In just 3 years, Dad Gang has built a community of over 260K Instagram followers, sold nearly half a million hats, and their gear has been worn by everyone from Mookie Betts to Kirk Cousins to DJ Envy.
Here’s what he had to say about building community in his own (lightly edited) words:
1️⃣. Boost Content, Not Just Campaigns
Bart’s Take:
“I’d go into Instagram, find our best organic post—the one that had the most comments, saves, and shares—and just boost it. But not for conversions. I’d boost it for profile visits.
If I spent $10 a day and got 20 followers, I’d just keep it going.”
Takeaway:
Your best-performing organic post is already market-tested.
Put money behind what already works instead of guessing what might.
Boost for profile visits, not conversions, and grow your audience with content they’re already engaging with.
It’s the simplest growth loop most brands overlook.
2️⃣. Create FOMO By Selling Out
Bart’s Take:
“We didn’t do it on purpose at first, but hats kept selling out. And what happened was… people waited for the restock.
We’d use that momentum and say: if you’re following us, you’ll be first in line when it drops. If you’re not, you might miss it.”
Takeaway:
Out-of-stock isn’t always a bad thing. It’s a strategy.
Drop products in waves.
Build waitlists. Make people feel like they’re part of a club, not just a customer base. MAKE THEM HURRY TO BUY.
3️⃣. Build a Home Base, Not Just a Following
Bart’s Take:
"A Facebook group is kind of private, and it brings everyone into one place where you can actually communicate directly, rather than relying on the algorithm to deliver your posts to the right people.
Like, sure, we have over 200,000 followers on Instagram, but I have no idea what percentage of them actually see our posts.”
Takeaway: Don’t build your community where the algorithm owns the keys.
Put your people somewhere you control.
A Facebook group gives you direct access, real feedback, and a home base for your most loyal fans.
It’s not just about more reach. It’s about deeper relationships.
4️⃣. Build With Your Community, Not Just For Them
Bart’s Take:
“We test everything in our Facebook group before we make it. We show hat samples, get feedback, and let dads vote on what to drop next. We say ‘designed by dads’ and it’s true.”
Takeaway: Your biggest fans don't just want to buy. They want to build with you. Use your community as a sounding board.
Make them feel like insiders, not just customers.
5️⃣. Make Your Launch Impossible to Miss
Bart’s Take:
“When we launch a hat, I don’t just send one email and call it a day.
I space out content all day across every channel. Facebook group. Email. SMS. IG Stories. App push. Organic feed. And I make 20+ story assets ahead of time in Canva.
That way we show up all day long without being annoying.”
Takeaway:
1 launch. Multiple touch points.
Drip content across every surface your audience touches.
Don’t spam. Spread out.
Being everywhere, all day, builds momentum that algorithms and customers can't ignore.
