Over the past ten years there have been a few brands who have conquered the odds — bad economy? No big deal. Over-saturated marketplace? Please. The strongest buying demographic is millennials? FML, but NBD.
The commonality between these brands is pretty simple — they started with one product. (One brand to date actually still only sells one product.) But refining that ‘simple’ offering has led them to being the best in class of that particular good. Who are they? Geniuses. Because they didn’t reinvent the wheel, they didn’t invent much of anything—but they brought consumers what they wanted: high quality, affordable style. Now where is my credit card?
Also: Iron & Resin x Bruce Brown | The Ultimate California Collaboration
Do One Thing; Do It Well
These 4 brands set their sights on refining one product, and from it they built nationally recognized companies.
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Penny Skateboards
Ben Mackey got his first skateboard at just 5 years old from a garage sale. Ben Mackey now owns a couple thousand. Or, sells rather. That first deck he owned would ultimately become his life’s work - re–envisioning a crappy little plastic toy into what is now Penny Skateboards.
The thoughtful Aussie knew his passion was skateboarding, and he made a career of it. Successful companies don’t often, and actually rarely, spawn out of not knowing what the heck you’re doing. But if you can learn it, and do it well, sometimes they work out. Mackey spent part of his adulthood first working at a cabinet manufacturer, before redefining those skills to begin making skateboard decks. He sold them to local shops, and realized he could make a business of his favorite sport.
Penny Cruisers are now widely available all across the globe. The perfected simple, small, plastic skateboard comes in a vast variety of colors (one for every outfit?), and their site is even host to the Penny Customizer – design your own board. The brand has expanded and now offers accessories and additional products. With 257k Facebook followers, it’s safe to say that Mackey’s passion has become infectious. And lucrative.
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Knockaround
What happens when an art graduate student from the east coast, settles into the Southern California life style, and then loses his Ray Bans? A company is founded evidently. But they do say inspiration can strike in the most unlikely of places. This is exactly how Knockaround was founded. Adam 'Ace' Moyer misplaced his hundred+ dollar sunnies on a California beach and decided, 'I could do this'. And he did.Moyer has built an indie sunglass company from the ground up. What is interesting about his story is that he had a few things going for him - like an eye for design, good style and a self-proclaimed need from the soft goods industry, i.e. less expensive, but super stylish sunglasses. What he didn't have was formal training by way of, say, an MBA. Knockaround is proof you don't need one.The company is now headquarted in downtown San Diego, has a comprehensive line of sunglasses including a build-your-own custom shop, plus accessories to accommodate, they raise money annually with a social initiative to help underfunded schools, and have released quite a few collaborations that have sold out faster than you can say "California summer". -
Stance Socks
According to a 2014 consumer study done by the NPD Group, there is a lot of money in socks. A lot like $2.8 billion a lot. Skullcandy founder Rick Alden was in tune to the future potential of the respectively boring accessory and in 2003 launched Stance Socks. Already a successful business man and entrepreneur, Alden had a leg up on the competition and brought to market something that hadn’t been seen before at scale – high quality, well-designed socks, specifically design for the action sports industry.
The results were quite a success, and even more so recently. As of April 2015, Stance Socks are now the official on-count sock (yes such a thing exists) of the NBA. The company has collaborations with the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball Association, Dwayne Wade – and that is on top of the strong action sports foothold they started with.
Stance founder Alden has proven that the lightening bolt of inspiration can strike twice - and strike lucratively.
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Brixton
David Stoddard, without the vision and determination to do something big with his life, might have been the dude laying tile in your kitchen, instead of the man who designs headwear for your Coachella experience.Stoddard is the brain child behind Brixton, the Southern California brand that has grown from being exclusively a hat company, to becoming a full apparel line for people looking for function, quality and style. The brand just celebrated their 10 year anniversary (2 years late). Considering the tumultuous past decade the US has had (that little thing called a recession), it hasn't really been an optimal time to found and grow a business. But Brixton has done it.The label is accessible. Able to purchase online? But of course. How about in boutiques across the US? Yep. And what about those stores where I'm guaranteed to bump into my 19 year old little cousin searching for something to wear to an EDM show at the mall? Oh yeah. But we don't criticize.Brixton now offers comprehensive spring-summer-fall-winter lines that are able to be sold at all of the afore mentioned spots, but the product is so consistently good, (and plain and simple), that we'd pick up some items at any of them.David Stoddard, we're so happy you aren't laying tile in our kitchen.
