Today we’d like to introduce you to Rich Alfaro (COO & Co-Founder), T.J. Cristina (CEO & Co-Founder), And Dylan McLaughlin (President & Co-Founder).
Hi Rich Alfaro (COO & Co-Founder), T.J. Cristina (CEO & Co-Founder), and Dylan McLaughlin (President & Co-Founder), thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
GOAT USA began in a Long Island basement in 2016, when we started selling graphic T-shirts from a folding table at lacrosse tournaments. We didn’t have a major launch, outside investment or formal retail strategy- we just focused on showing up at fields, tournaments and community events every weekend.
From there, our brand grew organically through word of mouth, as parents told other parents, teammates told teammates and coaches became customers. At the heart of it all was GOAT USA wanting to pop up, shake hands, and connect with people. GOAT USA celebrates the everyday greatness of being a parent, teacher, neighbor, coach or teammate.
Ten years later, GOAT USA is carried in more than 1,000 wholesale doors and nine GOAT USA standalone stores and we participate in more than 365+ live events each year, including in Annapolis. While the business has grown, our mission remains the same to inspire every person to “Be The Greatest.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Growing a brand with no outside backing meant every early decision, such as every T-shirt order, event, or new hire was a bet that we made together. The hardest part wasn’t any single setback, but just consistently choosing to intentionally grow the brand one relationship at a time.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
GOAT USA is an American casual lifestyle brand built on confidence, connection, and community. Our mission is to inspire every person to be the greatest version of themselves, a belief we call “Everyday Greatness.” We create comfortable, versatile apparel that people can truly live in, whether they are heading to school, work, the field or simply spending time with family and friends.
For 10 years, we’ve created timeless, comfortable apparel designed for real life — easy-to-wear pieces that move seamlessly from school to work, game days to weekends, and family vacations to wherever the day takes you. While sports introduced many people to GOAT USA, the brand has always been about more than the sidelines. Our customers wear GOAT USA because it makes them feel confident, comfortable, and like the best version of themselves.
What sets GOAT USA apart is how we’ve built the brand. We didn’t grow through traditional advertising; we grew through relationships, community, and word of mouth. That community-first approach has helped us grow from three founders into a national brand with more than 5 million orders fulfilled and in standalone and wholesale stores, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bloomingdale’s, Dillard’s, Scheels and Von Maur.
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we’re proudest of the community that has grown alongside us. Customers who discovered GOAT USA through local sports years ago are now wearing it as adults, shopping for their own families, and introducing the brand to the next generation.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
We think the next decade favors brands that earn loyalty through authenticity and consistency, rather than manufactured hype. Casual lifestyle apparel is only going to keep blurring the line between “sport” and “everyday,” and we expect experiential retail (events, pop-ups, in-person moments) to matter more as people look for brands that show up in real life, not just in their feed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.goatusa.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goatusa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goatusa/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@goatusa4026
