Mark recorded this video from his car in the rain in Dallas after attending Podcamp Dallas, where he met Gary Leland from FastPitch.tv. Gary's story completely flipped the usual narrative about online and offline business.
Gary Leland's Backwards Business Story
Usually when you meet someone in online marketing who has a physical store, the story goes like this: they had a brick-and-mortar shop and went online to expand revenue. Gary Leland's story was the opposite.
Gary built an online store selling softball equipment first. The store became so successful that people started tracking down his physical address — where the domain was registered and where he warehoused products — and showing up at the door wanting to buy things. His online business got so big that he had to open a physical store to handle the demand.
That is what success looks like. When customers are literally beating a path to your door, you know you are doing something right.
The Business Lessons
Online businesses can drive offline demand. Gary's experience demonstrated that a well-built online presence does not just generate clicks and orders — it can create such strong demand that it spills into the physical world. This is the ultimate validation of an e-commerce business.
Attend meetups and events in your niche. Mark strongly encourages listeners to attend local meetups, whether for podcasting, internet marketing, or whatever their focus area is. You can find relevant groups on Meetup.com. The connections and stories you encounter — like Gary's — provide both inspiration and practical business insights you will not find online.
What Has Changed Since This Post
Mark published this in October 2013.
The online-to-offline commerce pattern has become common. In 2026, direct-to-consumer brands launching physical retail locations is a well-established trend. Companies like Warby Parker, Allbirds, and Glossier all started online and expanded to physical stores when demand justified it. Gary Leland was early to a pattern that became mainstream.
Gary Leland's FastPitch.tv continued to grow as a resource for softball and fastpitch communities, demonstrating the longevity possible when you build around genuine passion and expertise in a niche.
Podcamp Dallas and similar unconferences represented a wave of grassroots tech and media events that have evolved into larger creator conferences, virtual summits, and community-led events in 2026.
Listen and Subscribe
Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or subscribe at latenightim.com/internet-marketing-podcast/.
Mark!
I want you to know I have been listening to your podcasts and have thoroughly enjoyed them. I especially gotten a lot out of the “backlinking ethics” and I want to pass along a secret to gaining knowledge quickly that I have learned while listening to you.
I listen to the podcasts while staying true to your show; in the late night! Before I go to sleep, there is no better way to wind down than to plug in my earphones into my iPhone and let her rip! This way, I don’t bother my wife with the noise and even though I am sometimes so tired that I nod off into la la land and miss parts of the podcast, I always come back the next night and catch up on what I have missed. The more I listen, the more knowledegable I become! Thanks!
LOL — so, you are saying that my podcast puts you to sleep? 🙂
Just kidding — glad that you like the show. Thanks for listening!