Primitive Is Erasing Veteran Medical Bills

Key Concepts

Born Primitive: An athletic apparel brand founded by a veteran.
Veteran Medical Debt Eradication: Born Primitive's initiative to pay off medical debt for veterans.
100% of Online Sales Donation: The mechanism for funding the debt eradication program.
Black Rifle Coffee: A partner in the current Veterans Day initiative.
Loss of Purpose Post-Service: A significant challenge faced by veterans transitioning to civilian life.
Merit-Based Leadership: A leadership style learned in the SEAL teams, emphasizing standards and performance.
Bootstrapped Business: Building a company without external institutional capital.
Human Performance: A holistic approach to maintaining physical and mental well-being for optimal performance.
Entrepreneurial Realities: The challenges and demanding nature of starting and running a business.
VA Coverage Improvement: Exploring ways to leverage business models to enhance veteran healthcare services.

Born Primitive's Veterans Day Initiative: Turning Gratitude into Action

This Veterans Day, athletic apparel brand Born Primitive is undertaking a significant initiative to support veterans by donating 100% of its online sales from November 7th to 11th. The goal is to erase up to $25 million in medical debt for over 10,000 veterans. Bear Hanland, founder and CEO of Born Primitive, discussed this initiative and the brand's broader mission.

Brand Mission and Impact

Born Primitive, a veteran-founded business, aims to leverage its platform for positive impact. As the brand has grown, so has its capacity to make a significant financial contribution to the veteran community. This year's initiative marks their biggest impact to date, building on a similar program from the previous year.

Previous Year's Impact: In the prior year, Born Primitive was able to clear $11 million in medical debt for over 5,800 veterans by Christmas.
Current Year's Goal: The objective is to more than double last year's impact by reaching up to $25 million in medical debt eradication.
Partnership: Black Rifle Coffee is collaborating with Born Primitive on this initiative.
Donation Mechanism: 100% of profits from online sales on both Born Primitive's and Black Rifle Coffee's websites will be directed towards this cause. Hanland emphasized that there are "no strings attached, no catch," offering a "guilt-free reason to do some shopping before the holidays."

Understanding the Veteran Experience

Hanland, drawing from his own active duty experience, highlighted a critical reality for many veterans transitioning out of service: the loss of purpose and structure.

Loss of Purpose and Structure: The military provides a clear sense of purpose, defined timelines, and a strong sense of camaraderie. Upon leaving service, veterans can experience a void due to the loss of this structure and the absence of like-minded individuals.
Adjustment Challenges: This transition can be difficult, with some veterans struggling to find direction or adapt to civilian workplaces.
Financial Distress Amplification: When financial distress, particularly medical debt, is added to these adjustment challenges, it creates a "very difficult situation for a lot of people."
Rationale for Medical Debt Focus: Hanland explained that medical debt is a particularly resonant cause because it is typically incurred unintentionally. He used the example of an unexpected accident leading to significant medical bills, emphasizing that "no one deliberately incurs medical debt."

Leadership Style Shaped by Service

Hanland's leadership style has been profoundly influenced by his time in the SEAL teams.

Maintaining the Standard: The SEAL teams operate in an intense environment where a high standard is set by those who came before. Adhering to, meeting, and exceeding these standards is crucial for survival and success within the community.
Merit-Based Environment: Hanland described the SEAL teams as a "merit-based organization" rather than a "popularity contest," a principle he believes is needed more in current society.

Challenges in Building Born Primitive

Building Born Primitive presented significant hurdles, particularly due to its bootstrapped nature.

Bootstrapped Growth: Hanland and co-founder Mallerie built the brand while he was on active duty, without any institutional capital. They competed against brands that had raised over $100 million, while Born Primitive had not raised "a dime."
Scrappiness and Profitability: To compete, they had to be "scrappy" and prioritize profitability. Unlike competitors focused solely on topline revenue and often operating at a loss, Born Primitive needed to be profitable to fund inventory purchases.
Pride in Achievement: Hanland expressed pride in their ability to achieve significant impacts, like the medical debt initiative, despite these constraints.

Maintaining Discipline Outside the Military

Hanland shared his approach to staying disciplined and maintaining peak performance outside of active duty.

Foundational Practices: His routine includes good nutrition (meals delivered by a dietitian balancing macros), exercising five days a week, prioritizing good sleep, and incorporating practices like sauna and cold tubs.
Human Performance Focus: He approaches these activities with "human performance in mind," believing that by taking care of himself, he can be his "best self" at work and continue to "compete" in the business arena.

Advice for Aspiring Veteran Entrepreneurs

Hanland offered a sobering perspective for veterans considering entrepreneurship.

Realistic Expectations: He advises against romanticizing entrepreneurship, noting that it often involves working longer hours (e.g., "80 hours a week, so you don't have to work 40 hours a week").
Due Diligence: Entrepreneurs must conduct thorough research and ensure their product or service offers a "unique value proposition" that is genuinely better than existing options.
Success Rates: He reminded aspiring entrepreneurs that only about 8% of businesses succeed.
Alternative Paths: Hanland suggested that working for an established company ("working for the man") is not a bad option. However, for those with a strong drive, he encourages them to "give it a go" but to be prepared for significant challenges ("get kicked in the mouth").

Future Horizon for Born Primitive (2026)

Born Primitive has ambitious plans for the future, focusing on increasing its impact and expanding its product lines.

Raising the Bar on Impact: The goal is to continue amplifying their philanthropic efforts.
Larger Partnerships: Hanland aims to collaborate with even larger organizations, potentially including entities like the NFL or NHL, to further amplify their impact.
Improving VA Coverage: He is actively working with lawmakers and the VA in Washington D.C. to explore how Born Primitive's model can be used to improve VA coverage for veterans. These meetings have been described as "very good."
Product Expansion: The brand plans to launch new products in 2026, with a particular focus on expanding their footwear line and continuing growth in outdoor and tactical categories.

Bear Hanland, founder and CEO of Born Primitive, is leading a brand that is not only successful in the athletic apparel market but also deeply committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of veterans. The current Veterans Day initiative, in partnership with Black Rifle Coffee, exemplifies this commitment by directly addressing the critical issue of veteran medical debt.