Customer Persona "Ed"

Sean Frank's approach to customer-centric business revolves around creating and respecting a specific customer persona that guides product development and marketing decisions.

The "Everyday Dad" Customer Persona

• Created a customer persona named "Ed" (everyday dad) that represents their target audience
• Ed represents the average customer who has funded Sean's entire career
• In almost every meeting, Sean asks "are we respecting Ed?" and "are we delivering value to Ed?"
• This persona helps the team stay focused on customer needs rather than just business metrics

Characteristics of "Ed"

• He's "just like a guy" - an ordinary person, not a tech enthusiast or early adopter
• Has simple interests like widgets, fishing, and NFL
• Represents everyday consumers who want good value and quality products
• Similar to "your guys' brothers or your dads" - relatable and familiar

Why Customer Respect Matters

• "Ed has paid for everything in my entire life" - acknowledges the customer as the source of all business success
• Focuses on delivering "the best coolest shit possible" to customers
• Prioritizes "great value and great deals" over short-term profit maximization
• Contrasts this approach with "info products" that don't respect customers
• Believes many e-commerce businesses fail because they don't truly respect their customers

The HexClad Example

• Points to HexClad as a company that respects customers through product quality
• They "put years into product development" and "care about their customers"
• Grew from selling at trade shows and county fairs to a half-billion dollar business
• Will be "a fifty year brand" and "a generational brand" because of their customer focus
• Bootstrapped until recently, showing that customer respect can build sustainable businesses

Business Philosophy

• Believes in being profitable on first purchase rather than relying on theoretical lifetime value
• Focuses on product quality as the foundation of business success
• Contrasts businesses built on customer respect with those using "greater fool theory"
• Emphasizes that respecting customers is the path to building lasting, valuable brands