Case Study: GORUCK grows from a garage idea into a $15M brand with LegalZoom

Changing Lives One Ruck at a Time

GORUCK, founded by former Green Beret Jason McCarthy, set out to turn military-inspired “rucking” gear into a civilian brand, but McCarthy faced major startup hurdles: he lacked experience in manufacturing, marketing, and distribution, and he needed a low-cost way to protect his idea. To get his business off the ground without spending thousands on a traditional law firm, he turned to LegalZoom for help with trademarks, patents, and forming his nonprofit.

Using LegalZoom’s affordable legal services, GORUCK was able to quickly handle the paperwork needed to protect its business and later register its nonprofit, Java Forever. With that foundation in place, McCarthy pivoted to the GORUCK Challenge, which helped drive demand for the bags and fueled growth to $15 million in annual revenue, with 80% from gear sales and 20% from events.

GORUCK

Jason McCarthy

GO RUCK