Prime Highlights:
- Kyle Hency, cofounder of Chubbies, launches Good Day to help retailers manage inventory and operations more efficiently.
- The startup recently secured $7 million in seed funding, bringing its total raised to $13.5 million.
Key Facts:
- Chubbies grew from $1 million to $8 million in revenue under Hency and was sold to Solo Stove in 2021; it now earns over $100 million.
- Good Day was founded in 2024 with former Chubbies CFO Dave Wardell and counts brands like Hill House Home and The Normal Brand among its customers.
Background:
Kyle Hency, cofounder of the lifestyle brand Chubbies, is back with a new startup, Good Day, which recently raised $7 million in seed funding. Hency, who started Chubbies in 2011 with three Stanford classmates, is using his experience in direct-to-consumer retail to tackle a major challenge in the industry: inventory management.
Chubbies, known for fun shorts with built-in swimwear, grew from $1 million to $8 million under Hency. It was sold to Solo Stove in 2021 and now makes over $100 million, though Hency once ran $2 million in the red, highlighting the need for better inventory management.
In 2024, Hency and former Chubbies CFO Dave Wardell started Good Day. The startup helps retailers easily manage stock and operations. It has raised $13.5 million from investors, including Ridge Ventures, FirstMark Capital, Flex Capital, Long Journey Ventures, Adverb Ventures, and Seguin Ventures.
Early clients include Hill House Home, The Normal Brand, Margaux NY, and Kenny Flowers, all of whom are reportedly benefiting from Good Day’s approach. Co-founder Hency emphasizes the importance of running a tightly controlled operation in today’s retail environment, where funding for consumer brands has sharply declined.
“Every brand today needs to focus not just on revenue, but on profits, as these are the funds that sustain their business,” Hency said, noting that venture capital investment in consumer companies has dropped by more than 90% since the boom years.
Investors describe Good Day as a modern, streamlined ERP solution designed for the AI era, capable of replacing labor-intensive processes with efficiency and precision. Hency has also positioned Good Day as a challenger to established software providers, taking aim at older systems like NetSuite.
“Building a brand is about being different,” Hency said. “Being different matters more than just being cool.” With his track record and a growing client base, Hency’s new venture could become a key player in retail operations software.
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