Episode Details

From Pro Golfer to 500+ Retail Stores: The Sales-First Apparel Growth Playbook with Taylor Artman

Want to get your apparel brand into retail accounts, even if you're not viral on Instagram or TikTok? In this episode of The Business of Apparel Podcast, Rachel sits down with Taylor Artman, founder of Surf & Turf Golf, to break down how he leveraged community, credibility, and relentless sales focus to grow into 500+ retail stores, with minimal paid marketing.

Taylor shares the real story of going from pro golfer to building a course-to-coast apparel brand, starting with a private "speakeasy" style golf club that created demand for merch. You'll hear how Surf & Turf landed early elite pro shop accounts, why wholesale-first helped build long-term stability (even with cash flow challenges), and the leadership lessons that came from hiring too reactively, then rebuilding the team with the right roles and ownership. Taylor also previews Surf & Turf's 2026 initiatives, including an NIL program, PGA section sponsorships, and a private-label offering designed to help founders scale without getting crushed by sourcing mistakes.

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Key Moments:

00:12 Meet Taylor Artman

01:03 From Pro Golf to Startup

01:58 Surf and Turf Origins

06:12 Sales Over Branding

08:31 Wholesale Growth Playbook

12:41 2026 Vision and NIL

16:08 Partnerships and Sourcing Lessons

17:36 Confidential Private Label

18:44 Community Over Competition

23:24 First Hire Breakthrough

30:23 Rebuilding Team the Right Way

32:16 Where to Find Surf and Turf

CONNECT WITH TAYLOR AND SURF AND TURF GOLF:

WEBSITE: https://surfandturfgolf.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoro6L-0yeo5pthxs_vqKUT7NMjS7-NuRqoPmpdsgBZqE5g6jyIx

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/surfandturfclub/?hl=en

Watch episodes of The Business of Apparel Podcast:

Wholesale 101: https://youtu.be/lpezH1YwCyE

Use AI in Your Apparel Brand: https://youtu.be/Dn9tjPNmfaw

Grow A 7-Figure Apparel Business: https://youtu.be/rpQYDyo5Rao

We can't wait to hear what you think of this episode!

Purchase the Business of Apparel Online Course: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com/course

ABOUT RACHEL:

Rachel Erickson—Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, I've sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year.

After decades working inside major fashion companies, I learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting.

I help founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands:

✅ Build lean, profitable product lines

✅ Streamline ope