Today we’d like to introduce you to Drew Plotkin.
Hi Drew, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Born in the great state of New Jersey and now proudly wreaking havoc in Southern California, my lifelong passion for storytelling and embracing the human experience is the backbone of the brands I build and how I build them. I am an Emmy-nominated journalist, founder, and CEO of the extremely disruptive men’s grooming brand Derm Dude™, founder of the award-winning Launch DRTV Agency, and co-founder of Global Mobility USA, a non-profit organization dedicated to delivering free wheelchairs around the world.
My career took root when I launched and operated Launch DRTV, a full-service creative agency based in Los Angeles. For over 20 years, I headed up dynamic campaigns featuring top-tier celebrities and pro athletes, including high-profile consumer product brands that collectively generated over $1.5 billion in gross revenue. I’ve created and directed nationally televised commercials featuring celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Serena Williams, Cindy Crawford, Ellen Pompeo, Dwyane Wade, Kristin Davis, Jane Seymour, Paris Hilton, Drew Brees, and countless others. Our roster of clients also included industry giants, such as T-Mobile, Jockey, Beach Body, and Nutrisystem.
I’ve also dedicated years to collaborating closely with world-renowned dermatologists, formulators, and manufacturing facilities, which fueled my passion and skills for product development. My lifelong passion for storytelling and deep connection to the human experience form the very essence of the brands I create, including my focus on emphasizing health and wellness, skincare, personal care, and men’s grooming. I founded Derm Dude™, a leading disruptor in the men’s grooming industry, with a strong focus on all things beard, body, and tattoo. We’re committed to developing power-packed performance products with a raw, no B.S., approach that generates a social media presence with over 50 million views annually. As the spokesperson and driving force behind Derm Dude, I’ve been featured on NBC, FOX, CBS, Men’s Health, and numerous podcasts and media outlets as a trusted authority in the men’s grooming category.
During the pandemic, I created As Not Seen on TV, a podcast with no rules or bosses – a platform with stories nobody would see anywhere but here. Soon after we launched, the Britney Spears conservatorship story was a major media topic. I had not been following it and was not overly familiar with the details around it. But apparently, her brother, Bryan Spears, was willing to do an interview with us. I read up on the Free Britney movement, and to my surprise, it was extremely compelling. I spoke with Brian for well over an hour and I asked certain questions that as it turns out millions of people wanted answers to. When we posted the podcast to YouTube and clips on Instagram, I figured maybe 20 people would watch it, but the next morning, I got calls and emails from media outlets around the world. We were all over the place in countless news channels, along with every digital publication imaginable. This podcast reawakened a part of me that had been dormant for too long. So I pushed further ahead, interviewing Navy Seals, entrepreneurs, renowned doctors, a philosophical retired mafia hitman, and everyday heroes whose stories I wanted to amplify. It’s storytelling on my own terms, which is priceless to me.
To detail my life’s journey, I was inspired to tell my own story through my autobiography Under My Skin: Baring It All, One Tattoo at a Time. In this book, I share my deeply personal journey with a powerful message about success, failure, love, and most of all, finding resilience and mental strength to always get the f*ck back up, and back on top to inspire others to do the same. One of my most significant interests is tattoos. In fact, you may say it is a borderline obsession. I’ve traveled the world, receiving tattoos from some of the top artists around the globe. In this book, I tell my life story through the context of my tattoos. My book has received critical acclaim, while my social media posts exceed 50 million views annually and growing. Under My Skin is not just a story about tattoos or body art. It’s about my ‘f*uck the rules’ mindset as I travel from New Jersey to Hollywood and even around the world, seeking to unravel my greatest mystery and piece together my biggest puzzle: Myself.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Trying to launch a business is not easy, and the reality is confidence plays a huge role in being successful. From the earliest I can remember, I’ve always had a no-quit, push-through mindset. My father was a lifelong entrepreneur, so I’m sure some of that rubbed off from him. But I remember early on in life, whether it was sports, a card game, or a competition with friends…even when I was down and behind, I was never ‘out.’ At least not in my mind. Even when I come up short (which certainly happens), I am always 100% in the fight in my mind. And regardless of the outcome of any one day or event, I always gear up for whatever is next. It’s also why I have the words ‘No Plan B” tattooed on my finger so that I can never forget how I’m wired and I am reminded of my will to always push forward.
About 25 years ago, I was dealing with chronic neck pain. It was debilitating, and I thought I had exhausted every option for relief. Ultimately, I ended up taking a local yoga class, and within a few weeks, a substantial portion of my pain was gone. I was new to California and searching for “my career path,” so after seeing a fitness infomercial on TV one night, I decided to ask the yoga teacher to join forces and develop our own infomercial and workout video series. Obviously, there were many more brands, stories, peaks, valleys, wins, and losses over the past 25 years to get where I am today with Derm Dude™, but I consider them all phenomenal learning experiences that prepared me best for where I am today. So I’m grateful for the entire wild ride — every twist, turn, drop, and climb.
I also believe that success tends to replicate itself. Meaning the first big wins are often the hardest to achieve. But once you break through the wall and get those first victories under your belt, the next ones happen with more frequency and less self-imposed ‘what if’ scenarios racing through your head.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Derm Dude?
Derm Dude™ is a no B.S. disruptor in the men’s grooming industry that began by focusing on all things beard, body & tattoo. Today, we are in all aspects of men’s grooming, including shaving cream, men’s trimmers, hair care, foot care, and more. Our brand stands out because we create our own path every single day. We go out of our way to NOT do things like everyone else. As the founder and Chief Dude Officer, my only boss is our customer. I believe I genuinely report to our customers and no one else. The decisions we make to develop our products are based on the types of products and formulas we want for ourselves! Our marketing is not a pitch. It’s just ‘us’ talking to our customers the same way we talk to each other, friends, and dudes. No B.S., no fluff. I did the Hollywood drill for 25 years. Big stages, trucks of lights, celebs, athletes, teams of MBA shitheads, and middle management sheep that can’t make a decision or even have a genuine opinion to stand behind. It was a good ride, paid the bills, and I learned a lot. I also knew it was the opposite of what I wanted in my brand. So with Derm Dude, we set out to create a brand, voice, and community you won’t find anywhere else. Because it really is based on… US. We think most people are ready for real and are tired of all the fake garbage and noise out there. We are committed to developing products with power-packed performance ingredients that deliver on their promise every time. Based on our results and growth so far, it looks like we are heading in the right direction.
How do you think about luck?
Resilience is 90%+ of every challenge we face in every aspect of life. I never was the very best at any one skill or craft. I was always more of a middle-of-the-pack performer on most matters. But where I excelled was resilience. I could get knocked down 15 times in a row…in business, personal matters, whatever, and I will still be the first one getting back up for the 16th time. I very much believe in the saying, “Success is when preparation meets opportunity.” Yes, some people get more chances in life than others. Call it fate, luck, karma, destiny, chance, or whatever you want. But I am certain everyone…EVERYONE gets at least a few golden opportunities laid out for them. The only question is, will you be prepared when those chances appear for you? Will you be still lying down on the ground, wincing, whining, and saying, “Why me? Life isn’t fair,” or will you be up on your feet, ready to rock as if this newest opportunity was the first and most important opportunity you’ve ever seen in your life? Will you be prepared and fired up to throw everything you have into this opportunity? Because you WILL have this opportunity, EVERYBODY does. Some people are prepared. Most are not. That’s why only a small percentage of people succeed and achieve their goals. But it is a choice. A choice to keep getting the F*ck back up and ready to crush it every time you get a shot.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dermdude.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dermdudeofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DermDude
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewplotkin/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/dermdude
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@dermdudeofficial?lang=en
