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Building a Bold Brand: Breaking Industry Barriers

Published by Spinutech on March 3, 2025

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • [2:25] Bret Blakely shares his journey from marketing to co-founding a golf ball company
  • [3:58] How OnCore Golf disrupted the industry with perimeter-weighted golf ball technology
  • [9:00] Turning adversity into opportunity: losing a job and launching a startup
  • [12:56] Fighting for innovation: how OnCore Golf overcame USGA rejections and rewrote golf ball regulations
  • [17:43] The challenges of scaling a golf brand in a market dominated by billion-dollar companies
  • [19:46] Identifying OnCore’s target market and the science behind golf ball compression
  • [22:11] How to balance technology and branding to attract a younger golf audience
  • [25:37] The impact of mentorship and the lessons Bret learned from working with his father

In this episode…

Breaking into a market dominated by billion-dollar brands is a daunting challenge, especially when your product challenges the status quo. Many startups struggle to gain credibility, often facing resistance from industry gatekeepers and skepticism from consumers. How can small businesses push through these barriers to build a loyal customer base?

Bret Blakely, an expert in marketing and business development, leveraged innovation, branding, and strategic development to break into a competitive market. Faced with the job market’s collapse in 2008, Bret and his business partners pioneered perimeter-weighted golf balls, which offer higher accuracy and performance, attracting both amateur and professional golfers. Bret emphasizes the importance of innovating while staying true to a brand story that resonates with customers. He recommends humanizing your brand through in-person events, leveraging ambassadors, and strategically balancing tech-forward messaging with relatable, engaging content.

In this episode of The Growth Fire Podcast, Kevin Hourigan interviews Bret Blakely, President and Co-founder of OnCore Golf, about breaking into the golf industry with innovative technology. Bret discusses strategies for building a brand that challenges industry giants, how to navigate rapid business growth, and the power of mentorship. He also dives into handling customer perceptions, balancing tech and branding, and preparing for large-scale marketing campaigns.

Sponsor for this episode...

This episode is brought to you by Spinutech. Spinutech is a premium digital growth agency that specializes in revitalizing lead-generation strategies and accelerating online sales for top brands.

To learn more, go to www.spinutech.com.

Guest Contact Details

Bret Blakely is the President and Co-founder of OnCore Golf, a company recognized for its innovative golf ball technology. With a background in marketing and business development, Bret has transformed OnCore from a startup into a leader in golf innovation. Under his guidance, the company has introduced advanced core technologies and embedded sensor capabilities, challenging established industry norms.
 

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