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Building Relay Distribution | Start Up E-Commerce Fulfillment Center

Introduction

Welcome to Relay Distribution!

My name is Daniel Hong, and I specialize in e-commerce product manufacturing, product design, and brand imagery. My journey into the e-commerce sphere began in 2016, stemming from my involvement with a brand called Alphalete. Growing up in the e-commerce space and diving deep into social media helped me build my own brand, Zephyr Collection, while also co-founding another brand, Motive Brand. Both initiatives are rooted in the world of e-commerce products.

Meet Derek Dreyer

I'm Derek Dreyer, specialized in e-commerce fulfillment. My background also comes from Alphalete Athletics, where I started in 2015 and worked until 2020. During my time there, I helped build the backend of their distribution from the ground up, scaling from 1,500 orders to 20, 30, 40,000 orders during a launch. I was also responsible for enhancing the company’s backend operations, website, and customer service.

At Relay Distribution, our focus is on e-commerce fulfillment. We function as a fulfillment center, specializing in shipping small packages for various brands and companies. Daniel and I both believe we possess the essential tools to operate as a full consulting firm, assisting upcoming influencers and individuals eager to start a brand but unsure of where to begin.

Our Facility

Right now, we operate from a 17,000 square foot facility, but we’re utilizing only about 8,000 square feet of that space. This space made a lot of sense for the vision we have for our business. The packing area is right behind us, and what we’re currently occupying serves as tall storage.

Vision for the Future

A year from now, I envision Relay Distribution operating at an eight-figure revenue. Internally, I would love to see the right people in place in every division to ensure the seamless operation of the business, with processes more than halfway automated and some robotics in play to streamline operations.

Derek shares this vision—our goals and aspirations align. What’s crucial is building a solid core team that we can rely on, and where we can both enjoy our daily work and ensure we’re catering to our partners and their businesses.

The Name 'Relay'

The name "Relay" has significance rooted in my background as a track and field athlete in college. Additionally, I had a dog named Relay, named after my athletic pursuits. The concept of shipping from a relay standpoint, where packages transition from one person to the next before reaching their final destination, also adds depth to the name. It's meaningful to lead a business named after something that resonates personally—I like to think of it as a "mom and pop" business rather than a faceless corporation.

Documenting Our Journey

We decided to document our journey for several reasons. Firstly, we aim to create an all-encompassing brand that showcases our personalities and experiences, as behind-the-scenes stories carry the essence of brand building. Additionally, we want to look back in five years and reflect on our initial trials and triumphs, serving as a keepsake to share with our families.

There’s a lack of visibility surrounding the backend operations that fuel brands, such as shipping and distribution, and we hope to share insights into our experiences with our audience.

Thank you for joining us for Episode One of Relay Distribution! We are still pondering the series title, but for now, we appreciate you tuning in. Please like, comment, share, and subscribe, and we’ll see you in the next video!

Keywords

  • Relay Distribution
  • E-commerce
  • Fulfillment center
  • Brand building
  • Alphalete
  • Zephyr Collection
  • Motive Brand
  • Operations
  • Automation
  • Shipping

FAQ

1. What is Relay Distribution?
Relay Distribution is an e-commerce fulfillment center specializing in the shipping of small packages for various brands and companies.

2. What backgrounds do the founders have?
Daniel Hong specializes in e-commerce product manufacturing and brand imagery, while Derek Dreyer has extensive experience in e-commerce fulfillment and backend operations.

3. What are the future goals for Relay Distribution?
The vision includes scaling to an eight-figure revenue, automating processes, and building a solid core team to ensure efficient operations.

4. Why was the name "Relay" chosen?
The name reflects a personal connection from Daniel’s background as a college athlete and signifies the relay-like process of shipping, where packages transition through multiple hands before reaching the final destination.

5. Why are you documenting this journey?
Documenting this journey serves both to create brand identity and provide a keepsake to reflect on the growth and experiences of Relay Distribution over time.

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