What if one of the most common fashion accessories was secretly causing skin problems for millions of people?
In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with entrepreneur Haley Barber, founder of RDV9s, to talk about the three-year journey of reinventing the baseball hat.
What started as Haley’s personal struggle with acne and dirty hats turned into a patented product with a removable washable liner designed to keep hats clean without ruining their shape.
Haley shares how she balanced a demanding corporate role while building a startup from scratch, navigating patents, trademarks, product development, manufacturing, pricing challenges, and the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship.
They also discuss why solving overlooked problems creates the best business opportunities, how social media validated the idea, and what founders need to know before investing their own money into a product launch.
Topics Covered:
- The hidden problem with dirty baseball hats
- How acne inspired a patented product idea
- Building a startup while working corporate
- Product development and manufacturing challenges
- How patents and trademarks actually work
- The cost of launching a physical product
- Why entrepreneurs become obsessed with solving problems
- Creating customizable fashion accessories
- Lessons from launching a brand-new product category
- The future of RDV NINES
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:00 Haley Barber and the RDV NINES Story
01:00 Leaving Comfort to Become an Entrepreneur
02:10 The Acne Problem That Inspired the Business
03:28 The “Hacky” Solutions People Use for Dirty Hats
04:15 Deciding to Build a Better Hat
05:24 Learning Product Design From Scratch
06:46 How the RDV NINES Hat Actually Works
09:18 The Customization Feature Explained
10:17 Why Product Development Took 3 Years
11:27 Manufacturing and Pricing Challenges
13:50 The Patent Process Explained
17:28 Can Competitors Copy the Product?
18:35 How RDV NINES Got Its Name
21:22 Why the Hats Have a Minimal Look
22:47 Launching a Completely New Product Category
25:06 Funding the Business Personally
27:00 Why Haley Refused Early Investor Money
28:44 The Future of RDV NINES
Joe Pardavila
Joe Pardavila is a leading voice in audio content production, with decades of experience in podcasting and terrestrial radio. He has created over 10,000 hours of audio content, captivating audiences nationwide. Joe is a recognized expert in communication and the author of the bestselling book, “Good Listen: Creating Memorable Conversations in Business and Life,” which provides valuable tips and strategies for mastering the art of communication. Throughout his career, Joe has been a radio personality…
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