Ritchie Russell and Jonathan Russell, Sterling Marketing

Speaker A: Foreign M. You're listening to the Brand Builders podcast with your host, Scott Dunston and Brian Young.

Speaker B: Welcome to another episode of the award winning Brand Builders podcast, powered by the Dunston Group. My name is Brian Young. We are here with the president of the Dunston Group. And we are here with Richie Russell and Jonathan Russell from Sterling Marketing. Now you maybe have never heard of this company. Richie started this 26 years ago. Um, I was actually introduced and met Jonathan as a, a, uh, member of the executive board for Meburg County Scouts. Um, he has done an amazing job in the nonprofit world and served Scouts for a very, very long time. But a lot of other organizations United Way Freedom School Partners, and me and him were, were on a team and he would always contact me and be like, let's raise some money for the Scouts. And being an Eagle Scout, it takes a lot of people behind the scenes to raise the funds necessary to keep an organization rowing or rolling. And now I have a 6 and 8 year old, both of them are in Cub Scouts. And it's so cool to see kind of the whole process from the front end end. Um, but then Jonathan decided, you know what, I've done all I can for Scouts, so I'm going to move on. And that's where Richie comes into play. So like I mentioned, Richie started sterling marketing 26 years ago. Fantastic, phenomenal business. And it's something that runs parallel to what we do at the Dunston Group, which is creating really amazing apparel and branded merch. But they're on the front end and they work with some of the biggest brands in the world. Um, they bring these amazing, um, products to consumers with finished, finished garments. And when I say they can do anything, they literally can do anything. When I have a company that contacts me and they say, I want a PMS match Pima cotton quarter zip, I'm like, man, this person's crazy. Well, guess who can make that happen? Richie and Jonathan. And we had the opportunity to meet a couple of, uh, of weeks ago and just fascinated with the business model, fascinated with the organizations that you work with, and really also fascinated with how you understand not only garments, but the global fulfillment around that, the manufacturing around that, the partners that you have all over the world, and then some of the projects you've been able to create. So we wanted to bring you on to share the story, to learn more about it. Um, hopefully we can continue to align our businesses, but ultimately this can be a resource to bring your dream to reality when it comes to anything, wearables and really anything you can imagine. So Richie and Jonathan, thank you so much and welcome to this episode of the award winning Brand Builders podcast.

Speaker C: Hey, thanks for being here.

Speaker D: Welcome guys. Uh, tell us about your journey. How did you enter the apparel business and uh, what led you to creating this company in the first place?

Speaker E: I started in the uh, corporate world, uh, managing divisions for the Wrangler brand. Um, and I did that for eight years and then I left and managed the Hager brand for five years. Left and started up and ran a division for Lee ah company for five years. Ran a company called um, uh, Roughune for uh, four years. And uh, then um, went to work for uh, Kaiser Roth, um, running their uh, sock division and uh, then started my own business.

Speaker B: Said I could do all of that under one umbrella.

Speaker D: That is fascinating. Those are some really big worldly brands that still are rocking today. As far as I know.

Speaker E: They're great businesses.

Speaker D: Um, wow. So, yeah, tell us about like the apparel sourcing, product development, like, you know, how the world's changed in all these years with import and exports.

Speaker E: Well, I started off, um, going through a year of training, learning how to sew jeans and learning how to sew woven shirts and learning how to wash jeans and um, spent a year learning the technical aspects of uh, weaving denim, um, weaving uh, yarn dyes. And I took um, all of those technical knowledge and um, an understanding of consumers and started to develop uh, new products for each one of those brands that I was managing. And so, you know, at Hager, uh, we were the first ones to launch Wrinkle Free. And uh, I led that team that uh, developed the Wrinkle Free technology. Um, and um, that's pretty much what we do now is we work with manufacturers from all over the world. Um, by the time I got to the Hager brand, um, a lot of uh, production was moving offshore. Domestic manufacturing facilities were closing. My first foray was um, into Mexico and uh, we developed manufacturing uh, in Mexico and we closed a couple of uh, Hager manufacturing facilities domestically. By the time I got to Lee Co. Um, they were closing all of their domestic manufacturing facilities. When I got to roughune, about 80% of their production was domestic. And I was responsible for moving 80% of their production offshore. And so I've uh, developed offshore um, clients, um now. So we do business in uh, China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Nigeria, Pakistan. What did I miss?

Speaker C: India.

Speaker E: India. And um, so, um, that whole process from the time I got into the industry until now has changed dramatically. When I got into the industry, only about 5% of the production, uh, capacity was Offshore. And now, you know, 95% of production capacity is offshore.

Speaker B: That's wild.

Speaker D: That is wild.

Speaker B: So I want to, uh, this is an interesting conversation. We, we work with pretty much any type of retail brand you can imagine, right? And there's a lot of retail brands that have entered our market that have been very successful when it comes to the branded merch and the customization that you're working with corporate clients. But a lot of people have no idea about the supply chain, right? They have no idea about how do these companies that do really well marketing through digital, through social media, through their platforms create, uh, this brand awareness and really these cult followings, they're like, well, yeah, dude, Under Armour. They just got their own factories, they make their own stuff. You know, Nike, they do their own stuff. Everybody does their own stuff. And it's just really not like that. I'll give you an example, like Holderness and Born. We'll have a client that'll come in and be like, I want Holders and Born. Like, all right, this is awesome. And they want to do a Polo. And then three months down the road, they're like, we want to do the exact same Polo. I'm like, that doesn't exist anymore. Like, what do you mean? I'm like, these are marketing companies that are constantly working with different partners, with different mills, with different factories, with different fabrics to create the next design. They're already two years ahead of what they're going to be dropping their Golf Polo. So the one you love in the fall is going to be completely different in the spring. Tell us how that supply chain from your perspective, how do you guys work with these companies? Um, I'll use a great example, like social media, right? Everybody has their own hat brand now. Everybody has their own T shirt brand. Well, everybody just assumes that they decided to buy some factory in China and make those. They didn't. They might have made 150 of them, but they did really good on social media. Then their next order was 500. The next order was 2,500. Now they have five SKUs and use melon as an example, right? Yeah, they're huge. So explain how you guys go to market, because you're working with a lot of different types of clients, but then you're leveraging the relationships and the partnerships that you have in all of these different countries to bring their dream to reality and then take basically that idea and then you turn it into a finished product. But explain that to the consumer that probably has no idea how this happens.

Speaker E: Well, the first thing you have to understand is that today we're in uh, October of 26 and we're developing products for uh, fall of 28.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker E: Um, so

Speaker D: long Runway.

Speaker E: It is a very, very long Runway. Um, and um, you'll spend um, three to six months of product development, um, and then you're going to spend another uh, six months of uh, nailing down all of the production, uh, details and capacities, um, and uh, figuring out uh, in what country you're going to manufacture. You've got to be able to source the materials, whether that's from yarn or, um, to a, ah, woven fabric or a knit fabric, um, and then, uh, sewing, um, which is going to take another 30 days and then transit. Depending upon which country you're in, it could take anywhere from 30 days to um, 45, 55 days to get, uh, it to the United States. And in that process you also have to understand what the transit times are for the materials you're developing. So if you're doing business with Sam's Club and you're developing uh, PDQs, which is the uh, cartons that um, are presented at retail, it's going to take, uh, 30 days to uh, print and create that PDQ. And then it's going to take another 15 days to go from China to Pakistan, um, so that they can pack the product into the PDQ and then put it on a. Uh. So it's a process of understanding every step along the way and uh, managing it so that um, it all comes together. It's kind of like, um, putting a dinner together and getting it all on the table hot and ready to eat at the same time. You've got all of these dispersed, um, foods, but you want to get it on the table at the same time. Same idea. When you're developing,

Speaker C: there's not a detail that's left out, right? I mean, you know, like Talking about those PDQs he was talking about. I mean, you know, you're talking 10 to 15 emails between, you know, factory and customer about how are these products gonna even sit in there. And the, you know, the little Swiftacs that uh, hold uh, a pack of socks together, where are those gonna go? And all of that has to be approved and ready.

Speaker B: So let's dive into you. What in the world made you want to do this over here? Jonathan, I will tell you, uh, knowing you for so many years, you're one speed and that's 100 miles an hour, right? Like you're all in. And I mean that as a compliment, right? You truly can See the passion in whatever you're doing, um, and you're a leader and you encourage other people to really grasp that concept. So you've gone from the nonprofit or nonprofit space and then you've gone into this. I can only imagine the amount of research and learning that you've done along the way. But what is that journey been like? What, what made Sterling the next step for you and how has that journey been for you from completely going into something completely different than what you had done in the past?

Speaker C: Right, yeah. Because that's been about 15 years in the nonprofit space. Uh, mostly fundraising. Um, enjoyed what I did, enjoyed the people I worked with. Um, and just for everybody out there, just so you know. So Richie is the owner of the company. His last name is Richie Russell. My name is Jonathan Russell. And we get that question a lot. Yes. This is. So he's my uncle. So there's a family, uh, connection here, um, as well. Um, but you know, it was just a, um, um, I was looking at a time in my life where I felt like it was time to make a change. Um, you know, wasn't quite sure, um, what that change needed to be. Um, and then, you know, Richie and I, um, connected at a family function. And um, he said, hey, I want to take you out to lunch. Which of course, you know how that goes. Brian, I know what this means. It's never free. Right? Um, and uh, he said, hey, I want you to think about coming on board, uh, coming on board my business, um, and possibly taking it over in a couple years. So certainly, um, didn't just say yes right away. After building 15 years career and reputation in the nonprofit space, spent several months talking with the family. Um, a lot of prayer, um, a lot of questions. Uh, even Richie is like, hey, before you say yes. Talking about all the technicals he had to go learn how to cut and sew and, and all that. He says, before you say yes, you're going to go to, uh, Hosiery 101, which is in Hickory, North Carolina. Hickory, North Carolina. And, uh, it was a two or three day class where you're going to learn about making socks. Uh, because you've got to determine whether or not you can do this for the rest of your life. And so did that for a few days. Um, and you know, it was just a good, good timing for the family. Felt like the right move and decided to just jump in, you know, head first. Um, it's been, you're absolutely right. A huge, huge learning challenge that I take day by day. Um, a lot. Mostly just kind of learning along the way.

Speaker E: But he has done a phenomenal job of absorbing all of the technical aspects of this business. He took the Sox 101 and 102 course, and he came back and, you know, I quizzed him. I wanted to make sure that, uh, he understood what he was being taught. And, um, you know, he regurgitated it to me with a clear understanding of the technical aspects. And he's done a phenomenal job of learning the technical aspects, not just of socks, but of hats and garments and fabrics. Uh,

Speaker C: well, and how the industry is organized, too, right? So you got the technical side of the. The actual products. But then, you know, who are you really reaching out to? Right? Everybody thinks like, okay, well, you know, Under Armour, they've got a hat out there somewhere. Uh, so, you know, am I reaching out to, uh, Under Armour, or is there. Are they licensing, you know, the right to make hats to another company? And you got to figure out a

Speaker B: lot of layers

Speaker C: who that actually is, because that's who your real customer is. And so once you get that figured out, then you got to figure out, all right, well, who's the person? Right? Um, and that really, you know, do I go to a design person? Do I go to a sourcing executive? You know, and I'll bang on as many doors as possible until, uh, until somebody answers.

Speaker E: And, you know, Jonathan stumbled a little bit, understanding the, uh, different layers. So he, um, would come to me and he'd go, hey, I found this great opportunity. This is, uh. They're a competitor. They're not the guy we're going. They're not the guy we're going to sell.

Speaker B: You told him? Yeah. Call them. Call them. Give it a sh.

Speaker D: Just don't say anything. Just listen.

Speaker E: But, you know, after the last, uh, what, 15 months now? After the last 15 months, Jonathan doesn't come to me and say, hey, I found this. He knows who's the competitor, who's the customer. He knows, um, who to. Who to chase after.

Speaker D: Is it right for me to say that? Okay, all the big brands, right? Let's just. You mentioned Under Armour, Nike, whatever it may be. These worldly brands, they're not manufacturing anything, right? They're the brand, they're the marketing. They're building styles. They're probably working with companies like you all to help them develop what trends are moving forward, and you implement that for them. Is that kind

Speaker E: of. There's very few brands that actually own manufacturing facilities. Um, they contract with manufacturing facilities that are our clients overseas. So we have a client in uh, China, um, who manufacture socks. Um, and uh, we manufacture probably, I don't know, 25% of all Adidas socks, another quarter of all Under Armour socks. Um, and so they don't own that factory. Um, that factory is owned and we're the client, uh, or they're our client and we manage their North American business. Got

Speaker D: it.

Speaker E: Um, and a lot of what happens is, um, because we have such a diverse product mix m We uh, learn um, different technical aspects of woven shirts and socks that uh, are easily transferable knowledge to a new product. And so, um, for example, hi vis um, is um, important to the industrial uniform business. Um, and we said well we make flannel shirts, 100% cotton flannel shirts, but you can't make hi viz in 100% cotton. So we developed a 100% polyester high vis flannel shirt which, um, we took the technology from one aspect of and put it into um, another different category. We uh, developed socks that use germanium and um, it's uh, infrared technology. It helps you recover after um, long uh, exercises. And we took that and we said, okay, well we're going to develop that now and we're going to put it into base layer. Um, so that uh, it's a completely different product category. So a lot of it is understanding and learning the different technical aspects of products and being creative and saying, oh, I can use that and I can put it in a hat or I can put it in a pair of socks.

Speaker B: Yeah. It's funny because when you think about like a brand in general, I'll use like vacuum cleaners as an example. Right? So we were looking for a new vacuum cleaner. My wife's looking at Lowe's and she's also looking at Walmart. She's like, this is the same vacuum cleaner, the Walmart one's $150 less. And I was like, why don't you click the specs aspect of that? Right? The cords 10ft shorter, the power is 115% less. And she's like, well, why is that? I said well it's simple. This brand, most likely they might not even have been manufactured in the same facility. They had to hit a Walmart price point. But really the product that they truly want to sell is the one at Lowe's, because that's probably the way that they designed it. But in order to really get the volume up, they're going to create the same vacuum that's different for different markets.

Speaker C: Right?

Speaker B: And it blows people's minds. It's like, think about Nike. A Nike Polo is not the same from what you're buying at a Dick's Sporting Goods or in a Greengrass compared to what some of the promo items that Nike likes. It's got the Nike check and I'll tell people. Why don't you feel what that Nike feels like?

Speaker C: And we were not

Speaker B: hating on Nike. I'm just using as an example

Speaker C: that, you know, and that happened to us. You know, I mean, we were developing a sock for a brand and um, you know, we made this great sock. You know, I mean, it was well done. It felt great. Um, and it wasn't the product they were looking. It was too nice.

Speaker B: Yeah,

Speaker C: it was too nice is what it was.

Speaker E: Well, they didn't want it to compete with their level of business that

Speaker C: you do find at Dick's.

Speaker E: They had an upper level business and then the product that we were developing, they wanted it a lower level business. And, and you know, when I first got into the business, um, there were outlet stores, their outlet stores today. But the outlet store business, when I first got into the business was all overruns. Um, somebody manufactured too much of something and uh, they put it into an outlet store. Today, um, outlet stores, those products are designed and produced specifically to be marketed and sold in that outlet store. And maybe 10% of the inventory in that outlet store is overruns. The other 90% was specifically designed, developed, developed and executed for that specific catalyst.

Speaker C: Interest in our business. We get the interesting and fun opportunity. Our clients are overseas. We're helping them understand the US Market, creating new opportunities. Like you talked about, the hi vis flannel. Uh, and that's something we can do. But then we're also going to our customers and saying, hey, you're in, uh, the apparel, garments, um, sector, but you know, you really should be in socks. And here's how that can offer a nice compliment for your customers. So, you know, we're in a way serving them as well.

Speaker D: Let's talk about tariffs, um, a little bit.

Speaker C: Oh

Speaker E: man, do we have to?

Speaker D: Um, it has been kind of a nightmare for our entire industry, especially on the supply chain side. And, and um, you know, we're at the end of the chain. We're the creatives taking decorating logos onto product that's already existing. But we're also working with the end user, which is usually a corporation or business. Um, so all of that gets passed along to us. But you guys seem to be a little more on the front end of that, um, and maybe a part of Having to negotiate those prices and lock in those prices to get them to America.

Speaker E: So on tariffs, um, you have to understand that there's duties and tariffs. So before the whole tariff situation in the United States, there were duties on every product that came into the United States. Um, those duties didn't go away. Um, the tariffs were layered on top of the duties. So for Sox, um, there's a 13% duty that brings it into the United States. And then depending upon what country, um, you know, um, in China, the, the tariff went up to 50%. So, uh, you were looking at 63%, um, to bring a product in from China. Um, we had a situation where the tariff, um, started out at 20%. It jumped up to 50%. We had two containers that were getting ready to go on the water to bring to the United States. I got a call at 4 o' clock in the morning, we got these two containers. The tariff just jumped up. Do we really want to ship these containers? I had to get the, uh, customer on the phone at 4 o' clock in the morning and say, hey, they're loading these, uh, containers on this, uh, ship. The tariff, um, just went up. The cost of shipping it and clearing it in the United States is going to be worth more than the product that's in the container. Um, so do we really want to ship this? Can we hold this and see what happens with tariffs? Um, so, um, a lot of, um, what happened with tariffs? You know, um, it was said, well, the manufacturer overseas is going to pay the tariff. And in many cases they did. But we were in a situation where we had to negotiate. And so in some cases we were able to, um, talk to our customer and say, okay, we'll split the tariff with you. It's a 20% tariff. And so you carry 10%, we'll carry 10%. Um, and then the retailer, um, comes in because we don't sell directly to the retailer. And, um, our customer goes to the retailer and says, hey, there's a tariff here. And the retailer says, that's your problem. We're not going to pay a penny of the tariff.

Speaker D: We had some of those conversations.

Speaker B: Yes.

Speaker E: And then, um, you know, the whole tariff thing changed and, um, it was ruled illegal. And so now the US Government is returning those tariffs. But guess what, you know, um, we're the middle guy. Um, and, uh, the guy over in, uh, China, they're not getting that refund. The customer here in the United States who actually cleared the, um, that's

Speaker D: who gets it, right?

Speaker E: Yeah, they get it. They get it. Even

Speaker C: though we worked with them to, you know, kind of eat half the tariff, uh, you know, ah,

Speaker B: hey, where's our Shrek?

Speaker D: We've had very similar conversations on our end, too, and hopefully it's leveled out now, uh, for everyone, but.

Speaker E: From your lips to God's ears.

Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, it was the tariffs, but it was the unpredictability. Yeah.

Speaker D: No one likes uncertainty.

Speaker C: Right? That was the toughest part. We didn't know what to expect

Speaker D: then. You're making decisions based on what you don't know, what the outcome will be or what you can't. And we're

Speaker C: doing that.

Speaker E: When we first started this conversation, I said, you know, we're working on fall 28. Yeah,

Speaker D: exactly.

Speaker E: So you develop a product, and it's going to be a certain price. You're going to deliver it, it's going to ship. Um, and then all of a sudden, the tariffs hit, and that product's not worth what it was. Uh, and so when you're working two years in advance and the tariff changes within 30 days, it's. It's just untenable.

Speaker B: So I want to talk about that. So, um, you know, in our world, we're obviously following trends where we're trying to incorporate the coolest types of apparel and how we're decorating it. And that can be something that's fully cut and sewn from a private label to something that's simple, where we're just adding a cool logo or a design to a shirt. But it changes, and it's changing quick. Right. You look at trends maybe 10 years ago and maybe even 20 years ago, without social media, trends kind of stuck around for a little bit longer. And I'm not saying trends don't go up and down, but it's crazy. My wife, I'm like, you got to get new clothes, like, every month now, because it's like, well, you know, skinny, um, jeans aren't in anymore. Now we need baggy jeans. And then, like, three weeks later, it'll be like, well, skinny jeans are back, but I sold all my skinny jeans, so now I need skinny. I'm like, what is going on, Tik Tok? And we're. Yeah, yeah. How do you plan ahead for something in 2028? How do you work with your customers to kind of forecast what's going to be hot in now a year and a half?

Speaker E: Well, the manufacturing process has changed dramatically. So when I first got into the business, um, the lead time to bring a product to market was long. Okay. Now the manufacturing process is set up so that you can change in a flash. And so you set up a sew line. And that sew line, um, can be altered and changed, um, a week. You, um, set up a, uh, dye cycle. And instead of, um, dyeing fabric now you're dying a garment. And so you can actually manufacture a garment up until the last minute. And pink is no longer the great color. Turquoise is. Instead of dyeing that garment pink, boom, dye it in turquoise and you can make that alteration in 30 days. Um, and so, um, the whole manufacturing process has changed. So the quick turn, um, and fast delivery, um, is the focus of manufacturing.

Speaker C: And sometimes they rely on us to kind of tell us, tell them what's trending. Right. I mean, we put together a trend report for denim, um, earlier this year. And um, the new line arrived and we were looking through it and said, man, half this is rigid product. Where it used to be stretch was everything, you know, stretched in them. Um, and now we're saying, well, now rigid is, is starting to, starting to come back. So, yeah,

Speaker B: wild to me. Kids these days, I mean, you think of like comfort colors and these boxy 100, you know, 8 ounce T shirts. I'm like, I would never in a million years wear that.

Speaker D: The whole Echo brand,

Speaker B: it's, it's, but it's shocking. You go, you, you have people now, if you walk down the light rail, they'll be wearing a, a box tee from 1998 that says Nirvana on it. They don't even know who Nirvana is. They spent $82 on this vintage retro tee. And you're just over here like, I need to go

Speaker C: in my

Speaker B: closet.

Speaker C: I

Speaker B: need to go in my closet and start my own thrift store. I

Speaker C: bought that at the War Cruise.

Speaker E: I was in Hong Kong several years ago when Destructed jeans were really hot. Um, and, um, I walked past a window and I saw a mannequin with a pair of destructive jeans on it. And I saw more mannequins. And then I did Destructed Jeans. And I knew at that point that Destructed um, jeans were going to go away

Speaker C: because there was nothing left to destroy. Yeah,

Speaker E: exactly. There was no clothes left, just a couple threads. So we started going to our customers and saying, hey, this trend is hot, but it's going to start sliding. Take your money, start investing it in the, uh, actual fabric and improving the technology of the fabric instead of spending your money in the destruction of the jean after the garment is sewn. And now we're looking, you know, today you walk down the street, you don't see people with, um, jeans hanging off that, um, are all torn and shredded.

Speaker C: And Richie does a really good job of pointing um out to customers, you know, where some potential trends are going to go. That's a skill I'm looking to hone. Um, but. But, you know, this guy is the beating the drum on, you know, graduated compression socks. Right? Um, not only. Yeah, wearing them right now, he's wearing them right now. And when we're at our customers, that leg goes on the table and says, see? So I was like, oh, is that

Speaker D: alpaca?

Speaker E: These are not alpaca, but we are developing alpaca. Um, graduated compression.

Speaker C: But I guarantee you, you know, however many years ago, five, ten years ago, he was sitting, I, I'm telling you, this is going to be the next thing you know, runners are going to start wearing them. People want to start wearing them on airplanes. And sure enough, the market has started to grow. And so, and we're still, you know, what did you say, like 25% of all runners out there are some marathon runners.

Speaker E: All you have to do is look at the Boston Marathon or the New York City Marathon. Those are all graduated compression socks to improve their, um, their ability to run. Uh,

Speaker C: and if you're not adding it to your line, then, you know, you're leaving that business behind.

Speaker D: It amazes me how many times a shirt can be reinvented with spandex, nylon, poly, cotton, whatever. And then the trends between cotton and poly and who wants what. When, uh, we see that flip flop back and forth, it seems like a

Speaker E: lot of times that's driven by cost as much as it is innovation. So, um, back 10, 15 years ago, um, there was a disaster in the, uh, cotton growing season. And, uh, Pakistan was, um, one of the largest, uh, cotton growers. And they had, um, a terrible disease. And, uh, they lost about half of their crop. Um, there were, uh, floods in China. China is one of the largest cotton growers, and they lost about a quarter of their crop. And so what happened was all of a sudden cotton, uh, went from a buck and a half a pound to $5 a pound. And everybody's scrambling because at retail, the consumer's not going to pay but a certain price. So the only way to, uh, scramble and keep that price was to switch everything from cotton socks to polyester socks. And so in that particular case, that was not driven by consumer demand. That was driven by consumer not willing to pay more for a cotton sock. And so today you look at socks, about half of all the socks are polyester when, you know, 15 years ago, it was probably 80% of all socks were, uh, cotton. Um,

Speaker D: that's an interesting, uh, thought process because it's not all driven by fashion, function, need. It's driven by what's available when the price is

Speaker E: willing to pay.

Speaker D: Right, yeah. Very, very interesting.

Speaker B: So with your business and obviously Jonathan joining, what's the future look like for you guys? Um, and then what is that ideal client that you are working with?

Speaker C: So, um, the future for us, uh, you know, when I came on board, um, because Richie, you know, he was. He's saying, look, man, I'm. You know, I won't tell his age, um, but

Speaker B: looks really young, man. M.

Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very young man. He said, I've got senioritis. I'm ready to. I live on a lake, you know, I want to spend more time kayaking and playing pickleball. Um, and, uh, I said, okay, well, that's fine. I said, but while I'm here and while you're here and while we're working together, we're going to grow this business, you know, uh, we're going to grow it. We're going to get more customers. Um, and that's been my sole focus, um, for the past year. So it's been me just banging on doors. We just got back from a trip to New York. We spent a lot of time in New York, some time in California, but it's been me banging on doors, um, and trying to meet new customers, uh, who are working with different brands. Um,

Speaker E: and honestly, the five, six customers we saw in New York on Wednesday, five of the six customers we didn't have as customers, um, two years ago when Jonathan joined the company. Company. So five of those six customers that we saw in New York, Jonathan brought to the table.

Speaker D: Love that. Congrats.

Speaker C: So that's been. Thank you. So

Speaker D: you have the fundraising background,

Speaker C: and that's where I'm coming. I'm getting better at the product. Yeah, I'm getting better at the product. Each and every day I learn something new. Um, but this is where I'm the most comfortable. So, you know, once I kind of figured out the structure of the business, uh, and who to call on, who our customers were, who our competitors were. And so that's been my focus is, um, growing and getting, you know, doing some fishing out there.

Speaker D: What a blessing, man. So,

Speaker C: yeah, um, it's been a lot of fun. Um, you know, and then he complains, right? Then he's like, you know, I was coasting, uh, and now I gotta work you know, now I gotta work hard, uh, from sun up to sundown. But, but um, so yeah, it's been good, you know, a great client, um, we've got a lot of great clients and each of them, um, brings something different to the table that um, they do well. You know, we just had one of our clients, um, in from over. We were told you were in New York. We had one of our clients overseas and that always helps, um, when you're trying to secure those appointments. Like, hey, I got the owner of the factory coming. All right, well you know, I want to meet the boss, um, and so that certainly helps, uh, open a few doors. And I told him, you're a great asset in these meetings. You are very likable. It comes across very clearly that you're concerned about quality of product, about customer relationships. He brings that strength. And I said, another one of our clients, um, in China, and they'll come overseas and I'll do the same thing. Um, and it's clear that their competence is showing and their technical capabilities comes forward very clearly and that gives the customer a lot of confidence. So they all do, um, different things, you know. Well, obviously, you know, what makes a great client to work with is, you know, timely responses, um, attention to detail. Um, we say, you know, we're a one stop shop, right? You know, I was at one of our new customers and ostensibly there, I was there to talk about socks, um, but I said, hey, are you guys into hats and beanies? Because we're working with, you know, and that's how we can kind of grow our business is to introduce them, uh, to different clients, different, um, clients of ours. The uh,

Speaker E: easiest sale for us is to expand one of our existing customers businesses. And so they may be in the jeans business, um, but they have the opportunity to be in the hats and beanies business and

Speaker C: they can work with us,

Speaker E: uh, they can add sweaters. Um, so we look for the opportunity with our customers to add additional products that our clients are manufacturing overseas.

Speaker C: And we only work with clients that are above board. Mhm. Right. Who run a great operation. Um, and that's part of our reputation that we then bring to

Speaker E: the customers. When we look for new clients, we look for clients who are willing and interested in building a long term relationship. There's a lot of factories out there that um, have an open hole and they're like, oh, I got to fill this hole, can you help me fill this hole? That's not the client that we're going to do business with. We're looking to do business with somebody who's looking to grow their business. The client that was just in to New York with us when we joined with them and they were a client, um, they had 200, uh, knitting machines. Um, they now have 400 knitting machines. Um, because we were able to, uh, help them to grow their business and they were willing to invest and add those knitting machines to their business. Um, and they're looking to develop long term relationships with customers here in the United States just as we are.

Speaker B: So before we let you go, since you guys have made so many cool things and we get some crazy ass requests over here at the Dunstan Group and I love it. I mean I tell people every meeting, like dream, I don't care if you have a middle of a dream and you're like, you know what, I'm gonna send them an email and see if they can do that. Um, because it's fun, it's fascinating. Every day is different. What have been some of the craziest requests you've gotten? Or what is one of the most unique products that you have actually taken and manufactured? And you don't have to say names of the brand, but what is something that's just been out of this world?

Speaker C: I mean, and I'd really have to stop and, and think a lot about that, um, just because we've done so.

Speaker B: Yeah,

Speaker C: we've done so much. Right? I mean, you said you asked it, of course. Are those alpaca? Well, we're working with alpaca socks and that's pretty cool, I'll tell you. So in addition to, um, working with, you know, those kind of big dog brands that we all know and working with the client, Richie and I also work with new folks who are trying to start up a business and start up a brand. Um, and we've been working with someone now and she is, um, she has an ostomy bag and she developed a shirt, um, that has this kind of inner pocket that folds up. And it was all her idea, it was all her vision. Right? She's the user. I don't have an ostomy bag. I don't know what you need. Um, it's been her vision and so, um, we've been helping her lead that from vision to you know, actual product and launching, you know, trying to help her launch her business. And so. And it's been, it's been difficult without question as any type of product development is, you know. Do you like this fabric? It's not stretching enough. You know, I don't think the trim Here is maybe it's a little too wide. We need to, you know, the arms don't fit. Yeah. And we're working through that whole process to get her to a product, um, that is interesting and comfortable and will hopefully, you know, help people.

Speaker E: And I will tell you, Jonathan's heard this, um, before, but, uh, one of my favorite sayings is nothing is impossible. Some things just cost more than others. So you bring me the craziest possible idea that you can come up with with, and, and if it's possible, we'll find a way to execute.

Speaker B: I love that I'm gonna steal that from you because that's, that's the reality. I mean, especially in our world. I've been doing this 11 years, and I look back 11 years ago and we're working with a client that's got, you know, 17 colors in their logo and they're like, it has to be full color. I'm like, well, that is impossible. And now anything is possible.

Speaker E: Well,

Speaker B: and it's just crazy

Speaker E: how it's changed. Yeah, amazingly. So that screen print that, that had 20 colors in it that you couldn't execute before. Now there's direct to fabric printing and you don't even have to cut a screen for it.

Speaker B: Yeah,

Speaker E: I mean, it's. The technological advances have been phenomenal.

Speaker B: It really has. And for us as a creative organization that wants to tell a story through our medium and we're not just a slap a logo on something. To be able to have that type of capabilities on any type of product that you can imagine really creates an open palette for these marketing peoples and these CMOs and these people that had these wild visions because now they're utilizing A.I. uh, and they can put it on. What do you mean I put it on my website? Well, yeah, well, this is going on a physical product and there was limitations for a long time. I have meetings. I tell people all the time, I'm a CMOS dream because I can take an open palette or an open canvas and you can paint whatever the hell you want on there. And then we can basically put that on any product you can possibly imagine. And that is super fun from a creative standpoint. And the industry's come a long way. Obviously you guys more on the, on the starting front of that and creating amazing fabrics. This has been fantastic. I know we've met as we continue to grow. Any of the clients that we work with, if you want to create something that is super unique and super different and you have some wild ass fabric or some wild ass idea Holler at me, let's get to work.

Speaker C: And then Brian, you holler at me.

Speaker B: That's what we will do. That is what we will do.

Speaker D: I'm excited about that.

Speaker B: Yeah, it's, it is, it's fascinating. And I talk to all of our account managers and I'm like, if you ever get the most crazy ass request about creating something that's so unique from, from an apparel or a hat or a woven or a sock, send that to me right away. I was like, because now we're not going to have to be like, well, we don't have that, but we have this now. We have the vision and the dream. So, you guys, this has been amazing. Richie, thank you, uh, so much for joining us. Jonathan, thank you for joining us. Congratulations on the, on the business. Congratulations on bringing a family member into the business. Um, I, I, whenever you do decide to hang it up, it will be in great hands. And I, uh, think that'll be one of those, those visions where you're probably out there eventually noodling in Lake Wy. Because you talked about that. Yeah. Um, he's got a noodle noodling hole right outside his house on Lake Wylie. And he's like, you ever been noodling? I'm like, hell no. And he's got a guy that

Speaker D: will come to Hannah Bombarin.

Speaker B: Right.

Speaker E: They pulled, uh, a 35 pound cat, catfish, a 25 pound cat, a catfish and a 40 pound catfish out of that noodling hole. I was just totally right

Speaker B: on his property. I told my m, my youngest, we talked about fishing. My youngest is obsessed. And I told him he's seen noodling videos. I said, you know, I met this guy and he's, he's got a noodling hole. And to be honest, I'm not really interested in sticking my arm in a hole. And Graham's like, I'll do it. And I was like, dude, all right, bring

Speaker E: him

Speaker B: on. We, we might have to do this, but

Speaker D: good to know.

Speaker B: Yeah. Um, anyways, this has been fantastic. Again, thank, uh, you guys so much for joining us. We wish you the best of success. Like we always say, like, share comment. If you have a dream, bring it to reality. Send us a message. We, uh, can make that happen and, uh, just wish you guys the best of success here in the future. Thanks,

Speaker C: Brian.

Speaker E: Thank you.

Speaker D: Thank you guys.

Speaker B: Until next time, you've been listening to this episode of the award winning Brand Builders podcast.

Speaker A: You've been listening to the Brand Builders podcast brought to you by the Dunston Group with your host, Scott Dunston and Brian Young for Brian branded merchandise and apparel that makes first impressions and ones that last. Check out the Dunston group@dunstongroup.com.