Creating Companies with Purpose: Kevin Lavelle on Innovation, Family, and Leadership

This week, I talk with my friend Kevin Lavelle, founder of Mizzen+Main, a company that revolutionized the dress shirt industry. We talk about how Kevin built Mizzen+Main into a successful brand, and why he ultimately decided to step back and bring in a CEO. We dive into Kevin’s early career in management consulting and the journey to his prior role at Stand Together, a nonprofit backed by Charles Koch, including how he navigated the challenges and opportunities that came with that. We also explore Kevin’s new venture, Harbor, and the lessons he’s learned as a second-time founder. Kevin has a lot of insight into what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur and how to become the kind of leader capable of building deeply meaningful companies where people love going to work. Let’s get to it!

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro
(04:20) - A Valentine’s Day story
(07:10) - Kevin’s early career and experiences in the Middle East
(22:01) - Global Shapers and Stand Together
(32:13) - Complexities of societal issues and solutions
(36:00) - The importance of nuanced conversations
(39:10) - Building bridges across political divides
(45:52) - The power of personal engagement in business
(50:30) - What Kevin is doing differently as a second-time founder
(01:01:45) - The art of storytelling in business
(01:09:23) - Marketing and educational content at Harbor
(01:12:34) - Innovating baby monitors
(01:22:58) - Competitive positioning and market strategy
(01:31:34) - Kevin’s beautiful future

Key Takeaways

The Entrepreneurial Journey Requires Sacrifice and Adaptation: Kevin shared how he transitioned from being a management consultant with a stable income to founding Mizzen+Main. This shift not only demanded entrepreneurial perseverance but also personal sacrifices. Entrepreneurship often requires navigating the complexities of personal and professional life, balancing limited resources, and finding creative solutions.
Playing the Long Game Means Balancing Highs and Lows in Business: There is an emotional toll of building a business, especially in the early stages. Kevin described how, during the first three years of Mizzen+Main, he personally handled customer service, returns, and orders, which led to overwhelming stress. Managing the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship involves staying focused on what matters most, including family, and maintaining mental resilience through the highs and lows.
Personal Connection with Customers is Essential: Throughout his career, Kevin has prioritized a personal touch with customers. For the first 18 months of Mizzen+Main, he handwrote thank-you notes for every order. This direct interaction with customers allowed him to foster loyalty and trust, which has directly influenced his new venture, Harbor. A personal connection is foundational for any business.
Values-Based Priorities Help Guide Entrepreneurial Decision-Making: As a second-time founder, Kevin’s approach has evolved. With two young children, he now prioritizes family over work in a way that he didn’t during his earlier career. It’s important (and entirely possible) to set healthy boundaries and be present for your family while still building successful companies.

Quotes

“If you build something in the real world that changes someone's life, it is infinitely more valuable to them than yet another piece of software that they could throw away in an instant.” ~ Kevin Lavelle

“One of the reasons that podcasts have, I think, become so popular is because so many people are so exhausted by what they read on the news and what they see on social media. On podcasts, you can have a very long discussion and you can unpack things and you can get into the nuances and trade-offs. And that is what we need.” ~ Kevin Lavelle

“Building startups is hard. I was just straight up drowning for three straight years. I was doing returns and exchanges and all of that. It was very overwhelming. I don’t want to get out of bed.” ~ Kevin Lavelle

“My kids are a bigger priority than my business. I want to put my kids to bed at night. I want to be able to coach their soccer games.” ~ Kevin Lavelle

“I am much more ruthless in the trade-offs [now]. Certainly, there are some people who work a hundred hours as startup founders and you grind it out. But the best startup founders that I know don't need to work 100 hours a week. You just don't.” ~ Kevin Lavelle

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