[STEP BY STEP] The Spend Behind the Scale

Theory meets tarmac. Sushmitha "Sushi" Radhakrishnan runs finance and operations at Birddogs, the men's apparel brand born from a Shark Tank moment that's now selling through Dick's Sporting Goods. She breaks down what cash flow actually looks like when summer—not holidays—is your Super Bowl, tariffs hit mid-growth, and every trend cycle could make or break a season.

Key takeaways:

Seasonal brands need capital access during revenue troughs, not just peaksMulti-channel operations demand different buying cycles—wholesale plans months ahead while DTC converts in hoursSpeed separates winners in apparel—trends change faster than traditional finance approval...