Why are Cowboy Boots Intertwined with B2C?

I’m not from Texas nor am I a big fan of country music, so I have never understood the plethora of purchase options or the extensive price range for cowboy boots. However, after reading an article about Paul Hedrick, a young man who took his cowboy boots business, Tecovas, direct-to-consumer, a lightbulb went off in my head — no, I still don’t understand the need for cowboy boots, but I understand why it made sense for Hedrick to have a B2C business.At Farland Group, I spend a lot of time on calls with clients — learning and understanding what their current strategy is or the new technologies they’re implementing. After reading “Even cowboys love direct-to-consumer fashion,” I instantly remembered a call where a client spoke about B2C and technology, and how it is disrupting the typical B2B2C market. If one thing is clear, it is that technology has made B2C easier than ever; a B2C business can keep their prices low and competitive, while giving consumers direct access via the Internet.I think more retail and startup companies will begin to follow suit. The “Sharks” from the TV show “Shark Tank” understand this theory too. On Friday nights after my two-year-old has gone to bed, I turn on “Shark Tank.” While the “Sharks” often argue amongst each other, they seem to agree on one thing: If you have an online-only business model that is working well, do not add retail to the mix. It sounds like Hedrick heeded the sharks’ advice without even knowing it — cutting out the middle man with his business Tecovas and keeping it direct-to-consumer.Cowboy boots aside, there are many other industries waiting to be disrupted by a direct-to-consumer model; the possibilities — including which cowboy boots to buy — are endless.