In 2018, Waggle Founder Travis Baker was selling polos out of his basement. Today, he leads a team of over 50 employees, selling hundreds of products in retailers nationwide as well as three of Waggle's own stores. In this special Small Business Saturday edition of Fringe Thoughts, Travis talks what it took to get here and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
What inspired you to start Waggle?
I was inspired to start Waggle when I fell into golf as a hobby. I’d played here and there growing up, but didn’t become passionate about it until after college. I loved the game and spending time with friends outdoors, but I didn’t love how it sometimes felt stuffy and elitist. At the time, fun printed button-down shirts were really popular, and I just thought, “why not bring that same playful style to golf?” So that’s what I set out to do.
Was there a specific moment you realized it would actually work?
I’m not sure there was ever a single moment when I said, “This is it, this is going to work.” When you’re building a business, you’re constantly trying to figure things out, improve and grow. Looking back, though, I do see a lot of pivotal moments. The early success of the Loon Lake and Cocky Rooster polos taught me the most about what the brand could become, even if I didn’t fully understand it at the time. And then the launch of headwear was obviously another huge turning point.
Did you have any other business ideas or was it always Waggle?
I did! Before Waggle, I started a hockey company called Blade Hockey. It began as a hockey stick business and eventually evolved into training products and accessories—stickhandling tools, laces, wax, plus some apparel. Even though Blade ultimately wasn’t a success, it’s the reason I was able to succeed with Waggle because I taught myself so much during that time. Graphic design, social media advertising, website building, order fulfillment, email marketing, influencer outreach… all skills I never would’ve learned otherwise.
What was the biggest challenge or surprise you faced early on?
Growth definitely brought a lot of challenges—good ones, but challenges nonetheless. The hardest mindset shift was going from being the only person running the business to building and relying on a team. When you start, you do everything yourself. It’s not always done perfectly, but you just make it happen. As you grow, you have to hand off responsibilities you spent years building and trust that others will do them well. You focus less on daily tasks and more on how to build the right team. But that’s also what’s been the most rewarding part of the entire experience. Every new person brings a fresh perspective and a higher level of expertise, which allows us to take even bigger steps forward.
How does it feel when you see people wearing the brand out in the community?
It’s very surreal. Took a long time for that to happen... Even though we’ve grown quickly, I spent three years in my basement grinding and hardly ever seeing the product out in the world unless it was friends or family. Now I see it much more often, which is incredibly meaningful. I couldn’t be more grateful for the support from our customers and community.
What advice would you give to young or aspiring entrepreneurs?
Just get started. A lot of people have ideas or dreams, but never try because they feel like they don’t know what they’re doing. And honestly, you probably don’t. I didn’t know what I was doing when I started Blade Hockey, and I still knew very little when I started Waggle. If you can accept that, stay committed to problem-solving and learning as well as avoid letting early success build your ego, you’ll figure things out and continue to grow.
Are there any small businesses you follow closely or admire?
There isn’t one specific business, but I love following young companies in general—especially those in the apparel space. Time doesn’t allow for it right now, but helping other small businesses grow is something I’d love to do at some point in my life.
Finish this sentence: “Running a business is ________.”
Fun!