Mike Salguero – Founder of ButcherBox on How He Bootstrapped a $550M Brand With a Clear Mission to Transform the Meat Industry

The Casey Adams Show

Today on The Casey Adams Show, I sit down with Mike Salguero — Founder and CEO of ButcherBox, the $550M direct-to-consumer brand redefining how meat is sourced, delivered, and consumed. Mike shares the untold story of how he bootstrapped ButcherBox without raising a single dollar of outside capital, scaling it through a series of internet-driven arbitrage opportunities and a deep obsession with product quality. We dive into the company's mission to transform the meat industry for the better — from supporting family farms to championing animal welfare and sustainability. Mike also unpacks his approach to building a profitable business, staying customer-obsessed, and leading with purpose in a noisy market. This episode is a must-listen for founders who believe in building with integrity, vision, and long-term impact.

Connect with Mike Salguero: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesalguero/

Learn more about ButcherBox: https://www.butcherbox.com/

Chapters:
00:00 The Mission Behind ButcherBox
03:12 The First Arbitrage: Finding Gaps in the Internet
07:41 Why Product Obsession Was the Foundation
10:56 Scaling Without Venture Capital
14:03 Transforming the Meat Industry From the Inside
18:30 Lessons in Building Operational Excellence
22:15 Marketing Through Purpose, Not Promos
25:40 Why Mission-Driven Brands Win Long-Term
28:36 Supporting Farmers and Creating Supply Chain Change
33:02 Staying Profitable While Growing Fast
36:10 Advice for Founders on Focus, Vision, and Longevity