Alumni Profile: Dr. Nick Morton ’08

From Endodontics to Entrepreneurial Endeavors

by Ashley Musick

A successful endodontist turned entrepreneur, Dr. Nicklaus (Nick) Morton ’08 never anticipated that his career would lead him to co-found Tipsy Elves—a company that has become popular for its innovative festive wear, including ugly holiday sweaters, Halloween costumes and ski gear. Propelled by a successful “Shark Tank” appearance on ABC-TV, what began as a creative side project quickly developed into a career fueled by creativity, perseverance and strategic thinking.

Born and raised in Sparks, Nevada, Morton’s initial inclination towards dentistry stemmed from its blend of science and business. He appreciated the clear-cut nature of endodontics and the opportunity to make a tangible difference in patients’ lives. Though he aspired to business ownership, he primarily envisioned someday owning his own dental practice—or perhaps a few.

Morton pursued his undergraduate studies at University of California, San Diego before moving north to attend the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, enticed by the school’s prestigious clinical reputation as well as the positive experiences of his aunt, Dr. Leslie Jue ’87, and his uncle, Dr. Brian Payne ’86, a faculty member in orthodontics. Morton served as president of the Associated Student Body and graduated with high honors.

After completing his endodontic residency at University of Florida in Gainesville, Morton was ready to say goodbye to the humidity and hurricanes and returned to San Francisco to practice endodontics before pursuing a more creative outlet.

This craving for creativity led to the development of Tipsy Elves, a shared idea that emerged when Morton and his good college friend Evan Mendelsohn—both nostalgic for the themed events of their college days—co-founded a business designed to bring festive fun to a broader audience.

“Once you leave college, you look back and think, ‘That was kind of special, you know?’ Every weekend you’d go out and do something fun, and now it’s only around a holiday or a big event. We wanted to help create experiences for adults that were more memorable, but we didn’t know how to turn that into a business yet.”

In 2011, Morton and Mendelsohn launched Tipsy Elves as a side project, leveraging Mendelsohn’s search engine optimization skills to capture the market share for ugly Christmas sweaters. Their preliminary batch of 5,000 sweaters sold out within a few weeks— far exceeding their initial expectations. “We thought it would take two or three years to sell them all, so we were like, ‘What just happened?’ But then it was off to the races.”

The company’s pivotal moment arrived in 2013, when Morton and Mendelsohn appeared on ABC-TV’s “Shark Tank.” Their pitch impressed Robert Herjavec, leading to an investment and long-term partnership and friendship that continue to aid the success of the business today.

“Once the episode aired, we sold as much in three days as we had the entire year before,” said Morton. “Since then, it’s the gift that keeps on giving—reruns on CNBC and mentions by Robert on the radio and ‘Good Morning America.’ Nine years later, 7-8% of our customers still learn about us from ‘Shark Tank.’ ”

By 2015, Morton transitioned from part-time dentistry to focus full-time on Tipsy Elves, coinciding with the company’s decision to significantly increase its product range. Tipsy Elves continually pushes the boundaries of creativity, innovating to expand the festive apparel market—including an upcoming collaboration with Morton’s former dental school classmate and fellow entrepreneur, Dr. Chrystle Cu ’08, founder of Cocofloss. “Chrystle and I thought it would be fun to combine our dental backgrounds to create something together.”

“We’re excited about this future collaboration, and are sure the Dugoni School community will love it,” says Cu. “During dental school, Nick was a natural leader and everybody’s friend. He somehow managed to be both easygoing and on top of things, and he always led our class with a fun sense of humor.”

“My interactions with so many people throughout my dental career helped me be better in business,” says Morton. “As a dentist, you learn how to talk to anybody and everybody. You learn how to read people and how to listen, so I think that really helped. And I still taught at the Dugoni School during night clinic until last June because I love the school and I love the people there.”

Morton’s future plans for Tipsy Elves involve continuing to leverage the company’s success to explore new markets and product lines, with the goal of remaining a leader in the festive apparel industry for the next 15 to 20 years and securing Tipsy Elves’ legacy as a recognizable household name.

When asked what advice he would give to current dental students, Morton’s response was twofold: “Take advantage of your time with experienced faculty, especially for clinical learning. In terms of business, a lot of people feel as if they need to do extensive research or have the perfect team before starting. My advice is, ‘just do it.’”

Outside of business, Morton enjoys spending time with his wife, Dr. Nancy Ly ’11, and their two young children, and he has developed a passion for golf. He helps organize an annual golf tournament in Reno that maintains strong ties to the Dugoni School community. Originally founded by Drs. Marc Geissberger ’91 and Foroud Hakim ’91, the tournament has become a vibrant event for alumni, current and former faculty members and students, strengthening bonds within the school community while still leaving room for fun—as Tipsy Elves’ playful golf apparel often makes an appearance on the course.

Morton’s journey, though unorthodox, underscores the power of creative thinking in business, serving as an example for dental students and aspiring entrepreneurs alike. He has demonstrated how diverse skills and a willingness to explore new opportunities can lead to extraordinary success, happiness and personal growth.

Ashley Musick is a freelance writer from Orange, California