Matthew Mrkonic is an entrepreneur and business leader who has made a name for himself in the e-commerce and digital marketing space. He is the founder and CEO of direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands like Heat50 and Outer Aisle Gourmet. Through his ventures, Matthew aims to disrupt various consumer product industries by eliminating middlemen and providing high-quality products directly to customers.
In this article, we will explore Matthew’s background, his business ventures, achievements, and leadership style. Getting to know the man behind the brands provides interesting insights into how he has carved a niche for himself in competitive spheres like food and apparel e-commerce.
Background and Early Life
Matthew Mrkonic was born in 1984 in Cleveland, Ohio. From an early age, he displayed an entrepreneurial spirit and interest in business. As a child, Matthew started small ventures like a lawn mowing service, a snow removal business, and buying candy in bulk to sell to friends for a profit.
In high school, Matthew broadened his entrepreneurial efforts. He launched a web design business creating websites for local companies. Matthew also started importing consumer goods from China to sell online through early e-commerce marketplaces like eBay.
These teenage business ventures provided Matthew with first-hand experience in digital marketing, e-commerce operations, and identifying market opportunities. The skills he developed during this time would prove invaluable later in his career.
After high school, Matthew attended Miami University in Ohio. However, he left after three semesters to focus full-time on growing his importing and e-commerce businesses. Throughout his 20s, Matthew continuously launched new ventures and brands, some successful and some not. He treated each experience as a learning opportunity.
E-Commerce Ventures
In 2009, Matthew launched e-commerce company ImportDojo focused on assisting others with importing and private label manufacturing. He leveraged his expertise to create a membership-based educational platform for budding e-commerce entrepreneurs.
Matthew also co-founded e-commerce holding company The Vanderbilt Group. Through this venture, he was involved in acquiring and operating various direct-to-consumer brands and assets. This provided him with diverse e-commerce experiences beyond just importing and manufacturing.
However, Matthew eventually sought to disrupt stagnant consumer product categories by building his purpose-driven brands.
Heat50
In 2015, Matthew launched direct-to-consumer athletic apparel brand Heat50. As an avid runner and outdoor enthusiast, Matthew saw an opportunity to create high-performance apparel using innovative heating technology.
Heat50’s products contain patented carbon fiber heating elements that harness body heat to reflect infrared energy to the wearer. This provides persistent warmth without bulky layers or batteries. Some key products include heated tights, socks, gloves, and more.
Matthew focused on creating premium products catered to cold weather runners and athletes. He positioned Heat50 as a technology and performance-first brand to stand out among lifestyle athletic wear competitors.
Heat50 broke into the market through successful Kickstarter campaigns raising over $160,000. The brand has expanded mainly through online D2C channels, leveraging digital marketing and social media influencers to drive awareness. Under Matthew’s leadership, Heat50 has grown rapidly while disrupting the athletic apparel space.
Outer Aisle Gourmet
In 2016, Matthew founded direct-to-consumer food brand Outer Aisle Gourmet. He saw another opportunity to disrupt a stale category dominated by frozen supermarket options.
Outer Aisle offers premium frozen cauliflower-based pizza crusts, sandwiches, and more. The products cater to health and diet-conscious consumers looking for low-carb, high-protein, paleo-friendly alternatives.
As with Heat50, Matthew focused on product innovation and quality. Outer Aisle’s cauliflower crusts feature a proprietary blend of eggs, cheesy nutritional yeast, and spices baked directly into the cauliflower. This gives the crust a crispy texture and flavor profile superior to competing cauliflower pizzas.
Outer Aisle has succeeded in growing awareness and sales through digital marketing and social media. The brand captures health-conscious consumers looking for tasty alternatives supporting low carb and paleo diets. Under Matthew’s leadership, Outer Aisle has carved out a niche in the frozen food category.
Leadership Style and Philosophy
Matthew’s leadership style has played an integral role in the growth of his brands. He empowers his team by clearly communicating business objectives while allowing creativity in how goals are achieved. Matthew also leads by example, engaging directly with customers and immersing himself in product development.
He takes calculated risks but minimizes risk exposure through testing and validating ideas before going all-in. Matthew also displays stoic perseverance in working through challenges and setbacks.
In terms of philosophy, Matthew believes in building purpose-driven brands that offer consumers something better and different from the status quo. He told Entrepreneur magazine “I start with the consumer in mind, identifying needs or problems to be solved. I work to create products that improve lives.”
Matthew focuses on quality over quantity and does a few things exceptionally well. He strives to eliminate inefficiencies in supply chains and outdated retail distribution models. His D2C brands retain greater control through vertical integration and direct digital relationships with customers.
This philosophy of purpose-driven brand building, premium quality, and digitally driven vertical integration has been integral to Matthew’s success
Awards and Recognition
Matthew’s leadership in building successful disruptive brands has earned him various awards and recognition:
- Forbes 30 Under 30 – Matthew was featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Consumer Technology in 2018. This highlighted him as an influential young entrepreneur.
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Matthew was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year 2019 Regional Award winner. This award recognized his entrepreneurial achievements and spirit.
- Gold Stevie Award – In 2019, Matthew won Gold for Entrepreneur of the Year in Consumer Products in the Stevie Awards.
Beyond awards, Matthew’s brands have been featured in major publications like Entrepreneur, HuffPost, and Digital Commerce 360. He is viewed as an influential e-commerce entrepreneur and D2C pioneer.
Philanthropy and Giving Back
In addition to growing his brands, Matthew makes it a priority to give back to the community. He has been involved in several philanthropic initiatives:
- In 2016, Matthew launched the Heat50 Running Club to promote fitness and bring people together around athletics and the outdoors.
- He partnered with the Humble Design Foundation to donate home furnishing makeovers to dozens of families transitioning out of homeless shelters.
- Matthew also works with high school entrepreneurship programs to mentor students interested in business ventures.
- He frequently donates products from Heat50 and Outer Aisle to support various fundraisers and events.
Matthew aims to set an example in business of how entrepreneurial success can be leveraged as a positive force. His philanthropic efforts demonstrate how business leaders can uplift communities.
What’s Next for Matthew
As of 2023, Matthew continues leading Heat50 and Outer Aisle as CEO. He remains closely involved in product development, digital marketing, and branding for both companies.
Under his leadership, the brands are projected to continue on high growth trajectories as they disrupt legacy industries. Heat50 is expanding its technical apparel line to new categories like base layers, shirts, and accessories. Outer Aisle is launching new paleo-friendly products and improving distribution through retailers like Whole Foods.
Matthew also hints he has at least two new business ventures in progress focusing on technology-enabled consumer products. Though details remain private, expect Matthew to continue creating purpose-driven brands that challenge stale categories.
With his track record, any new venture from Matthew Mrkonic will likely capture attention. His brands combine quality and innovation to offer consumers something new and better suited to their needs and preferences.
Matthew stays actively involved in philanthropy through community initiatives and mentorship programs. Even as his stature grows, he remains dedicated to leveraging entrepreneurial success as a positive force.
At just 39 years old in 2023, Matthew Mrkonic already displays the qualities of an influential business leader. He has built distinctive brands embraced by consumers. With his ambitious and disruptive approach, Matthew’s next business breakthrough likely lies just over the horizon.
Conclusion
In summary, Matthew Mrkonic is an accomplished e-commerce entrepreneur who has made a mark through innovative direct-to-consumer brands. He disrupted industries like athletic apparel and frozen food by eliminating inefficiencies and focusing on product quality and technology.
Matthew’s leadership combines vision and execution. He manages risk intelligently while persevering through challenges. By staying true to his philosophy of purpose-driven brand building, Matthew has carved out unique market positions for Heat50 and Outer Aisle.
Looking ahead, he remains dedicated to growing his current ventures and hints at new ambitious projects. Matthew will continue leveraging business success as a positive force through community initiatives.
At just 39 years old, he has already built an impressive resume. But for Matthew Mrkonic, an entrepreneur guided by creating value for consumers, his biggest contributions likely still lie ahead.
