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  • Plan
  • Roadmap
  • Research

On this page

  • The brief
  • Start here
  • Idea portfolio
  • Effort vs impact
  • This week · 5
  • This quarter · 10
  • Big bets · 3
  • Wildcards · 3
  • How we can help
Generated Oct 21, 2026
  1. Programmable
  2. Playbooks
  3. Akinz
Akinz logo

growth playbook · Oct 21, 2026

akinz.com (opens in a new tab)

Akinz growth playbook

Diagnosis

Akinz has what many brands try to fake: products made by hand in the back of its own shop, 20 years of history and a 99.5% wholesale sell-through.

Online, that strength barely shows: most products have no reviews and the stars are hidden, the homepage title talks about tees in beanie season, made-to-order knits look out of stock, and custom work has no quote form. This playbook makes the proof visible first, then grows wholesale, process video, gift guides, email flows and team packs, with private-label knitting as the big bet.

Growth Score

6/10

Biggest Opportunity

Sell the making: show the vintage machines and hand printing, and package them for retailers, groups and other brands.

Biggest Risk

Coloradical and many Colorado souvenir and Etsy sellers offer similar designs, so Akinz must make its handmade difference obvious.

01

Start here

The three moves to make first. Each one is written up in full below.

  1. 1

    Turn "15,000 happy customers" into visible stars: switch on Judge.me badges and ask every buyer for a photo review

    Turn on the collection badge and the post-delivery review email today.

    High impact First result in 1 month
  2. 2

    Lead the homepage title and description with handmade beanies in beanie season

    Rewrite the homepage title.

    Medium impact First result in 2 weeks
  3. 3

    Say "made to order, ships in 5 days" clearly instead of showing knits as out of stock

    Set made-to-order variants to continue selling.

    Medium impact First result in 2 weeks

02

Your idea portfolio

21 ideas, grouped by when to run them. Open any idea for how to run it: the steps, who to approach, copy you can use, and how to measure it.

  • 7 ideas are marked Unexpected: plays you are unlikely to have tried.

    2 of these are things Programmable can build and run for you.

Every idea placed by the effort it takes against the impact it could have. Quick wins sit top left; select a number to open that idea. The filters below narrow the list by status, timing, category and what Programmable can build.

Effort vs impactEach number is an idea. Select one to open it.
Impact →
Quick wins · 1Big bets · 5Fill-ins · 10Reconsider · 5
Effort →

Showing 21 of 21 ideas

This week 5

Quick wins with a clear first action.

  • 01

    The homepage says "Over 15,000 Happy Customers", but the reviews do not show it. Of 40 product pages we sampled, only 13 had any review, and all 40 together had 27 reviews; the best-reviewed item, the Honeycomb Beanie, has 8. The store's Judge.me settings hide the star badges on collection pages and the homepage, and the product markup sent to Google has no rating, so shoppers browsing beanies see no stars anywhere.

    High impactLow effort First result in 1 month E commerce and Email Manager

    First action

    Turn on the collection badge and the post-delivery review email today.

    How to measure it

    Products with reviews

    Now
    –
    Target
    50% of catalogue
    By
    90 days

    Steps

    1. 1

      Badges on

      Judge.me stars on collection and homepage grids.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 hour

    2. 2

      Rating in markup

      Judge.me rich snippet setting or theme markup.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 2 hours

    3. 3

      Request email

      10 days after delivery, 14 for made-to-order knits.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 day

    4. 4

      Photo reward

      Discount for photo reviews.

      Founder and Owner 1 day

    5. 5

      In-store QR

      On hang tags and the till.

      Retail Store Manager 1 week

    6. 6

      Past buyers

      One-off request to last year's customers.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    7. 7

      Feature photos

      Best photo reviews on product pages and Instagram.

      Social Media Lead weekly

    First result
    1 month
    Cost
    Judge.me plan and review rewards
    Owner
    E commerce and Email Manager

    Smallest test

    Turn on the badges and send the request email to last month's buyers.

    Run this outreach. The sequence sent for you: addresses found and verified, replies routed to your CRM. Usually live within days.

    Book a working session

    Why it works

    Turn on Judge.me star badges for collection and homepage grids, add the rating to product structured data, and set up an automatic review request 10 days after delivery (14 for made-to-order knits) with a small reward for photo reviews (for example 10% off the next order). Import any Google reviews of the Old Town shop, and ask in-store buyers by QR code on the hang tag.

    Handmade goods sell on trust in the maker, and reviews with photos of real people in the beanies do that better than any banner. Stars on the grid also lift click-through from collection pages.

    Ready to use

    EmailReview request (knits)

    Subject: How's your Akinz beanie?

Hi {first_name},

Your {product} was knitted on our vintage machines in the back of our Old Town Fort Collins shop. We'd love to see it out on your adventures.

Leave a review with a photo and we'll send you 10% off your next order.

[Write a review]

Thanks for supporting handmade,
The Akinz crew

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Review fatigue

      One request plus one reminder only.

    • Rewards bias

      Reward any honest review, not only positive ones.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteReviews: we opened 40 randomly chosen product pages; 13 had any Judge.me review and the 40 had 27 reviews between them (top: Honeycomb Beanie, 8 reviews, 4.5 stars; Ahab Knitted Beanie, 5 reviews). Judge.me's star badges are switched off in the store's settings on product, collection and homepage templates (the beanies collection page shows no stars), and the product structured data carries price and stock but no rating.Source
    • Your websiteHomepage (checked October 20, 2026): title "Fort Collins Clothing: T-Shirts & Hats | Handmade Colorado Apparel"; trust bar "30 Day Returns & Exchanges", "Over 15,000 Happy Customers", "Packed by the Hands that Made It"; free shipping over $75; "15% OFF your First Order when you join our Email List"; a "Say Hello to Beanie Season - Handmade by us" row of beanies from $22 to $44.Source
    • Your websiteCatalogue (Shopify product feed, October 20, 2026): 421 products in 93 collections: 136 tees, 54 hats, 49 beanies (median $34), 30 stickers, 25 sweatshirts and hoodies, 16 towels, 15 journals, 15 onesies, plus art prints, jewellery and drinkware; prices from $4 to $100 (median $30); 18 products fully sold out, including the Classic Colorado Hoodie and Fort Collins Sunset Rope Hat; 30 products tagged as gifts.Source
    • Your websiteAhab Knitted Beanie ($32): "handmade in Fort Collins, Colorado", 100% acrylic, "Handmade to order in Colorado. Please allow up to 5 days to ship if listed as out of stock"; "In Stock Items Ship within 1 Business Day"; colour options include "Surprise Me/Custom". The site's Organization markup lists seven empty "sameAs" social links.Source
  • 02

    The homepage title says "T-Shirts & Hats" while the homepage itself leads with "Say Hello to Beanie Season - Handmade by us". The handmade, vintage-machine beanies are what makes Akinz different from other Colorado tee shops.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 2 weeks E commerce and Email Manager

    First action

    Rewrite the homepage title.

    How to measure it

    Homepage search click-through

    Now
    –
    Target
    +10%
    By
    60 days

    Steps

    1. 1

      Rewrite title

      Beanies first.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 30 minutes

    2. 2

      Description

      Handmade on vintage machines in Fort Collins.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 30 minutes

    3. 3

      Beanie collection

      Title, description, intro text.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 hour

    4. 4

      Check Search Console

      Queries containing "beanie".

      E-commerce and Email Manager 2 weeks

    5. 5

      Seasonal swap

      Tees back in spring.

      E-commerce and Email Manager seasonal

    6. 6

      Repeat

      For hats and hoodies collections.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 month

    First result
    2 weeks
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    E commerce and Email Manager

    Smallest test

    Change the title today.

    Why it works

    Rewrite the title and meta description around handmade Colorado beanies and screen printed tees (for example "Handmade Colorado Beanies & Hand-Printed Tees | Akinz, Fort Collins"), and update the beanies collection title and description to match.

    Search results that name the distinctive product win the click from people searching for handmade or Colorado beanies.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Losing tee searches

      Keep tees in the description.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteHomepage (checked October 20, 2026): title "Fort Collins Clothing: T-Shirts & Hats | Handmade Colorado Apparel"; trust bar "30 Day Returns & Exchanges", "Over 15,000 Happy Customers", "Packed by the Hands that Made It"; free shipping over $75; "15% OFF your First Order when you join our Email List"; a "Say Hello to Beanie Season - Handmade by us" row of beanies from $22 to $44.Source
    • Your websiteOur Story: founded in 2005 by Suzanne Akin with the wings logo and the motto "Find Your Wings"; a flagship retail shop in Old Town Fort Collins, where "We handcraft the majority of our products in the back of the shop"; beanies made "on vintage knitting machines", tags made in house; all tees and hoodies screen printed in house; the shop also sells goods from other local makers.Source
    • Your websiteCatalogue (Shopify product feed, October 20, 2026): 421 products in 93 collections: 136 tees, 54 hats, 49 beanies (median $34), 30 stickers, 25 sweatshirts and hoodies, 16 towels, 15 journals, 15 onesies, plus art prints, jewellery and drinkware; prices from $4 to $100 (median $30); 18 products fully sold out, including the Classic Colorado Hoodie and Fort Collins Sunset Rope Hat; 30 products tagged as gifts.Source
  • 03

    Handmade knits are made to order when stock runs out, with up to 5 days to ship, but the message is in the description. Shoppers who see "out of stock" may leave.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 2 weeks E commerce and Email Manager

    First action

    Set made-to-order variants to continue selling.

    How to measure it

    Made-to-order knit sales

    Now
    –
    Target
    +20%
    By
    60 days

    Steps

    1. 1

      List variants

      Knits that can be made on demand.

      Knitting Production Lead 1 day

    2. 2

      Continue selling

      Inventory setting.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 hour

    3. 3

      Label

      Made-to-order badge.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 day

    4. 4

      Cart estimate

      Ship-by date.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 day

    5. 5

      Capacity

      Daily knit limit.

      Knitting Production Lead 1 week

    6. 6

      Measure

      Sales and ship times.

      E-commerce and Email Manager weekly

    First result
    2 weeks
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    E commerce and Email Manager

    Smallest test

    Turn on made-to-order for the Ahab beanie.

    Why it works

    Show a "Made to order: ships in 3-5 days" label on knit variants that are made on demand, keep them purchasable, and add a delivery estimate in the cart. Explain the vintage-machine process in one line.

    Turning a stock gap into a handmade story keeps the sale and reinforces the brand.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Holiday overload

      Set a cut-off date for made-to-order.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteAhab Knitted Beanie ($32): "handmade in Fort Collins, Colorado", 100% acrylic, "Handmade to order in Colorado. Please allow up to 5 days to ship if listed as out of stock"; "In Stock Items Ship within 1 Business Day"; colour options include "Surprise Me/Custom". The site's Organization markup lists seven empty "sameAs" social links.Source
    • Your websiteFAQ: custom beanie colours and sizes by email ("We love individual custom orders as well as custom orders for groups and teams"); handmade knits may be made to order, up to 5 days; free US shipping over $75; ships worldwide, up to 14 business days; sale and custom items final sale.Source
    • Your websiteOur Story: founded in 2005 by Suzanne Akin with the wings logo and the motto "Find Your Wings"; a flagship retail shop in Old Town Fort Collins, where "We handcraft the majority of our products in the back of the shop"; beanies made "on vintage knitting machines", tags made in house; all tees and hoodies screen printed in house; the shop also sells goods from other local makers.Source
  • 04

    The site's Organization markup lists seven empty social links, and the sitemap includes 21 empty blog sections such as "promo-1" and "posts-without-blog". Search engines read both.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 week Social Media Lead

    First action

    Fill the theme social settings.

    How to measure it

    Empty blog sections

    Now
    –
    Target
    0
    By
    2 weeks

    Steps

    1. 1

      Social settings

      Theme settings.

      Social Media Lead 30 minutes

    2. 2

      Check markup

      Rich Results Test.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 30 minutes

    3. 3

      List blogs

      25 sections.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 hour

    4. 4

      Delete empties

      21 sections.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 hour

    5. 5

      Redirect

      Any linked ones to the main blog.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 hour

    6. 6

      Search Console

      Resubmit sitemap.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 30 minutes

    First result
    1 week
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    Social Media Lead

    Smallest test

    Do it in one sitting.

    Why it works

    Add the Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and X URLs to the theme social settings so the markup fills in. Delete or hide the empty blog sections.

    Clean signals help Google connect the brand to its profiles and keep crawl budget on real pages.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Deleting a used blog

      Check for posts first.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteAhab Knitted Beanie ($32): "handmade in Fort Collins, Colorado", 100% acrylic, "Handmade to order in Colorado. Please allow up to 5 days to ship if listed as out of stock"; "In Stock Items Ship within 1 Business Day"; colour options include "Surprise Me/Custom". The site's Organization markup lists seven empty "sameAs" social links.Source
    • Your websiteBlog: 279 posts in the Akinz Blog (team riders, events, gift guides, road-trip and beanie guides); the newest, "Lasers Are Cool", is dated April 24, 2026. The sitemap lists 25 blog sections, 21 of them empty (for example "promo", "promo-1", "news-2", "trends-cravings-1", "markup", "posts-without-blog").Source
    • Chrome UX ReportReal Chrome visitors to akinz.com pass Core Web Vitals (75th percentile: LCP 1.3 s, INP 139 ms, CLS 0.08; loading steady over the year). The store runs Shopify with Klaviyo, Microsoft Clarity and Cloudflare, takes Shop Pay, Apple Pay and Venmo, and links Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and X. DMARC is published at "p=none" (monitoring only).Source
  • 05

    Akinz does custom screen printing from 18 pieces, laser engraving from 12 to 2,000, and custom knits, but requests go by email with no prices. Groups, bands and businesses comparing printers want a ballpark fast.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 month E commerce and Email Manager

    First action

    Price five common custom jobs.

    How to measure it

    Custom quotes

    Now
    –
    Target
    +50%
    By
    90 days

    Steps

    1. 1

      Price jobs

      Five common orders.

      Screen Print Lead 1 day

    2. 2

      Build form

      Shopify form app.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 day

    3. 3

      Price table

      On the page.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 2 hours

    4. 4

      Reply rule

      One business day.

      Screen Print Lead ongoing

    5. 5

      Gallery

      Past custom work.

      Social Media Lead 1 week

    6. 6

      Measure

      Quotes to orders.

      Founder and Owner monthly

    First result
    1 month
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    E commerce and Email Manager

    Smallest test

    Add the form and track requests for a month.

    Why it works

    Add a short quote form (product, quantity, colours, deadline, upload) and a price guide table for common jobs (for example 24 one-colour tees, 50 two-colour tees, 100 laser patches). Reply within one business day.

    Price ranges and a form turn browsers into leads and save back-and-forth email.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Underquoting

      Show "from" prices.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteCustom Products page: custom screen printing with minimums of 18 pieces for 1-2 colour designs and 48 for 3-4 colours, "1-2 weeks" turnaround; laser-engraved patches and labels for runs "12 or 2000"; custom design work; custom handmade knits in brand colours; promo merch. Requests go by email; there is no quote form or price guide.Source
    • Your websiteOur Story: founded in 2005 by Suzanne Akin with the wings logo and the motto "Find Your Wings"; a flagship retail shop in Old Town Fort Collins, where "We handcraft the majority of our products in the back of the shop"; beanies made "on vintage knitting machines", tags made in house; all tees and hoodies screen printed in house; the shop also sells goods from other local makers.Source

This quarter 10

The core plays for the next three months.

  • 06

    Akinz tells retailers its core collection has "99.5% sell-through", low minimums ($250 first order) and is not on Amazon, and it is on Faire and Shopify Collective. That is a strong pitch for gift shops, ski shops and outdoor stores across Colorado and the Rockies.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Wholesale Manager

    First action

    List 50 shops in Colorado mountain towns.

    How to measure it

    New retailers

    Now
    –
    Target
    30
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Build list

      150 shops.

      Wholesale Manager 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Line sheet

      Core collection and pricing.

      Wholesale Manager 1 week

    3. 3

      Samples

      40 shops.

      Wholesale Manager 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Follow up

      Phone and email.

      Wholesale Manager ongoing

    5. 5

      Starter pack

      Display and reorder plan.

      Wholesale Manager 2 weeks

    6. 6

      Faire link

      Use the referral link.

      Wholesale Manager ongoing

    7. 7

      Measure

      Accounts and reorders.

      Founder and Owner monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Samples and shipping, about $600
    Owner
    Wholesale Manager

    Smallest test

    Send ten sample packs.

    Build the prospect list. The list compiled from public sources, verified, deduplicated and delivered to your CRM. Usually live within days.

    Book a working session

    Why it works

    Build a list of 150 shops in Colorado mountain towns, national park gateways and college towns, send a sample beanie and line sheet to the best 40, and follow up by phone. Offer a starter pack and a counter display.

    Wholesale adds steady volume that suits in-house production, and each shop advertises the brand to tourists.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Production capacity

      Plan knitting for wholesale peaks.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteWholesale page: "99.5% Sell-Through" for the core collection, "No Case Packs & Low Minimums", "$250 First Order, $150 Re-Order", private label and custom colours, "Not Available on Amazon"; retailers can also order through Faire (with a referral link that saves Akinz the commission) or Shopify Collective.Source
    • Your websiteOur Story: founded in 2005 by Suzanne Akin with the wings logo and the motto "Find Your Wings"; a flagship retail shop in Old Town Fort Collins, where "We handcraft the majority of our products in the back of the shop"; beanies made "on vintage knitting machines", tags made in house; all tees and hoodies screen printed in house; the shop also sells goods from other local makers.Source
    • Your websiteCatalogue (Shopify product feed, October 20, 2026): 421 products in 93 collections: 136 tees, 54 hats, 49 beanies (median $34), 30 stickers, 25 sweatshirts and hoodies, 16 towels, 15 journals, 15 onesies, plus art prints, jewellery and drinkware; prices from $4 to $100 (median $30); 18 products fully sold out, including the Classic Colorado Hoodie and Fort Collins Sunset Rope Hat; 30 products tagged as gifts.Source
  • 07

    Akinz knits beanies on vintage machines and prints every tee in the back of its Old Town shop. Process videos are some of the most watched content for handmade brands, and Akinz already has TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Social Media Lead

    First action

    Film one beanie from yarn to tag.

    How to measure it

    Sales from social

    Now
    –
    Target
    +30%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Plan shots

      Ten process moments.

      Social Media Lead 1 week

    2. 2

      Film

      Twice a week.

      Social Media Lead weekly

    3. 3

      Post

      TikTok, Reels, Shorts.

      Social Media Lead weekly

    4. 4

      Link

      Product tags.

      E-commerce and Email Manager weekly

    5. 5

      Ads

      Boost best two.

      Social Media Lead monthly

    6. 6

      Measure

      Sales by video.

      E-commerce and Email Manager monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Staff time and small ad budget
    Owner
    Social Media Lead

    Smallest test

    Post three videos this month.

    Why it works

    Film two short videos a week: a beanie coming off the machine, a print pull, finishing by hand, the tag being made. Link each to the product. Use the best ones as ads.

    Seeing the making justifies the price and makes the product shareable.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Production time lost

      Film during normal work.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteOur Story: founded in 2005 by Suzanne Akin with the wings logo and the motto "Find Your Wings"; a flagship retail shop in Old Town Fort Collins, where "We handcraft the majority of our products in the back of the shop"; beanies made "on vintage knitting machines", tags made in house; all tees and hoodies screen printed in house; the shop also sells goods from other local makers.Source
    • Chrome UX ReportReal Chrome visitors to akinz.com pass Core Web Vitals (75th percentile: LCP 1.3 s, INP 139 ms, CLS 0.08; loading steady over the year). The store runs Shopify with Klaviyo, Microsoft Clarity and Cloudflare, takes Shop Pay, Apple Pay and Venmo, and links Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and X. DMARC is published at "p=none" (monitoring only).Source
    • Your websiteAhab Knitted Beanie ($32): "handmade in Fort Collins, Colorado", 100% acrylic, "Handmade to order in Colorado. Please allow up to 5 days to ship if listed as out of stock"; "In Stock Items Ship within 1 Business Day"; colour options include "Surprise Me/Custom". The site's Organization markup lists seven empty "sameAs" social links.Source
  • 08

    Akinz has gift items, gift sets, gift cards and 30 products tagged as gifts or "gifts under 25", and wrote gift guides in 2020. The catalogue suits gifting: beanies, tees, socks, stickers, journals.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 month E commerce and Email Manager

    First action

    Pick products for four guides.

    How to measure it

    Gift-season average order value

    Now
    –
    Target
    +15%
    By
    1 quarter

    Steps

    1. 1

      Pick products

      Four guides.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    2. 2

      Write pages

      Collections and blog posts.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    3. 3

      Gift options

      Wrap and note.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    4. 4

      Email

      Klaviyo waves.

      E-commerce and Email Manager weekly

    5. 5

      In store

      Printed guide.

      Retail Store Manager 1 week

    6. 6

      Measure

      Order value.

      E-commerce and Email Manager monthly

    First result
    1 month
    Cost
    Staff time
    Owner
    E commerce and Email Manager

    Smallest test

    Publish the under $25 guide first.

    Why it works

    Publish guides by recipient (skier, biker, kid, Colorado lover) and price (under $25, under $50), add gift wrap and a gift note option, and email them to the list in waves.

    Gift shoppers want help choosing, and guides lift order value by bundling.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Shipping cut-offs

      Show them clearly.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteCatalogue (Shopify product feed, October 20, 2026): 421 products in 93 collections: 136 tees, 54 hats, 49 beanies (median $34), 30 stickers, 25 sweatshirts and hoodies, 16 towels, 15 journals, 15 onesies, plus art prints, jewellery and drinkware; prices from $4 to $100 (median $30); 18 products fully sold out, including the Classic Colorado Hoodie and Fort Collins Sunset Rope Hat; 30 products tagged as gifts.Source
    • Your websiteBlog: 279 posts in the Akinz Blog (team riders, events, gift guides, road-trip and beanie guides); the newest, "Lasers Are Cool", is dated April 24, 2026. The sitemap lists 25 blog sections, 21 of them empty (for example "promo", "promo-1", "news-2", "trends-cravings-1", "markup", "posts-without-blog").Source
    • Your websiteHomepage (checked October 20, 2026): title "Fort Collins Clothing: T-Shirts & Hats | Handmade Colorado Apparel"; trust bar "30 Day Returns & Exchanges", "Over 15,000 Happy Customers", "Packed by the Hands that Made It"; free shipping over $75; "15% OFF your First Order when you join our Email List"; a "Say Hello to Beanie Season - Handmade by us" row of beanies from $22 to $44.Source
  • 09

    Akinz uses Klaviyo and offers 15% off the first order for email sign-ups. The 15,000 customers are a list worth working with automated flows.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter E commerce and Email Manager

    First action

    Write the first welcome email.

    How to measure it

    Flow revenue share

    Now
    –
    Target
    20% of email revenue
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Welcome

      Three emails.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    2. 2

      Post-purchase

      Care and review.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    3. 3

      Back in stock

      18 products.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 2 days

    4. 4

      Browse abandon

      Beanies and hoodies.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    5. 5

      Test

      Subject lines.

      E-commerce and Email Manager monthly

    6. 6

      Measure

      Flow revenue.

      E-commerce and Email Manager monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Klaviyo existing
    Owner
    E commerce and Email Manager

    Smallest test

    Launch the welcome series.

    Why it works

    Build a welcome series (founder story, the shop, the knitting machines, best sellers), a post-purchase series (care, review ask, matching items), and back-in-stock alerts for the 18 sold-out products.

    Flows drive repeat orders without more work each week.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Too many emails

      Suppress recent buyers.

    Evidence

    • Chrome UX ReportReal Chrome visitors to akinz.com pass Core Web Vitals (75th percentile: LCP 1.3 s, INP 139 ms, CLS 0.08; loading steady over the year). The store runs Shopify with Klaviyo, Microsoft Clarity and Cloudflare, takes Shop Pay, Apple Pay and Venmo, and links Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and X. DMARC is published at "p=none" (monitoring only).Source
    • Your websiteHomepage (checked October 20, 2026): title "Fort Collins Clothing: T-Shirts & Hats | Handmade Colorado Apparel"; trust bar "30 Day Returns & Exchanges", "Over 15,000 Happy Customers", "Packed by the Hands that Made It"; free shipping over $75; "15% OFF your First Order when you join our Email List"; a "Say Hello to Beanie Season - Handmade by us" row of beanies from $22 to $44.Source
    • Your websiteCatalogue (Shopify product feed, October 20, 2026): 421 products in 93 collections: 136 tees, 54 hats, 49 beanies (median $34), 30 stickers, 25 sweatshirts and hoodies, 16 towels, 15 journals, 15 onesies, plus art prints, jewellery and drinkware; prices from $4 to $100 (median $30); 18 products fully sold out, including the Classic Colorado Hoodie and Fort Collins Sunset Rope Hat; 30 products tagged as gifts.Source
    • Your websiteOur Story: founded in 2005 by Suzanne Akin with the wings logo and the motto "Find Your Wings"; a flagship retail shop in Old Town Fort Collins, where "We handcraft the majority of our products in the back of the shop"; beanies made "on vintage knitting machines", tags made in house; all tees and hoodies screen printed in house; the shop also sells goods from other local makers.Source
  • 10

    Akinz handcrafts most products in the back of its Old Town Fort Collins shop. Visitors to Fort Collins look for local shops and things to do.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter Retail Store Manager

    First action

    Update the Google Business Profile with workshop photos.

    How to measure it

    Profile views

    Now
    –
    Target
    +30%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Profile

      Photos and products.

      Retail Store Manager 1 day

    2. 2

      Workshop window

      Weekend hours.

      Founder and Owner 2 weeks

    3. 3

      Visitor guides

      Local listings.

      Retail Store Manager 1 month

    4. 4

      Collect emails

      In store.

      Retail Store Manager ongoing

    5. 5

      Signage

      Window sign.

      Retail Store Manager 1 week

    6. 6

      Measure

      Visits and sales.

      Founder and Owner monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Signage
    Owner
    Retail Store Manager

    Smallest test

    Run one workshop window.

    Why it works

    Offer a short weekend "see us knit and print" window, update the Google Business Profile with photos of the workshop and products, and list the shop on local visitor guides.

    A visible workshop turns tourists into buyers and later into online customers.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Distraction for makers

      Short fixed windows.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteOur Story: founded in 2005 by Suzanne Akin with the wings logo and the motto "Find Your Wings"; a flagship retail shop in Old Town Fort Collins, where "We handcraft the majority of our products in the back of the shop"; beanies made "on vintage knitting machines", tags made in house; all tees and hoodies screen printed in house; the shop also sells goods from other local makers.Source
    • Your websiteTeam page: sponsored riders and artists (Claire Hewitt-Demeyer, snowboarder; Kim Kirch, surfer and artist; Ryan Hryckiewicz; Marcus Coldiron and Allie Poblete), each with an Instagram handle. Other pages include Bike to Work Day, a 2024 Black Friday page, a Stockist store locator and size charts.Source
  • 11

    The blog has 279 posts but nothing since April 2026, just as beanie season starts. Posts like "The Best Lightweight Beanies" and "The Ultimate Colorado Road Trip Guide" fit search intent.

    Medium impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter E commerce and Email Manager

    First action

    Plan six guides.

    How to measure it

    Sales from blog visits

    Now
    –
    Target
    +25%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Plan topics

      Six guides.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    2. 2

      Write

      Monthly.

      E-commerce and Email Manager monthly

    3. 3

      Photos

      Products in use.

      Social Media Lead monthly

    4. 4

      Link products

      Each post.

      E-commerce and Email Manager monthly

    5. 5

      Email

      Include in newsletter.

      E-commerce and Email Manager monthly

    6. 6

      Measure

      Sales from blog.

      E-commerce and Email Manager quarterly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Staff time
    Owner
    E commerce and Email Manager

    Smallest test

    Publish a beanie fit guide.

    Why it works

    Publish one guide a month tied to products: how to choose a beanie fit, wool vs acrylic, Colorado ski town guides, gifts for bikers. Link products in each.

    Guides capture search traffic that tees alone do not.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Time cost

      Short guides with good photos.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteBlog: 279 posts in the Akinz Blog (team riders, events, gift guides, road-trip and beanie guides); the newest, "Lasers Are Cool", is dated April 24, 2026. The sitemap lists 25 blog sections, 21 of them empty (for example "promo", "promo-1", "news-2", "trends-cravings-1", "markup", "posts-without-blog").Source
    • Your websiteCatalogue (Shopify product feed, October 20, 2026): 421 products in 93 collections: 136 tees, 54 hats, 49 beanies (median $34), 30 stickers, 25 sweatshirts and hoodies, 16 towels, 15 journals, 15 onesies, plus art prints, jewellery and drinkware; prices from $4 to $100 (median $30); 18 products fully sold out, including the Classic Colorado Hoodie and Fort Collins Sunset Rope Hat; 30 products tagged as gifts.Source
    • Your websiteAhab Knitted Beanie ($32): "handmade in Fort Collins, Colorado", 100% acrylic, "Handmade to order in Colorado. Please allow up to 5 days to ship if listed as out of stock"; "In Stock Items Ship within 1 Business Day"; colour options include "Surprise Me/Custom". The site's Organization markup lists seven empty "sameAs" social links.Source
  • 12

    Akinz takes custom beanie colours by email and offers "Surprise Me/Custom" as a colour. Shoppers like designing their own.

    Medium impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Knitting Production Lead

    First action

    Pick the yarn colours available.

    How to measure it

    Custom beanie orders

    Now
    –
    Target
    100 a month
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Pick styles

      Two bestsellers.

      Knitting Production Lead 1 week

    2. 2

      Set options

      Colours in stock.

      Knitting Production Lead 1 week

    3. 3

      Builder app

      Shopify options app.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    4. 4

      Price

      Premium.

      Founder and Owner 1 day

    5. 5

      Capacity

      Daily limit.

      Knitting Production Lead ongoing

    6. 6

      Measure

      Orders and time.

      Founder and Owner monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    App fee
    Owner
    Knitting Production Lead

    Smallest test

    Offer custom colours on the Ahab only.

    Why it works

    Add a simple builder for two or three bestsellers: pick body colour, cuff, pom, and tag, with a preview and a set price above the standard. Ship in 5-7 days.

    Personalisation commands a higher price and makes a great gift.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Production strain

      Cap daily orders.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteAhab Knitted Beanie ($32): "handmade in Fort Collins, Colorado", 100% acrylic, "Handmade to order in Colorado. Please allow up to 5 days to ship if listed as out of stock"; "In Stock Items Ship within 1 Business Day"; colour options include "Surprise Me/Custom". The site's Organization markup lists seven empty "sameAs" social links.Source
    • Your websiteFAQ: custom beanie colours and sizes by email ("We love individual custom orders as well as custom orders for groups and teams"); handmade knits may be made to order, up to 5 days; free US shipping over $75; ships worldwide, up to 14 business days; sale and custom items final sale.Source
    • Your websiteOur Story: founded in 2005 by Suzanne Akin with the wings logo and the motto "Find Your Wings"; a flagship retail shop in Old Town Fort Collins, where "We handcraft the majority of our products in the back of the shop"; beanies made "on vintage knitting machines", tags made in house; all tees and hoodies screen printed in house; the shop also sells goods from other local makers.Source
  • 13

    The FAQ invites custom orders "for groups and teams", the custom page offers knits in brand colours, and Akinz has long ties to snowboard and bike culture.

    Medium impactMedium effort First result in 2 quarters Wholesale Manager

    First action

    List 50 clubs and breweries.

    How to measure it

    Team orders

    Now
    –
    Target
    20 a season
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Design packs

      Three tiers.

      Wholesale Manager 1 week

    2. 2

      Page

      With quote form.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    3. 3

      List

      50 groups.

      Wholesale Manager 1 week

    4. 4

      Outreach

      Email and visits.

      Wholesale Manager ongoing

    5. 5

      Samples

      Show pieces.

      Screen Print Lead 2 weeks

    6. 6

      Measure

      Orders.

      Founder and Owner monthly

    First result
    2 quarters
    Cost
    Samples
    Owner
    Wholesale Manager

    Smallest test

    Pitch five breweries.

    Why it works

    Create a team-pack page with three packages (beanies only, beanies plus tees, full merch), price per head, and send it to ski clubs, school teams, bike shops and breweries in Northern Colorado.

    Group orders are larger and repeat every season.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Seasonal peaks

      Take orders early.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteCustom Products page: custom screen printing with minimums of 18 pieces for 1-2 colour designs and 48 for 3-4 colours, "1-2 weeks" turnaround; laser-engraved patches and labels for runs "12 or 2000"; custom design work; custom handmade knits in brand colours; promo merch. Requests go by email; there is no quote form or price guide.Source
    • Your websiteFAQ: custom beanie colours and sizes by email ("We love individual custom orders as well as custom orders for groups and teams"); handmade knits may be made to order, up to 5 days; free US shipping over $75; ships worldwide, up to 14 business days; sale and custom items final sale.Source
    • Your websiteTeam page: sponsored riders and artists (Claire Hewitt-Demeyer, snowboarder; Kim Kirch, surfer and artist; Ryan Hryckiewicz; Marcus Coldiron and Allie Poblete), each with an Instagram handle. Other pages include Bike to Work Day, a 2024 Black Friday page, a Stockist store locator and size charts.Source
  • 14

    The team page lists snowboarders, surfers and artists, and the old blog covered rider events. That community is underused now.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter Social Media Lead

    First action

    Message each rider.

    How to measure it

    Rider code sales

    Now
    –
    Target
    200 a quarter
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Contact riders

      All five.

      Social Media Lead 1 week

    2. 2

      Plan content

      Monthly.

      Social Media Lead 1 week

    3. 3

      Codes

      Per rider.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 day

    4. 4

      Signature item

      One a year.

      Founder and Owner 1 quarter

    5. 5

      Post

      Monthly.

      Social Media Lead monthly

    6. 6

      Measure

      Code sales.

      E-commerce and Email Manager monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Product for riders
    Owner
    Social Media Lead

    Smallest test

    Post one rider feature.

    Why it works

    Feature one rider a month in a short video wearing Akinz, with a discount code, and design one signature product with a rider each year.

    Riders bring their own audiences and authenticity.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Inactive riders

      Refresh the team.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteTeam page: sponsored riders and artists (Claire Hewitt-Demeyer, snowboarder; Kim Kirch, surfer and artist; Ryan Hryckiewicz; Marcus Coldiron and Allie Poblete), each with an Instagram handle. Other pages include Bike to Work Day, a 2024 Black Friday page, a Stockist store locator and size charts.Source
    • Your websiteBlog: 279 posts in the Akinz Blog (team riders, events, gift guides, road-trip and beanie guides); the newest, "Lasers Are Cool", is dated April 24, 2026. The sitemap lists 25 blog sections, 21 of them empty (for example "promo", "promo-1", "news-2", "trends-cravings-1", "markup", "posts-without-blog").Source
  • 15

    Akinz offers 15% off for email sign-ups, free shipping over $75 and a 1% donation, but no reward for repeat buyers.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 month E commerce and Email Manager

    First action

    Pick a loyalty app.

    How to measure it

    Repeat customers

    Now
    –
    Target
    +15%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Pick app

      Works with POS.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    2. 2

      Set rules

      Points and rewards.

      Founder and Owner 1 week

    3. 3

      Launch online

      Account page.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    4. 4

      Launch in store

      Sign-up at till.

      Retail Store Manager 1 week

    5. 5

      Email

      Announce.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 day

    6. 6

      Measure

      Repeat rate.

      E-commerce and Email Manager monthly

    First result
    1 month
    Cost
    App fee
    Owner
    E commerce and Email Manager

    Smallest test

    Launch for email subscribers first.

    Why it works

    Add a simple points programme (points per dollar, birthday reward, bonus for reviews), shared between store and online through Shopify POS.

    Rewards bring customers back for the next season's beanie.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Margin

      Modest rewards.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteHomepage (checked October 20, 2026): title "Fort Collins Clothing: T-Shirts & Hats | Handmade Colorado Apparel"; trust bar "30 Day Returns & Exchanges", "Over 15,000 Happy Customers", "Packed by the Hands that Made It"; free shipping over $75; "15% OFF your First Order when you join our Email List"; a "Say Hello to Beanie Season - Handmade by us" row of beanies from $22 to $44.Source
    • Chrome UX ReportReal Chrome visitors to akinz.com pass Core Web Vitals (75th percentile: LCP 1.3 s, INP 139 ms, CLS 0.08; loading steady over the year). The store runs Shopify with Klaviyo, Microsoft Clarity and Cloudflare, takes Shop Pay, Apple Pay and Venmo, and links Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and X. DMARC is published at "p=none" (monitoring only).Source

Big bets 3

Larger plays that can change the trajectory.

  • 16

    Akinz offers private label and custom colours to wholesale partners and custom knits in brand colours. Few makers in the US knit beanies in house.

    High impactHigh effort First result in 3 quarters Founder and Owner

    First action

    Work out machine capacity per week.

    How to measure it

    Private-label revenue

    Now
    –
    Target
    20% of sales
    By
    1 year

    Steps

    1. 1

      Capacity

      Units per week.

      Knitting Production Lead 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Pricing

      Tiers by quantity.

      Founder and Owner 2 weeks

    3. 3

      Page

      Made-in-USA beanies.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Samples

      Sample kit.

      Knitting Production Lead 1 month

    5. 5

      Outreach

      Brands and resorts.

      Wholesale Manager ongoing

    6. 6

      Measure

      Orders.

      Founder and Owner quarterly

    First result
    3 quarters
    Cost
    Samples and staff time
    Owner
    Founder and Owner

    Smallest test

    Pitch three brands.

    Why it works

    Package it as a service: made-in-USA custom beanies for breweries, outdoor brands, ski resorts and companies, with minimums, lead times and price tiers. Market it through a dedicated page and outreach.

    It fills machine time year-round and earns higher margins than retail.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Retail stock suffers

      Reserve capacity.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteWholesale page: "99.5% Sell-Through" for the core collection, "No Case Packs & Low Minimums", "$250 First Order, $150 Re-Order", private label and custom colours, "Not Available on Amazon"; retailers can also order through Faire (with a referral link that saves Akinz the commission) or Shopify Collective.Source
    • Your websiteCustom Products page: custom screen printing with minimums of 18 pieces for 1-2 colour designs and 48 for 3-4 colours, "1-2 weeks" turnaround; laser-engraved patches and labels for runs "12 or 2000"; custom design work; custom handmade knits in brand colours; promo merch. Requests go by email; there is no quote form or price guide.Source
    • Your websiteOur Story: founded in 2005 by Suzanne Akin with the wings logo and the motto "Find Your Wings"; a flagship retail shop in Old Town Fort Collins, where "We handcraft the majority of our products in the back of the shop"; beanies made "on vintage knitting machines", tags made in house; all tees and hoodies screen printed in house; the shop also sells goods from other local makers.Source
  • 17

    Akinz sells Colorado mountain lifestyle goods and its wholesale line sells through at 99.5%. Ski towns draw buyers ready to spend on Colorado gear.

    Medium impactHigh effort First result in 4 quarters Founder and Owner

    First action

    Contact two ski-town event organisers.

    How to measure it

    Pop-up revenue

    Now
    –
    Target
    $10,000 per weekend
    By
    4 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Pick town

      One to start.

      Founder and Owner 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Book space

      Event or shop.

      Founder and Owner 1 month

    3. 3

      Stock plan

      Knits and hoodies.

      Knitting Production Lead 1 month

    4. 4

      Promote

      Social and local press.

      Social Media Lead 2 weeks

    5. 5

      Run

      Weekend.

      Retail Store Manager 1 weekend

    6. 6

      Review

      Sales and list growth.

      Founder and Owner 1 week

    First result
    4 quarters
    Cost
    Booth and travel
    Owner
    Founder and Owner

    Smallest test

    Run one market weekend.

    Why it works

    Run a weekend pop-up in one ski town (Steamboat, Breckenridge or Winter Park) with live beanie finishing, then decide on a seasonal shop.

    Direct contact with visitors grows the brand and the email list.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Weather and costs

      Start with a shared market.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteWholesale page: "99.5% Sell-Through" for the core collection, "No Case Packs & Low Minimums", "$250 First Order, $150 Re-Order", private label and custom colours, "Not Available on Amazon"; retailers can also order through Faire (with a referral link that saves Akinz the commission) or Shopify Collective.Source
    • Your websiteOur Story: founded in 2005 by Suzanne Akin with the wings logo and the motto "Find Your Wings"; a flagship retail shop in Old Town Fort Collins, where "We handcraft the majority of our products in the back of the shop"; beanies made "on vintage knitting machines", tags made in house; all tees and hoodies screen printed in house; the shop also sells goods from other local makers.Source
    • Your websiteTeam page: sponsored riders and artists (Claire Hewitt-Demeyer, snowboarder; Kim Kirch, surfer and artist; Ryan Hryckiewicz; Marcus Coldiron and Allie Poblete), each with an Instagram handle. Other pages include Bike to Work Day, a 2024 Black Friday page, a Stockist store locator and size charts.Source
  • 18

    Most knits are 100% acrylic; the Heritage Wool Beanie ($44, 100% US-grown wool) is the premium option. Wool buyers pay more and seek US-made.

    Medium impactMedium effort First result in 3 quarters Founder and Owner

    First action

    Price US wool yarn for three styles.

    How to measure it

    Wool beanie sales

    Now
    –
    Target
    15% of knit sales
    By
    3 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Source yarn

      US wool.

      Knitting Production Lead 1 month

    2. 2

      Test

      Machine settings.

      Knitting Production Lead 1 month

    3. 3

      Design

      Three styles.

      Founder and Owner 1 month

    4. 4

      Photos

      Product shots.

      Social Media Lead 2 weeks

    5. 5

      Launch

      Email and social.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    6. 6

      Measure

      Sales.

      E-commerce and Email Manager monthly

    First result
    3 quarters
    Cost
    Yarn stock
    Owner
    Founder and Owner

    Smallest test

    Make one wool style in small batch.

    Why it works

    Expand to a small US-wool line with three styles, tell the sourcing story, and price at $45-55.

    A premium tier raises order value and earns press.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Machine limits

      Test yarn weights first.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteAhab Knitted Beanie ($32): "handmade in Fort Collins, Colorado", 100% acrylic, "Handmade to order in Colorado. Please allow up to 5 days to ship if listed as out of stock"; "In Stock Items Ship within 1 Business Day"; colour options include "Surprise Me/Custom". The site's Organization markup lists seven empty "sameAs" social links.Source
    • Your websiteCatalogue (Shopify product feed, October 20, 2026): 421 products in 93 collections: 136 tees, 54 hats, 49 beanies (median $34), 30 stickers, 25 sweatshirts and hoodies, 16 towels, 15 journals, 15 onesies, plus art prints, jewellery and drinkware; prices from $4 to $100 (median $30); 18 products fully sold out, including the Classic Colorado Hoodie and Fort Collins Sunset Rope Hat; 30 products tagged as gifts.Source

Wildcards 3

Unexpected experiments, each with a cheap way to test it.

  • 19

    Akinz already supports Faire and Shopify Collective for retailers. Online gift shops and outdoor stores can list Akinz products without holding stock.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter E commerce and Email Manager

    First action

    List 20 online stores that fit.

    How to measure it

    Collective orders

    Now
    –
    Target
    50 a month
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      List stores

      20.

      Wholesale Manager 1 week

    2. 2

      Prepare assets

      Photos and copy.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    3. 3

      Invite

      Email.

      Wholesale Manager 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Onboard

      Help first listings.

      Wholesale Manager ongoing

    5. 5

      Fulfil

      Shipping process.

      Retail Store Manager ongoing

    6. 6

      Measure

      Orders.

      Wholesale Manager monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    E commerce and Email Manager

    Smallest test

    Invite five stores.

    Why it works

    Invite 20 online outdoor and gift stores to carry Akinz through Shopify Collective, with photos and copy ready.

    It adds sales channels with no extra inventory risk.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Price undercutting

      Set retail price rules.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteWholesale page: "99.5% Sell-Through" for the core collection, "No Case Packs & Low Minimums", "$250 First Order, $150 Re-Order", private label and custom colours, "Not Available on Amazon"; retailers can also order through Faire (with a referral link that saves Akinz the commission) or Shopify Collective.Source
  • 20

    Akinz has a Bike to Work Day page and a history of bike tees and charity tees. Local events give a reason to launch new designs each year.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter Social Media Lead

    First action

    Pick the next event.

    How to measure it

    Limited drop sell-through

    Now
    –
    Target
    80%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Pick event

      Next one.

      Founder and Owner 1 week

    2. 2

      Design

      Limited tee.

      Screen Print Lead 2 weeks

    3. 3

      Partner

      Local cause.

      Founder and Owner 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Print

      Small batch.

      Screen Print Lead 1 week

    5. 5

      Promote

      Email and social.

      Social Media Lead 2 weeks

    6. 6

      Measure

      Sell-through.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 month

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Printing costs
    Owner
    Social Media Lead

    Smallest test

    Take pre-orders for one design.

    Why it works

    Create a yearly limited tee for Fort Collins events (Bike to Work Day, local races) with a share going to a local cause, sold in store and online.

    Limited drops create urgency and local press.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Unsold stock

      Print to pre-orders.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteTeam page: sponsored riders and artists (Claire Hewitt-Demeyer, snowboarder; Kim Kirch, surfer and artist; Ryan Hryckiewicz; Marcus Coldiron and Allie Poblete), each with an Instagram handle. Other pages include Bike to Work Day, a 2024 Black Friday page, a Stockist store locator and size charts.Source
    • Your websiteBlog: 279 posts in the Akinz Blog (team riders, events, gift guides, road-trip and beanie guides); the newest, "Lasers Are Cool", is dated April 24, 2026. The sitemap lists 25 blog sections, 21 of them empty (for example "promo", "promo-1", "news-2", "trends-cravings-1", "markup", "posts-without-blog").Source
    • Your websiteCatalogue (Shopify product feed, October 20, 2026): 421 products in 93 collections: 136 tees, 54 hats, 49 beanies (median $34), 30 stickers, 25 sweatshirts and hoodies, 16 towels, 15 journals, 15 onesies, plus art prints, jewellery and drinkware; prices from $4 to $100 (median $30); 18 products fully sold out, including the Classic Colorado Hoodie and Fort Collins Sunset Rope Hat; 30 products tagged as gifts.Source
  • 21

    akinz.com publishes DMARC at "p=none", which reports but does not block spoofed email. Klaviyo and Shopify both send for the domain.

    Low impactLow effort First result in 2 months Founder and Owner

    First action

    Read last month's DMARC reports.

    How to measure it

    DMARC at reject

    Now
    –
    Target
    Done
    By
    2 months

    Steps

    1. 1

      Read reports

      All senders.

      Founder and Owner 1 week

    2. 2

      Align

      SPF and DKIM.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 week

    3. 3

      Quarantine

      Partial.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Monitor

      Failures.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 2 weeks

    5. 5

      Reject

      Full.

      E-commerce and Email Manager 1 day

    6. 6

      Review

      Quarterly.

      Founder and Owner quarterly

    First result
    2 months
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    Founder and Owner

    Smallest test

    Set quarantine at 10%.

    Why it works

    Check the reports, make sure Google Workspace, Klaviyo and Shopify are aligned, then move to quarantine and reject.

    Protects customers from fake emails and improves inbox placement.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Blocking real mail

      Go step by step.

    Evidence

    • Chrome UX ReportReal Chrome visitors to akinz.com pass Core Web Vitals (75th percentile: LCP 1.3 s, INP 139 ms, CLS 0.08; loading steady over the year). The store runs Shopify with Klaviyo, Microsoft Clarity and Cloudflare, takes Shop Pay, Apple Pay and Venmo, and links Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and X. DMARC is published at "p=none" (monitoring only).Source

03

How Programmable can help

Where an idea in this playbook is something Programmable builds or runs, it's listed here with what we'd do. Everything else is yours to run.

Have it built

ProgrammableAgency

2 of the 21 ideas are things Programmable builds and runs for its customers: pages, outreach, prospect lists, booking flows and monitors. Pick one, or send the whole list.

Outreach1The sequence sent for you: addresses found and verified, replies routed to your CRM.

Prospect lists1The list compiled from public sources, verified, deduplicated and delivered to your CRM.

A 30-minute session with the engineer who would build it, not a sales call. You leave with a plan whether or not you hire us.

Book a working session

Usually live within days.

Tools for the rest

ProgrammableTalk

Fill the events in this plan

These ideas are events. Talk gets registrants for them and tells you who's coming and what their company does before the day.

Plan an event (opens programmable.talk in a new tab)
ProgrammableDigital

Show it, don't just describe it

These ideas need something to show: a demo, a video, an animation, graphics or a deck. Digital turns screenshots or the site into all of them, in the company's own brand.

Make a demo (opens programmable.digital in a new tab)
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See every playbook and website review

Independent research. Programmable wrote this playbook from public sources, as they stood on October 21, 2026, and cites them throughout. Akinz did not commission, review or endorse it, and Programmable is not affiliated with Akinz. Company and product names are trademarks of their owners, used only to identify them. The ideas are suggestions and opinion, not professional, legal or financial advice, and not statements about how Akinz runs its business.

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30/60/90 roadmap

What to focus on in each month, and the ideas that carry it.

  1. Days 1 to 306 ideas

    Visible reviews, beanie-led title, made-to-order labels, social markup and blog clean-up, custom quote form; DMARC.

    Programmable can ship 1 of these in days.

  2. Days 31 to 6012 ideas

    Wholesale push, process videos, gift guides, Klaviyo flows, the shop as destination, blog restart, beanie builder, team packs, riders and loyalty; Collective and event drops.

  3. Days 61 to 903 ideas

    Private-label knits, ski-town pop-ups and a US wool range.

The research behind the plan

2 research areas, each summarised in a few lines. Open any of them for the full detail.

Customers

What customers say

Customers value handmade beanies with personality. The most cited problem: unsure about fit and warmth without reviews.

  • Colorado and outdoor designs
  • Knits out of stock
  • In their words: “handmade”

Market

Competitive landscape

3 competitors compared: Coloradical, Etsy beanie makers and Colorado gift and souvenir shops.

  • Gap to exploit: US-made custom beanies for brands
  • Coloradical: Less in-house knitting
  • Etsy beanie makers: No brand or retail presence

From the team that wrote this playbook

All products
  • ProgrammableAgencyWorking AI systems in days, not quarters (opens programmable.agency in a new tab)
  • ProgrammableInfoAn agent that finds, researches and asks first (opens programmable.info in a new tab)
  • ProgrammableDigitalScreenshots in, an animated product demo out (opens programmable.digital in a new tab)
  • ProgrammableWatchKnow the day a supplier falls out of compliance (opens programmable.watch in a new tab)
  • ProgrammableTalkGet registrants for your events, and know who’s coming (opens programmable.talk in a new tab)
  • ProgrammablePageText what you need, your customer gets a page that works (opens programmable.page in a new tab)
  • ProgrammableCommunityForums with labelled AI members, never empty (opens programmable.community in a new tab)
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