If you’d asked Ji Hoon Heo what he anticipated the next five years to look like when he launched his “Tesla Bros” Facebook group in January of 2019, he likely wouldn’t have shared visions of a nearly 30,000-subscriber YouTube fanbase, an 11,000-square-foot warehouse, hitting multi-million dollar revenue milestones, and continued growth on the horizon. But that’s exactly what’s happened.
Shortened now to just “TESBROS,” the business’s first iteration simply aimed to offer cost-effective modifications for Teslas — the first product being a decal to mark the elusive interior door button (a problem he noticed for first-time passengers in his own Tesla). Armed with a Cricut machine and all the craft store vinyl he could get his hands on, Heo found himself fielding order after order — and with an incredible opportunity: to take his own personal interest in customizing his Tesla and bring it to the thousands of Tesla hobbyists out there just like him.
TESBROS not only survived a global pandemic that hit just over a year after its official launch, but has also experienced dizzying year-over-year growth since. It’s the type of “side-hustle-turned-revenue-juggernaut” story that’s become the new American dream for many. And while the “facts-and-stats” components of the TESBROS story are encouraging on their own (revenue! growing customer base! social media followers!), arguably the most important takeaways are the characteristics that got them there.
No matter where you are in your business journey, the principles Heo applied to growing TESBROS can be used to influence positive change for any business or organization:
Know your customers. This seems pretty straightforward, but it’s a crucial element that can be overlooked, particularly as companies scale and leadership teams find themselves farther and farther removed from their target demographic. For Heo, knowing his customers was fairly simple — as a Tesla hobbyist looking to save a buck himself, he was his own target market. But instead of assuming he knew everything his fellow Tesla owners would want for their own vehicles, he sought to find out what they were looking for through a wide range of online outlets — which leads to the next point:
Build community. While Heo could have continued to come up with ideas for new products and solutions using his own experiences, he also tapped into one of his greatest resources early on: the feedback of other Tesla owners. Heo spent time finding Tesla enthusiasts online and rallying them together in his own Facebook group and educational YouTube channel. Then, by engaging with the TesBros communities, Heo not only created credibility and trust for his brand but essentially opened a new product development pipeline.
Lean into your strengths. The list of “things you could be doing to grow your business” is endless. There’s always something you could do differently, do more of, start doing, stop doing. And there’s never going to be any shortage of ideas being thrown your way, whether you’re asking for them or not. One way to thwart the anxiety surrounding whether you’re doing enough is to focus on what you can do well — especially in the early days. For Heo, this was teaching. As a former college lecturer, Heo knew he had a knack for sharing information, so he did what any broadcast-production-lecturer-turned-business-owner would do: He built a YouTube studio and started creating content. This effort returned an incredibly engaged audience that, today, has lured in nearly 30,000 dedicated subscribers.
Seek additional resources and support. Perhaps just as important as knowing your strengths in business is the willingness to address your blind spots and weaknesses. Nobody can be great at everything, and likely the most successful people you know would be the first to admit that. Heo started TESBROS shortly before relocating to Chattanooga, and immediately upon arrival, began tapping into entrepreneurial resources through the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, the INCubator, and CO.LAB. More recently, TESBROS took up residency at Brickyard (a Chattanooga-born “startup insulator” for founders looking to scale). There’s no shortage of entrepreneurial resources in a place like Chattanooga — but it’s up to smart founders like Heo to take the initiative to utilize them.
What’s Next for TESBROS (And YOU!)
Considering that TESBROS experienced exponential growth before even joining the incredible roster of entrepreneurs at Brickyard, it’s hard not to think that the sky’s the limit for where the company goes next. One thing is for sure, though: TESBROS is here for the long haul. As Heo eyes continued expansion, he sees Chattanooga as the perfect location to support that upward trajectory. From physical space to talent to continued support, Chattanooga offers the resources that TESBROS needs to thrive.
