We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michael Cobb a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Michael, appreciate you joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

As far back as being a teenager, I had been interested in straight-razor shaving, you know, shaving like a cowboy, and stumbled across an internet “deal” for a razor, soap, brush, etc. Jumping head first into the process, I eagerly awaited the shipping of my new weapon of choice. I checked out videos of how to, looked for articles, and such.

It was supposed to be a hand-honed thing of beauty. The soap smelled nice, the brush felt great, and the razor was more like a rough butter knife. Brutal. Painful.

This set my brain in high gear. I KNEW there had to be a better way. I dove into multiple sets of online communities, and message boards, and even looked up professional shops that specialized in this “Old school shaving process.”

I found an Atlanta group that was planning a “Shave meetup.” People from all over the country get together to talk about shaving, razors, and soaps, Deciding to attend, I asked the organizers if I could help out. They indicated they needed someone to check with different vendors and artisans for samples or giveaway items. Being a congenial sort, I was able to get tons of different shaving soap and aftershave samples from various companies across the US.

Fully entrenched in the shaving community, I learned everything I could about the shaving process. Why things work the way they do, and how to do it right. I built up my bank of research and knowledge to the point I became someone people would turn to for information and even presenting shaving demonstrations.

After presenting a few demonstrations, I thought instead of sending people to different websites all over, I could combine my enthusiasm for the shaving world by having a small shop myself.

At first, I was thinking of selling a few things here and there after a demo, but I knew I needed to do it properly. Going online I found you can open a shop very easily – almost too easily. Getting a Federal ID for my shop took less than ten minutes. After that, things happened rapidly. State of Georgia Sales Tax ID – bam. Form an LLC? done!

Needing a way to process sales, I set up an online account for inventory and pricing. I did not want to sell online, but at the end of putting in all my inventory and prices, the online application said “Do you want a free website?” I thought “Sure, what could happen?”

It took two days. The first order came in and at first there was excitement. How cool is this? Then, the panic as I really did not know how I was going to do shipping, boxes, labels – so many pieces! I had to figure out the whole logistical process – behind the scenes of how to handle online orders. Happily, this turned out to be straightforward, so that piece of the puzzle fit nicely.

The big jump was moving to going to conventions, pop-up markets, and outdoor events. Getting all the marketing materials was a fun, but stressful process. More pieces of the puzzle to figure out.

What started decades ago as a need to find a better shave, became my growing business of online and in-person sales. Meeting so many people who trust in what I have to say and how I can help them has truly been an incredible experience.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Dr. Mike’s Shaving Emporium was founded in June 2015 with the idea of revitalizing the culture of classic shaving and grooming. At Dr. Mike’s Shaving Emporium, we search for the best products created by local and United States-based artisans.

Hand-crafted shaving soaps, aftershaves, beard grooming, and hair care from all over the country.
All of the products that we carry, we have personally used, researched, and tested. We stand behind the products we sell and we love our vendors and providers.

From the person who has never learned to shave to anyone who has grown tired of spending way too much for an uncomfortable experience, Dr. Mike’s is here to help.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

2023 has been the year of our largest growth. A goal has been to bring the shop to bigger and better events. This year, we had the opportunity to be a vendor at the Atlanta Sci-Fi/Fantasy convention “Dragon Con.”

Back in February, I decided to “try” and apply to be a vendor. We had heard of how difficult it was to break into the vending group, and the moment I hit the submit button, my anxiety began.

Since starting in 2015, we have attended several shows. As of 2022, the biggest show we had ever vended had 18,000 attendees. A great show indeed!

Dragon Con was potentially 80,000 or more. Around April, we got word we had been accepted.

Anxiety to almost panic went through the roof for several months. As we had never done anything of this size, trying to prepare was going to be something new. A big risk was trying to gather enough stock and how to support this four-day event. All the questions came flooding to me. Staffing, setting up, how to display products, etc.

When the day arrived to begin our setup, all those fears and questions washed away. The event became the biggest sales weekend we have ever experienced.

Taking a risk always causes stress. All the “what ifs” will go away with proper planning and preparation. Being flexible, relying on your experiences, and having good people to support you will always lead to success.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

We have always strived to provide the best customer service while being as helpful as possible. I have called it “infotainment.” We take a process, break it down, and offer guidance to whatever we sell.

Having a consistent message and appearance helps tremendously. People know who we are and what we represent. Our purple tent has become a landmark at some of the shows we attend.

Behind the scenes, when we are at a market or show, we try to help other vendors where we can. Helping with displays, watching other booths so people can have a break, or sharing snacks. We treat them as friends.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://drmikesemporium.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmikesemporium/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drmikesemporium
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@drmikesemporium

Image Credits
Curt Knapp