The Young CEO Who Built a Hockey Brand That Competes With the Giants w/ Zechariah Thomas

Most people look at an industry dominated by giants and walk the other way. At 19, Zechariah Thomas walked straight in. Now, he's the CEO and founder of Swift Hockey, one of the fastest-growing independent hockey brands in North America, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. In this episode, he breaks down how he started his business with no capital, no industry connections,  no real blueprint — and built it to compete with industry giants. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) Zechariah's journey to founding Swift Hockey (01:36) The challenges of founding a brand so young (05:04) How they keep their product so affordable (07:14) What he learned from his experience on Dragons' Den (09:35) Partnering with the PWHL (14:27) How playing the game shaped the product (17:12) Innovation, branding, and what sets them apart (20:13) Advice for entrepreneurs: social media and organic growth (23:25) Being named a Forbes 30 Under 30 (27:12) What brought you JOY today? (29:03) If you're a writer who wants to take control of your finances, read Mitlin Financial's  Write Your Financial Future: A Financial Guide for Authors: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/insights/blog/write-your-financial-future-a-financial-guide-for-authors/ Resources: Sending your child to college will always be emotional but are you financially ready? Take the College Readiness Quiz for Parents: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/college-readiness-quiz/ Doing your taxes might not be enJOYable but being more organized can make the process less painful. Get Your Gathering Your Tax Documents Checklist: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Mitlin_ChecklistForGatheringYourTaxDocuments_Form_062424_v2.pdf Will you be able to enJOY the Retirement you envision? Take the Retirement Ready Quiz: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/retirement-planning-quiz/ Connect with Larry Sprung: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencesprung/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larry_sprung/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceDSprung/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/Lawrence_Sprung About Our Guest: Zechariah Thomas is the CEO & Founder of Swift Hockey, one of the fastest-growing independent hockey brands in North America. After seeing firsthand how rising equipment costs were pricing families out of the game, he set out to create elite-level sticks at a price players could actually afford.  Zech's story and the rise of Swift Hockey have been featured on Dragons' Den as well as in Forbes, where his mission to make hockey more accessible has gained national attention. What began as a small project has grown into a global brand trusted by players from youth levels to professionals. He now leads Swift's innovation, product development, and partnerships as the company continues its mission to make high-performance gear available to everyone. Connect with Zechariah Thomas: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zechthomass/  Swift's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swifthockey/  <a href= "https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https:/swifthockey.com/___.YXAzOm1pdGxpbmZpbmFuY2lhbDphOm86M