Jeff Haidaczuk "Growing Without Selling Out"
Brickey sits down with Jess Haidaczuk to talk about how a niche horror apparel brand quietly became one of the most respected names in collectible merch culture.
The conversation covers everything from convention life with Jason Edmiston to building a business around limited drops, preorder culture, and community-driven storytelling. Jess breaks down why brands fail when they stop talking to their audience, how products create demand for future products, and why modern studios are suddenly chasing the same friction-free business model independent creators already figured out years ago.
They also get into:
Why “consumer loyalty” is harder than ever to build
The psychology behind collectibles and limited editions
How Rucking Fotten landed collaborations with the The Duffer Brothers and studios
The future of merch culture, pins, hats, cups, and collectibles
Why community matters more than scale
Summer movies, concert culture, and the return of shared experiences
Plus: Nine Inch Nails at Coachella, BTS fandoms, Texas moves, horror conventions, Walt Disney’s house, and the strange joy of building something real with your friends.
A conversation about creativity, fandom, business, and why niche communities still win in an algorithm-driven world.