In a podcast interview, investor, entrepreneur, and social influencer Tai Lopez extolled the virtues of prominent ready-to-go brands. These types of companies already have brand recognition – something that takes years to grow, nurture, and develop. When a high profile company with a celebrated history suddenly becomes a toxic asset through no fault of its own, an investment opportunity arises.
Tai Lopez and Alex Mehr understand precisely what it means to identify bargain opportunities in a downtrodden market. Lopez, a hugely successful entrepreneur, and business partner Alex Mehr, a former NASA scientist and co-founder of Zoosk dating site pooled their collective talents to implement turnaround strategies for ailing companies. Their list of achievements is notable and spans the full spectrum from Pier 1 Imports to Dressbarn, from Modell’s Sporting Goods to RadioShack, from Linens N Things to Stein Mart, the list goes on. In fact, the story of Tai Lopez and Alex Mehr is one that warrants a much closer look.
What is REV & What Do they Do?
Retail E-Commerce Ventures, or REV, is a Florida-based investment corporation headed up by CEO Lopez and Mehr. In their own words, ‘We transform well-known distressed retail brands into e-commerce success stories.’ Their list of achievements is notable, with many well-known retail brands included in their portfolio. Among them are the following:
- Pier 1 Imports - generated revenue of $1.5 billion in 2019 before it was acquired by REV.
- Dressbarn - featured 650 land-based retail operations in 2019 before it was acquired by REV.
- RadioShack – an iconic US brand for electronic goods which featured 7000 stores + in its heyday.
- Modell’s Sporting Goods - a hugely popular US sporting goods franchise that generated $538 million in revenue in 2019, before it was acquired by REV.
- Linens N Things - in 2005, revenue at this company topped out at $2.7 billion, before it was acquired by REV.
The growing list of acquisitions by REV speaks volumes about how this company perceives distressed businesses during difficult times. Part of the reason why Lopez and Mehr are able to capitalize off these big brands is the shift from bricks and mortar retail to e-commerce. As experts in marketing, social media, and e-commerce, Lopez and Mehr are naturally positioned for success. Their ability to ‘Win friends and influence people’ – to borrow from Dale Carnegie – is extraordinary. They have proven this time and again with behind-the-scenes marketing prowess, proprietary algorithms, and the wow factor.
Reinventing Success with Big Brands – The Story of Modell’s Sporting Goods
The story of Modell's Sporting Goods is a tale worth telling. Established way back in the day [over 130 years ago], Modell’s Sporting Goods is a veritable American retail sporting institution. They sell anything and everything sports related, and their brand is synonymous with high-quality, credibility, and marketability. Unfortunately, this sporting goods retail chain could not keep up with the ever-changing nature of the market, what with e-commerce, the poor performance of in-state sports teams, and the lack of footfall traffic to retail, land-based sites.
Before they knew it, Modell’s Sporting Goods was staring down a barrel and having to liquidate its assets. Along came Tai Lopez and Alex Mehr with a $3.64 million Acquisition of that company's assets. They believe in the brand-name. They believe that people trust the brand name. By implementing their turnaround strategy, Modell’s was successfully transformed from a bricks and mortar operation to an online sporting goods store where all of its offerings could be showcased to a much bigger audience. By slashing costs across the board, shuttering failing land-based retail outlets, cutting staff, and maintaining a highly efficient skeleton crew, the company is now profitable again. This same line of thinking has been applied to scores of troubled businesses across the nation. As always, REV conducts due diligence to ensure that all the I’s have been dotted, all the T’s have been crossed, and the company remains a viable proposition.
Pier 1 Falls into Line as REV Snaps Up Another Huge Win
Pier 1 Imports is another iconic US clothing retailer. This brand also fell on hard times, announcing in May 2020 that it was shuttering 540+ stores across the nation. After being in business for almost 60 years, Pier 1 was about to disappear forever. Enter Tai Lopez and Alex Mehr with REV. Pier 1 Imports sold the rights to the brand to REV for a cool $20 million+. At the beginning of 2020, this iconic brand featured almost 940 stores across the country, but ultimately filed for Bankruptcy soon thereafter. Throughout 2020, multiple retail stores have closed, to shore up profitability, cut costs, and remain afloat. When REV purchased the rights to the brand, they decided to take it online as an e-commerce operation. The transformation is complete.
What About Food Brands - Blue Apron Looked Enticing?
The diversification strategy employed by Lopez is wide-ranging. Legendary Meal kit company, Blue Apron was also in his sites earlier in 2020. In his own words, Lopez believes that Blue Apron’s main products should be prepared foods and snacks. He doesn't think that people want to prepare and cook food from scratch. After going public in 2017, Blue Apron has struggled to remain profitable, shedding almost $2 billion in just 3 years. Customers and revenue have been dropping faster than hotcakes, and it didn't take long before Tai Lopez and Alex Mehr of REV made an offer to purchase. As it turned out, Blue Apron did not go to REV. The company is now headed by Linda Kozlowski who serves as its president and CEO.
Disclaimer: The content of this article is sponsored and does not represent the opinions of Finance Magnates.
