Founder Feature - MedSchoolBro(s)

When most people think of e-commerce, product categories like fashion, beauty, outdoor, and consumer packaged goods are usually what spring to mind. But Brandon Portnoff, co-founder of MedSchoolBro, went another way entirely. 

The story begins with Brandon and his brother, a medical student, combining their experience to create a product that fills a significant gap in the market.

"I co-founded the company with my brother," Brandon explained. "(he) is the one in med school, and I have an e-commerce and SaaS background. I made my first Shopify store in 2013 and have been involved in e-commerce ever since."

From TikTok Fame to Educational Products

The Portnoff’s journey took a pivotal turn during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brandon and his brother, looking for something to do, started creating TikTok content. It quickly gained traction. Brandon's own account grew to 1 million followers in the first year. His brother jumped on the social media bandwagon and quickly found success as well.

"My brother started making videos about med school, and we kind of cracked the viral code on TikTok," Brandon said. "It wasn't long before he had almost a million followers on Instagram."

Bootstrapping to Success

Brandon's background in e-commerce played a crucial role in the company’s early days. With an initial investment of just $10,000, they built their website, developed a comprehensive social media plan, and started product development with input from medical students and doctors.

"We're completely bootstrapped. We've never gone for funding, even though we've been approached many times," Brandon shared. "In our first month, we were profitable, and we've been profitable every month since."

One of the biggest challenges MedSchoolBro faced was keeping up with the massive demand for their products. The medical education space was ripe for innovation, and their comprehensive, visually engaging materials quickly gained popularity among students.

"The lifeblood of e-commerce is new products," Brandon emphasized. "We started with one product and had to keep developing more. We've only scratched the surface with med school materials."

Innovative Approaches to Learning

MedSchoolBro offers both digital and physical versions of its products, catering to different learning preferences. Despite the rise of digital learning tools, the demand for physical books remains strong.

"We offer free shipping if you order two or more items on our site," Brandon explained. "People still like to get the physical book even though they can download the PDF and have it on their iPad."

Expanding Horizons

Looking ahead, MedSchoolBro aims to expand its offerings beyond med school prep. They are already working on expanding their array of educational tools as well as moving into related fields like Pre-Med/MCAT.

"We haven't even scratched the surface with med," Brandon said. "We're looking at AI and software test-taking tools, which are becoming massive in MedEd. There's so much more we can do."

Brandon also highlighted the potential of mobile apps in e-commerce, emphasizing the importance of push notifications as a communication channel.

"Mobile apps and push notifications are going to be a huge next wave in e-commerce," Brandon predicted. "We're making our app a digital tool where students can read flashcards and shop on the go."

Final Nuggets of Wisdom

Brandon shared one last piece of advice for e-commerce operators. He emphasized the importance of diversifying communication channels beyond email and SMS, which are becoming increasingly filtered.

"The future of e-commerce is in mobile apps and push notifications," Brandon said. "It's all about communicating with your shoppers effectively."

Brandon Portnoff’s journey with MedSchoolBro is a testament to the power of combining hustle with innovation. By leveraging social media, bootstrapping their venture, and continuously innovating their product offerings, the Portnoffs have built a thriving business that meets a critical need in the market. Their story is a compelling example of how combining virality, ingenuity, and overlapping experience/insights in a field can lead to DTC success.