CASE STUDY: Club EarlyBird
From Subscription Startup to Strategic Acquisition
The Challenge
Club EarlyBird started in a garage in 2019 with a bold idea: help people wake up motivated without the crash of traditional energy drinks.
Founders Chuckie and Shelby Gregory launched on Shopify with just a few hundred units a month, handling fulfillment themselves. But demand exploded.
They quickly hit:
10,000+ monthly orders with minimal backend structure
Cashflow strain due to costly fulfillment and poor inventory cycles
No clean systems for scale or investor conversations
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They didn’t just need capital.
They needed a new foundation.
What We Delivered
Capital That Protected Growth
We structured founder-friendly funding without bleeding cashflow or forcing personal guarantees — unlike Stripe Capital or merchant lenders.
SWAT Ops Infrastructure Overhaul
We rebuilt backend systems from inventory to fulfillment to customer service — making it lean, scalable, and exit-ready.
Strategic Positioning for Exit
We aligned their data, brand, and ops with acquisition targets — making EarlyBird irresistible to the right buyer.
The Result
In just 36 months:
● Grew from garage startup to $10M+ in cumulative revenue
● Scaled to thousands of subscribers/month
● Acquired by Society Brands (part of a $230M+ acquisition roll-up)
● Founders retained brand vision and stayed on board as growth partners
“We were drowning in demand and needed someone to help us scale without selling out. Matson’s team didn’t just invest — they rebuilt the machine with us.”
– Chuckie Gregory, Co-Founder of Club EarlyBird
Why It Worked
Because we didn't just plug in money.
We became their operating partners — rebuilding everything from backend to boardroom.
Ready for Your Legacy Event?
If you're sitting on a rocket ship with no runway — let's build your infrastructure, attract the right capital, and exit on your terms.
Matson & McMadden | Private Capital for Founders Who Think in Legacy, Not Just Liquidity
We don’t just manage assets. We build dynasties.
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