#330. David Elías Rabling - Unirte a una Empresa como Fundador, Branding vs. Producto, la Ingenuidad como Ventaja y una Mentalidad de Dueño

·1 hr 35 min·5 clips

Oso Trava admits he tried and failed twice to compete with David Elías Rabling's vegan protein brand Birdman.

The episode begins with host Oso Trava introducing David Elías Rabling, CEO of Birdman, a vegan supplement company. Oso notes his own failed attempts to compete with Birdman, establishing the company's market strength. David recounts his varied early jobs, including zipline instructor and gardener, which taught him about different business operations. He explains how Birdman was founded by Álvaro and Poncho to solve Álvaro's need for quality vegan protein as a fitness enthusiast. The early growth relied on personal networks in Guadalajara, mission-driven marketing, and the founders' personal congruence with the brand, despite an average-tasting product. David joined as a late co-founder after convincing the founders of the company's larger potential, taking a 70% pay cut. He describes finding a disorganized operation with manual production, no formal processes, and a small team. His first steps involved formalizing production, implementing an ERP system, and managing supply chain for new retail clients. The rebranding, designed by a Ukrainian designer before David joined, became a key competitive advantage. Discussions cover the decision to enter big retail, the importance of human relationships with store clerks, and the use of fictional email personas to appear more established. David talks about expanding the product portfolio after saturating the initial vegan market, including a less successful plant-based milk. The conversation shifts to raising venture capital in 2022 to fund international expansion, particularly into the US, and the increased compliance and reporting burdens. David advises founders to get expert legal advice during fundraising. He discusses retail strategy, noting differences between Mexico and the more complex US market, and shares lessons on packaging size and pricing in discount clubs. David reveals he is introverted, possibly on the autism spectrum, and discusses how this affects his leadership as the company scales. He shares his personal supplement regimen and regulatory challenges with COFEPRIS in Mexico. The episode closes with David's philosophy that Latin America should focus on creating global brands rather than just being a manufacturing hub for foreign companies.

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