PPB February 2020

came interest from companies looking to put their logo on both the hoodie and its companion backpack—and so Quikflip Apparel entered the promotional market. Working on growing the range of products available to include jackets and shirts, Gracie appeared on an episode of Shark Tank that aired in May 2019. Gracie brought his fervor for the product and company, and tapped into his “jiu-jitsu confidence” to test his marketing skills before five renowned business magnets. “I knew I had to control the conversation, otherwise I would get eaten alive, so all I kept telling myself internally was ‘smile and sell, smile and sell, smile and sell,’ and it worked,” he says. Gracie made a deal with Lori Greiner, the “Queen of QVC,” who, he says, understands the long-term vision of Quikflip Apparel. But the needle really started moving when the show aired. “Orders flooded in, new distributors started seeking us out to set up wholesale accounts, organizations contacted us to get custom swag created for their employees and the momentum is still rolling hard to this day.” In promo, Quikflip Apparel products have been customized for team gifts, event swag and branded gear. Warner Brothers recently gave Hero Hoodies as gifts to their worldwide executives, says Gracie, and Universal Studios is currently selling a number of designs at various attractions in its theme parks. Google, he says, has also given customized apparel to employees as gifts, and Intel and Dolby have distributed branded hoodies during industry events. Most recently, he says, the National Guard has started giving them to new recruits. “Once you’re in the family, you’ll never look at regular, non-converting outerwear the same. Every time you see someone with a sweatshirt tied around their waist, the only thing you can think is, ‘if they only knew.’” Gracie is intent on continuing to grow the Quikflip Apparel brand with the innovation of new products and myriad styles and colors. During the first quarter of 2020, he says, the company is launching version 2.0 of the Dryflip Rain Jacket, the new Dryflip Windbreaker and the Hero Hoodie Lite in full zip and pullover. “We won’t stop until all outerwear is convertible,” he says. Danielle Renda is associate editor of PPB. In addition to being CEO of Quikflip Apparel, Gracie is also a jiu-jitsu instructor and, together with his family, they own several studios across the country. | FEBRUARY 2020 | 47 GROW