Most e-commerce stories start with product-market fit.

This one started with Frodo.

On this episode of Check-In to Check-Out, we talk with Kyle Cole, co-founder of The Hero’s Journal—a journaling brand built on the idea that life gets easier when you start seeing yourself as the main character.

What started as a nerdy side project turned into a seven-figure DTC brand powered by story, community, and a refusal to send boring emails.

Kyle opens up about:

• Accidentally going viral during quarantine with a “Quarantine Quest”

• Scaling fulfillment from garage to 3PL—and the painful (but hilarious) budget mistake he made

• What every e-commerce leader gets wrong about community building

• How to forecast without deluding yourself

• Why the best marketing emails sometimes have no CTA

If you’ve ever tried to justify a warehouse lease based on “the traffic you're manifesting” or had your team melt down over a 3PL gone rogue, this one’s for you.

It’s funny, vulnerable, and weirdly practical.

And yes, we talk about iOS 14.

Perfect for: Directors of E-Commerce, DTC operators, brand builders who think “community” isn’t just a Slack channel

Listen in and remember: you are the hero. Just maybe... also the operations oracle.

• (00:00:00) - E-Commerce: The Hero's Journey
• (00:01:40) - Kyle on the Podcast
• (00:02:11) - What's Your Day to Day at Hero's Journey?
• (00:02:42) - Have You Had A Good Week?
• (00:03:32) - What's Your Best Strengths and Weaknesses?
• (00:08:17) - The Story of The Book
• (00:09:09) - Startups as a Way to Get Out of Debt
• (00:12:41) - Do You Wish You Had Done This Lesson?
• (00:17:13) - How To Grow an E-Commerce Business
• (00:21:45) - Being Flexible in an E-commerce Business
• (00:22:56) - Community as a Force multiplier for E-Commerce
• (00:29:06) - Building a Community for Your Product
• (00:31:32) - Send inspirational emails to your fans
• (00:35:58) - E-Commerce Leadership: The Hero's Journal