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“Built NewAir from garage to $80M, sold in 2021 after $600M+ lifetime rev. Now help founder-CEOs grow, scale, and exit using APPM.”
Luke Peters
Exited Founder | Board Advisor | Host of The 8-Figure Product CEO
OVERVIEWLuke Peters is a founder who spent 20 years scaling NewAir from a garage startup into an $80M brand and one of America’s fastest-growing private eCommerce companies. He bootstrapped the company—retaining 100% ownership—and built it into an omnichannel powerhouse, selling through Home Depot, Amazon, Wayfair, Lowe’s, and more.
After generating over $600M in lifetime revenue, Luke exited in a mid-eight-figure private equity deal in 2021. Along the way, he built patented products, secured licensing deals with global brands, and made the Inc. 500 list multiple times. Today, he helps other founders grow smarter, scale faster, and exit stronger—without burning out or giving up control too early.
• Founder of NewAir – $600M+ lifetime revenue
• 100% founder-owned PE exit in 2021 (mid-8-figure)
• Built retail footprint in Home Depot, Amazon, Wayfair, Lowe’s
• Inc. 500 multiple-time winner
• Finalist – Association for Corporate Growth Reinventing Award
• Patented dual-zone cigar humidor and compact appliance innovator
• Licensing deals with Frigidaire, Pepsi, and Magic Chef
• Known for hands-on factory oversight and post-sale customer experience
• Host of The 8-Figure Product CEO podcast
Luke now advises founder-CEOs through Apex CEO, helping them align leadership, drive profitability, and prepare for successful exits. His work centers around the APPM Framework—Alignment, Product, People, and Margins—the four key drivers of enterprise value.
At Apex CEO, he teaches founders how to build products that command margin, create leadership teams that scale, and align the company for operational efficiency and exit readiness.
He also hosts The 8-Figure Product CEO, a podcast that breaks down how top operators build, grow, and scale consumer product brands in today’s market.
1. Founder Growth & Exit Readiness
• What most founders miss before they sell
• The 4 core drivers of enterprise value (APPM)
• How to reduce chaos, raise margins, and build a sellable business
2. Big-Box Retail & DTC Strategy
• How to get into Home Depot, Wayfair, Amazon, and Walmart
• Ranking strategies, merchandising, and retail SEO
• Amazon vs. DTC vs. retail: which channel wins, and why
3. Product Innovation & Brand Building
• How to turn commodities into branded leaders
• Using licensing and influencers for launch and scale
• Competing on value, not just price
He also shares tactical insight on team structure, cash flow management, margin protection in tariff-heavy categories, and the real mechanics of how private equity evaluates acquisition targets.
• How I Bootstrapped to $80M and Exited to PE
• Why Most Founders Sell Too Late (or Too Early)
• The DTC Lie: Why Retail is Still King
• How to Use Influencers to Launch 7-Figure Products
• What Private Equity Really Looks For in Your Business
• Building Exit-Ready Systems While Scaling
• Margin Growth in High-Competition Categories
• Founders & Entrepreneurs (DTC, eComm, CPG)
• PE-backed Executives & Board Members
• Business/Growth Podcast Hosts
• Investors, Retail Operators, and Product CEOs
Website: www.apexceo.co
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/luke--peters
Podcast: The 8-Figure Product CEO
