping the Northwest’s farmers and ranchers keeping Oregon cowhides, a natural byproduct, out of the landfills and financially helping small, more envi...2023-09-0632 minOnline Marketing Secrets PodcastOnline Marketing Secrets: Episode #37 - How to Build a $100 Million Dollar Empire Online In Just 6 Years w/Curtis MatskoCurtis Matsko is a serial entrepreneur, digital marketing expert, and riveting story teller—an eclectic mix of insight, creativity, and humor. He took a scrap of leather, designed a journal, and propelled it into a $100,000,000 a year brand which was named a Top10 fastest growing Apparel and Accessories digital companies. In 2022, he launched Patina.com, a shoe and accessory company, paced to do $10,000,000 in its first year. Curtis has started and heads The Ranch Project, helping the Northwest’s farmers and ranchers keeping Oregon cowhides, a natural byproduct, out of the landfills and financially helping small, more envi...2023-09-0632 min
TOP CEOCase 15: Portland Leather Goods - 'The Phoenix of Portland' (With Curtis Matsko)In this episode of "TOP CEO", we sit down with Curtis Matsko, the founder of Portland Leather Goods. Traverse the intricate lanes of a post-COVID world, witnessing first-hand the struggles of a city in turmoil and the intricate ballet of business scaling and logistics. As Portland faces unprecedented challenges, Curtis reveals a compelling shift towards the enchanting horizons of León, Mexico. But what awaits there? More questions or solutions? Dive deep into tales of perseverance, adaptability, and strategic choices that define the heart of entrepreneurial spirit. Unravel the captivating journey with Curtis Matsko and discover what it truly t...2023-08-1842 min
Marketing Mindset PodcastScaling to $100 Million: Curtis Matsko's Journey of Success with Portland Leather GoodsIn this inspiring episode of Marketing Mindset, we have the privilege of sitting down with Curtis Matsko, the visionary entrepreneur behind the incredible success story of Portland Leather Goods.Curtis takes us on a journey of scaling a small business to a remarkable $100 million enterprise. He shares the invaluable insights, strategies, and lessons he learned along the way, providing a roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners.From humble beginnings to overcoming challenges and ...2023-06-2039 min
Secrets To Scaling Your Ecommerce BrandEp 456: Scaling Your DTC Brand To $120M With Curtis Matsko, Portland Leather GoodsSend us a textSurrounding yourself with the right people is crucial for success in any business. Connecting with like-minded individuals, experts, and clients provides a wealth of opportunities for growth and success.In this episode, Jordan West chats with Curtis Matsko, the founder of Portland Leather Goods. Curtis shares the success story of his business from its early days to where it is now, the importance of building a personal network, finding the right people, and the kind of mindset every business owner should have.Listen and learn in...2023-05-1237 min
Full Grain Podcast with Nick Horween and Phil KalasEP23: Portland Leather Goods Curtis MatskoCurtis is the CEO, founder, and the energy for Portland Leather Goods and Patina.https://www.portlandleathergoods.com/https://patina.com/0:00 Coming to America2:22 Starting Portland Leather7:25 Leather12:16 Forecasting16:19 Hide Market, Material Delays21:24 Leather for Women35:00 Best Leather?43:23 Mystery Box45:36 Scale54:08 Growing in a Pandemic56:16 Sustainability - Recraftable Boot? 1:00:36 Thursday Boot1:07:41 Future Products1:11:10 Made in USA1:13:45 Tannery Leather Working Group RelevanceNeed a w...2023-05-081h 19
Scaling Ecommerce with Nikita VakhrushevScaling Portland Leather Goods From $0 to $100mil/yr in 7 Years with Curtis MatskoToday I sat down with Curtis Matsko who’s the founder and CEO of Portland Leather Goods, a DTC behemoth. Today we talk about all things Ecom, how he started working in events, how to optimize your brand, and how to scale your brand in simple terms. All that and more on today’s podcast.💥 Apply To Work With My Agency: https://aspektagency.com ✅ Retention Secrets Email Newsletter: https://aspektagency.com/newsletter Check out the podcast and let me know what you think in the comments!2023-05-0429 min
Ten Years In The MakingHow Portland Leather Goods Scaled a 9-Figure DTC Bag Brand with Curtis MatskoJust over a decade ago, Curtis Matsko told his wife, “Quit your job and I will start up a company selling things on the Internet and we’ll make $100 million.” Today, that proclamation has manifested into reality, with Curtis’s Portland Leather Goods growing from a garage operation to a $120M+ business on pace to make more than 2 million bags in 2023. In this episode, Curtis tells the story of how he went from a lofty idea to a concrete success story in just over a decade, including tips on people, product and process. You’ll als...2023-04-2054 min
The Carolina LineGood Luck, Rookie: Marlboro Reds and Hot Dog MemoriesWelcome to the Carolina Line!
Al Wallace and Kevin Donnalley talk their first preseason game memories, what the Panthers need to show this Thursday in Chicago, what it's like to be a rookie in your first game, what they saw from Curtis Samuel & DJ Moore and why they're excited for the 2019 Panthers offense.
Not to mention the line play.....of course, you know they had to get into that! Why Kevin may have screwed up with Coach Matsko - and maybe his wife - the unofficial depth chart, multiple fronts on the defense and...2019-08-0659 min