What does it take to turn a simple idea—like drinking out of a baseball bat—into a multi-million dollar brand? This week on The Brandinc PR Podcast, host Brandi Sims sits down with Kris Dehnert, the powerhouse CEO and co-founder of Dugout Mugs, to talk strategy, sales, and staying grounded while scaling big.
With over $50 million in sales, partnerships with Major League Baseball, and a social media audience of over 3 million followers, Dugout Mugs is far more than a novelty—it’s a case study in brand credibility, social proof, and disruptive marketing done right.
But Kris doesn’t just drop numbers—he drops truth. In this candid conversation, he opens up about:
Launching Dugout Mugs and the product-market fit that changed everything
Why social proof (like 60K+ reviews) is more powerful than any pitch
What he learned from burnout and how it changed his leadership style
Balancing fatherhood and founder life in the middle of fast-paced growth
The future of eComm branding and what’s next for his empire
Whether you're a small business owner, startup founder, or brand strategist, this episode is packed with actionable insights on building trust, scaling smart, and staying human in the hustle.
Brandi SIms
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
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