Show notes
In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, we sit down with Tariq Kazemi, co-founder and CEO of Bldbro, the game-changing skincare brand designed specifically for bald men. What started as an Instagram community aimed at shifting the stigma around hair loss has now evolved into an award-winning business that's turning heads in the grooming industry.
Tariq shares the incredible journey of building Bldbro—from a soft launch that sold out in months to reaching £3 million in revenue in just 365 days, with over 3,000 active subscribers and ambitious international plans. With a strong focus on community, quality, and brand mission, Bldbro isn’t just creating products—it’s changing perceptions.
This conversation is packed with insights and inspiration and is structured in three key parts:
- The Business & the Journey – Tariq discusses the origins of Bldbro, their unique hero product (Bldbro Daily, a matte moisturising gel with SPF), and how they’ve scaled so rapidly.
- Challenges of Scaling – We explore the tension between product development and customer feedback, the impact of fast growth, and lessons from their fundraising journey—including closing a £1 million seed round.
- Quickfire Round – A light-hearted look at Tariq’s personal views on leadership, inspiration, and what's next.
Key Highlights:
- Achieved 800% growth in 2023, and on track for 400% in 2024
- Awarded the Men’s Health Grooming Award, Telegraph Recommended, and West Midlands Startup of the Year
- Building a team culture rooted in healthy conflict, shared mission, and remote collaboration
- Marketing success driven by Instagram community, word-of-mouth, and bold campaigns across Meta ads, national radio, and more
The one key thing Tariq shared that really resonated was this:
“We’re not just creating skincare—we’re building confidence and community for bald men everywhere.”
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Tariq can be found d here:
https://www.instagram.com/bld.bro/
Resources:
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/shantaram-now-a-major-apple-tv-series-starring-charlie-hunnam-gregory-david-roberts/d08a35c26ee7e86f?ean=9780349117546&next=t
Excel - https://excel.cloud.microsoft/en-gb/
Notion - https://www.notion.com/
Conjura - https://www.conjura.com/
Shopify - https://www.shopify.com/