Episode Details

Tim and Michelle from Patch Ops join Kaylee and John on State of the Second to tell the story of how a single patch grew into a business. It started in 2018, when the couple wanted to send their kids to private school and Tim calculated they needed to make $50 more a day to afford it. Tim, a Marine, had been introduced to patches by an Army friend, and there was nothing on the market for Marines at the time. He made an 0331 MOS patch because he wanted one for himself, sent it to his fellow Marines, and the demand kept climbing. About three months after they launched, the Marine Corps put Velcro on its gear, and the market for Marine Corps patches opened up fast. Patch Ops turns eight years old in a couple months and has grown every year, starting from a $3,000 nest egg.

The conversation moves into how the company operates and why staying close to the community matters. Tim says he is part of his own customer base, so if a design makes him laugh, he trusts that others will feel the same. The team works fast on pop culture moments, posting a Let's Go Brandon design within two hours of the moment. They test ideas as stickers and shirts first, and the ones that get a response become patches. Michelle, who came from the corporate world and left it during COVID to run day-to-day operations, explains the value of having both trickle sellers and fast sellers so the business stays afloat between hits. Tim describes their model as profit by volume rather than chasing one big order, and says he won't sacrifice his values for profit.

Much of the episode is a broader talk about activism, media, and standing up for the Second Amendment. Tim argues that likes don't equal rights and pushes influencers to influence their own communities first. Kaylee points to GOA's tools, including emailing your congressman in about 30 seconds and a voting scorecard that helps people check a representative's actual record. Both sides warn about bills written to play on emotion, with firearms regulations hidden inside unrelated legislation, and about a media environment that rewards outrage over reason. They also push back on cancel culture and the loss of humor, and on judging people on their own side by how they look. Patch Ops closes by sharing new NFC-chip patches they filed a patent for, their custom and retail focus, and the piece of candy that comes in every order.

Questions this episode answers

How did Patch Ops get started, and what was the original goal behind it?

Patch Ops began in 2018 when Tim and Michelle wanted to send their kids to private school and calculated they needed to make about $50 more a day to afford it. Tim, a Marine, made an 0331 MOS patch he wanted for himself, sent it to fellow Marines, and demand kept climbing from there.

Why was there a gap in the market for Marine Corps patches when the company launched?

When Patch Ops started, there was nothing on the market made for Marines. About three months after launch the Marine Corps put Velcro on its gear, which opened the market for Marine Corps patches almost overnight.

How does Patch Ops decide which pop culture moments are worth turning into a patch?

Tim treats himself as part of the customer base, so if a design makes him laugh he trusts others will feel the same. The team moves fast, posting a Let's Go Brandon design within two hours of the moment.

How does the company test new designs before committing to producing them?

Patch Ops tests ideas as stickers and shirts first, and the designs that get a strong response become patches. This lets the team see what lands before committing to a full patch run.

What does Tim mean by profit by volume, and why won't he chase the big single order?

Tim describes the model as profit by volume rather than chasing one big order, with both trickle sellers and fast sellers keeping the business afloat between hits. He says he won't sacrifice h