Dean Wegner didn't set out to revolutionize American manufacturing. He set out to solve a problem most people don't even know exists: only 3% of apparel sold in America is actually made here. As a West Point graduate, Army Ranger, helicopter pilot, and former Fortune 500 executive at Procter & Gamble and Mars, Dean launched Authentically American in 2017 with a mission that seemed impossible - build a profitable apparel brand using only American manufacturing while staying price competitive with overseas production.
This conversation digs into the real cost of betting on principles over profit margins. Dean shares the brutal lesson of losing 60% of revenue overnight during a government contract freeze, the cashflow crisis that taught him what Fortune 500 life never could, and why the hardest part wasn't building the business - it was accepting that most people simply don't care where their clothes are made.
You'll hear how Dean navigated the transition from institutional comfort to entrepreneurial chaos, why Ranger School turned out to be better preparation than his MBA, and the strategic pivot that changed everything: narrowing focus to serve veteran-owned businesses and veteran-focused charities instead of trying to convert the mass market. Dean also reveals why national TV appearances don't automatically translate to B2B sales, the decision to build a sales team after years of earned media, and how implementing EOS helped him stay true to his strengths as a visionary while building execution capability around him.
This is about what it takes to stay aligned when growth pressures test your values, why passion alone isn't enough without the right business model, and how manufacturing 100% in America across 11 states isn't just possible - it's profitable when you stop trying to be everything to everyone.
Key insights on leading through cashflow crunches, the power of investing in relationships before you need them, why your ranger buddy matters just as much in business as it does in combat, and what most people get wrong about building a brand from scratch.
Dean Wegner
Founder & CEO, Authentically American
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanwegner93/
Website: https://www.authenticallyamerican.us/
What is The Refit Podcast?
Welcome to The Refit Podcast, hosted by Kyle Killian.
This is where we talk about leadership the way leaders actually experience it—messy, uncertain, and nothing like the books make it sound.
I'm Kyle Killian, founder of Kohora. I spent nearly three decades leading in military, corporate, and entrepreneurial environments—from intelligence missions in Iraq to senior roles at Nike, Converse, and Fanatics.
And here's what I've learned: every single thing in business is a leadership problem.On this podcast, I sit down with CEOs, founders, operators, and fellow veterans who've transitioned to business leadership. We're not here to recite frameworks or share motivational quotes.
We're here to talk about the hard thing about hard things—the decisions that didn't have a right answer, the conversations you couldn't avoid, and the moments that changed how you lead.If you've ever been in a situation where the playbook stopped working and you had to figure it out anyway, this podcast is for you.