100 hats to 700,000 in Three Years
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The Garage That Started It All
By Bart Szaniewski, Dad Gang Co.
Hey guys — Bart here. Welcome to our Substack page.
I’m genuinely excited to use this space as a more personal, behind-the-scenes outlet for what’s happening at Dad Gang Co.
Believe it or not, my first crack at anything online was blogging back in 2008. So being here feels a bit like coming full circle — a chance to dust off those old writing skills and tell the full story behind the hats, the community, and the movement.
Because yeah, we make great hats. But at the end of the day, Dad Gang has always meant more than just the product. It’s the community that drives everything forward.
Today, I just want to share how it all started.
The Text Thread That Sparked It All
It all began in a group text between three dads — me, Ejay, and Grant — swapping daily wins, struggles, and everything in between. When the days got hard, we leaned on each other. Those late-night texts usually ended with something like:
“You got this, bro. Dad Gang.”
To rewind a little — Grant and I go way back to our college days in 2008. Ejay and I met shortly after. We’d all been close friends for years, so when the idea popped up, it only felt right to build it together.
They say don’t go into business with your friends. But maybe that’s just advice for people who don’t have the best friends. When there’s real trust and love, you can go far.
From Text Thread to Trucker Hat
After a few “Dad Gang” messages, we decided to put it on a hat — a black and white trucker, simple but clean. And not just any hat… it had to be something we’d actually be proud to wear.
We were tired of seeing the same flimsy “#1 Dad” hats that felt like a joke. We wanted something with real quality and form — something that represented fatherhood with pride.
At the same time, every time we scrolled social media as new dads, all we saw were dad bod memes, lawn-mowing jokes, and goofy stereotypes. That stuff’s funny, sure — but it didn’t represent what being a father really felt like. It was time for a change.
The First 100 Hats
So we reached out to a factory, made 100 hats, and posted them on Instagram.
We didn’t expect much — this was just something fun to try — but our friends and family showed up in a big way. Those first 100 sold out in under 36 hours.
I think it was the way we talked about fatherhood — raw, real, and community-driven — that connected with people.
I still remember packing every order in my tiny garage, labeling boxes by hand, and dropping them off at the local post office. There’s nothing like the rush of creating something you care about, watching someone else love it, and shipping it out into the world.
The Moment We Knew It Was Special
After that first run, we made 300 more hats. They sold out in a week.
That’s when we started seeing new names — people we didn’t know personally — and realized something bigger was happening.
We all had full-time jobs, so there was no rush or pressure. We kept it authentic, slow, and intentional. Our mindset was simple:
Build something meaningful. Don’t force it. Let it grow if it’s meant to.
That’s still our philosophy today.
The Early Grind
We built this thing one post, one story, and one connection at a time. No big budget. No fancy content strategy. Just phones, hats, and heart.
When what you’re building is deeper than the product, you’ll never run out of stories to tell.
Those early days were chaos and magic all at once. My wife was pregnant and ready to pop right around our first “holiday season” — when we got hit with over 1,100 orders.
I had to hand shipping duties off to Ejay, whose living room basically turned into a fulfillment center. His in-laws jumped in to help. Meanwhile, Grant was handling all customer service solo — every single message, every single order question.
It was a wild, family-powered operation. And honestly, I wouldn’t trade those days for anything.
From 100 Hats to 700,000
Fast-forward to today: we’ve sold over 700,000 hats and built a community closing in on 1 million dads across customers, our private Facebook group, email list, and social channels.
Typing that still doesn’t feel real.
We’re beyond grateful for every single person who’s ever supported this community. Without you, there’s no Dad Gang — and we never lose sight of that.
The Mission Continues
So here we are — years later, still building, still learning, still just a bunch of dads figuring it out together.
This brand is so much more than a hat. It’s a reminder that fatherhood is something to be worn proudly.
Let’s keep going.
With all the love,
Bart & Dad Gang Team
