In our Ask the Experts series, we feature interviews with people on the other side of the PR and digital marketing world–the writers, editors, podcasters, and creators we collaborate with on a daily basis. This time, we turned our attention to brand founders to learn more about what inspired them to start a brand, what challenges they faced along the way, and what advice they would share with anyone looking to start their own entrepreneurial journey.
Meet the Founders:
John Gage | Co-founder, Appalachian Gear Company
Jensen Cipriano Brehm | Co-founder, Ombraz Sunglasses
Laura Jorgensen | CEO and Co-founder, fuel goods
How and when did the idea for your brand come about?
John Gage: I have always been an outdoors lover and obtained my BS in Textiles from NC State University. Ultimately, those two parts of my life collided while backpacking in merino wool in the early 2000s, after the textile industry had largely left the US. The idea of alpaca came as a result of the simple question “why?” Alpaca is a higher performance fiber than merino, so why is merino so prevalent and alpaca only used in luxury items? Once we began to formulate our process and machinery, we realized that alpaca was very difficult to knit and finish into a suitable lightweight performance garment.
We also wanted to prove you could still make apparel in the US from fiber to garment, but after three years of research and development we figured out we had to import alpaca yarn from Peru due to a non-sufficient supply of US-raised alpaca and no volume-based supply chain capacity to make the yarn with our unique specifications and broad color ranges. Our vertical process is that we import alpaca yarn, and our factory in Kings Mountain produces the fabric and cuts and sews it into garments. Aside from legacy sock companies like Darn Tough and Farm To Feet, we feel that we are the only vertically-integrated outdoor lifestyle apparel brand in the US.
Jensen Brehm: I’ve always gravitated toward the unconventional. The only real office job I had was an internship in college and that experience alone told me that office life wasn’t for me. I craved being outdoors, gravitating towards creative projects and design. I also found myself at odds with authority and bureaucracy, preferring to chase my own dreams rather than someone else’s. My college seminar on green business was a turning point. Early in that course, I realized my ambition was to start an online business that not only allowed remote work and flexibility but also had a positive environmental impact. I was committed to creating something that went beyond mere transactions, something that offered a net environmental benefit.
I didn’t have all the answers at 18, but my study of environmental business honed my drive to do something unique. A year in India, initially a break from rambunctious college life, turned into a profound learning experience. It rekindled my appreciation for education and presented a turning point. The real spark for my business idea came unexpectedly on a camel safari. Someone sat on my sunglasses and the arms broke off. I tied a piece of string around the broken hinges and wrapped the string around the back of my head. The MacGyvered fix worked surprisingly well. My sunglasses weren’t slipping down my nose or falling off, they weren’t pinching my head and tenderizing the tops of my ears, and when I didn’t need them on, I could drop them around my neck, or stow them in a pocket without fear of breaking them. The armless concept solved a personal problem and soon garnered interest from friends and strangers alike, affirming the potential of my idea.
This journey taught me a valuable lesson about entrepreneurship: if you can solve a problem with a product, you’ve found a market. It’s about creating a product that people need, not just want. This approach has been a cornerstone of our success, solving a ubiquitous problem in an innovative way. It’s been a journey of learning, adapting, and always keeping an eye out for unconventional solutions to everyday challenges.
Laura Jorgensen: Our brand story is less about a sudden eureka and more about a moment of realization—an unfulfilled need staring us in the face. Our subscribers from Runner and RiderBox were the first to voice it: a yearning for an easier way to get more of the products they found in their boxes. It seemed simple, but as we scoured the landscape for potential partners or platforms, we hit a wall. In this era, where convenience is king, we found ourselves in a paradox. The journey to get straightforward nutrition to fuel one’s movement was anything but.
This was no mere hiccup; it was a clarion call for action and that is when Fuel Goods was born—not as an alternative but as the antidote to the complexity that muddied the waters of sports nutrition.
Our mission is to cut through the clutter, making nutrition not just accessible and approachable but downright enjoyable and our aim with Fuel Goods is to open this door for everyone to share the profound impact of what nourishing your body with good fuel can mean. It’s not just about feeding the machine; it’s about elevating your entire being. Our brand might have started from seeing what wasn’t there, but it’s grown into a vision of what could be—for everyone.
What was the biggest challenge you faced trying to get your brand off the ground?
Gage: The most significant challenge was to produce 100% alpaca fabrics in a range of performance garments suited for outdoor lifestyle pursuits. No one had accomplished that prior to us and we are still the only company in the world that makes a lightweight 100% alpaca fleece product for hoodies, beanies, etc. We also are not marketing people and didn’t know how to get the brand off of the ground in such a way that people would discover us. Even though we had done business with many, many high profile brands in the past, we were a part of the domestic supply chain in our former lives and had never had to actually build a brand. We knew we needed to find a marketing partner and ended up finding Darby Communications and they did a masterful job of putting our brand on the map.
Brehm: Crowdfunding was our litmus test to see if there was a genuine market interest in the armless design. It was about more than just raising funds without sacrificing equity; it was a chance to introduce our unique, armless sunglasses to a global audience. This approach allowed us to gather a group of early adopters – people who were invested not just financially but also emotionally in our success. They became our evangelists, our sounding board, offering valuable feedback on design and brand direction.
The response was overwhelming. We received about 1,700 initial preorders and raised around $160,000 in the first 30 days of our pre-order launch. Our reach was global, with orders coming from 50 countries, all seven continents, and all 50 U.S. states. That’s when we knew we had something special. This was a product people believed in and were willing to support, affirming our belief in the need for a practical, innovative solution in the eyewear market.
In the early stages, we often found ourselves out of stock, but this wasn’t entirely negative. It inadvertently created a sense of exclusivity around our product and built anticipation for new releases. Another challenge was inventory investment. We were cash-strapped for a long while, which led us to seek funding about two and a half years after our launch. Finding the right investor was crucial. It’s not just about securing capital but also about gaining access to experience and a network of mentors and advisors. This aspect has been pivotal to our success.
What is something you wish everyone knew about your brand and/or products?
Gage: Though we have loads of respect for anyone cutting and sewing garments in the US, our enduring wish is for people to know that we don’t just sew garments; we actually make our own fabric in a process we devised. We have a real textile mill and we design, produce, and test our own fabric in-house. We then design and produce our own garment patterns and garments in-house as well. And, we have an interesting mix of older, highly experienced, highly skilled textile people and younger, inexperienced people with no previous experience because 98% of the textile industry is gone.
Jorgensen: If I could shout it from the rooftops, here’s the headline: Fuel Goods isn’t just another name in the game; it’s the game changer. We’re revolutionizing the way the good stuff finds its way to you, making it not just a breeze to grasp but a thrill to receive. Because, let’s face it, everyone deserves to dive into their fitness journey with a grin, anticipation for what’s next, and the confidence that they’re not just getting fueled—they’re getting supercharged. We’re here to make sure that when people fuel their body, they are also igniting their spirit.
What is the most fulfilling thing about being a founder?
Gage: 1) Accomplishing the original goal we set out to produce this fabric and getting it successfully into the market, and 2) being able to pass on the knowledge and skill we have to a younger group of people. Also, a close 3rd would be the fact that we have four retirement-age employees who came out of retirement to work for us and they love being here. They walked right in and were already experts.
Brehm: Creating, solving problems and building an engaging, invigorating work space for smart, driven people.
Jorgensen: It’s witnessing the ripple effect of your vision on the world and within yourself. Seeing an idea that once floated around in your thoughts become a tangible force for good, improving people’s lives, is surreal. It’s that moment when a customer tells you how your product turned their day around or made their health journey less intimidating—those moments are golden.
What advice would you share with someone preparing to launch a brand of their own?
Gage: This is a hard question because we don’t consider ourselves brand building experts but:
- Be a dreamer
- Do your research to make sure there is a place for your product in the market
- Become an expert at every aspect of your product
- Have the kind of work ethic that will not allow you to quit, no matter how bleak your situation may seem
- Know the parts of the business in which you need to partner with experts – like PR/Marketing, finance, legal, IT, etc. No one can do everything. Understanding your own weaknesses is key.
- You absolutely must have a business plan or some type of strategic plan. You have to set early goals.
Brehm: Having mentors who’ve navigated similar challenges is invaluable. They provide guidance and answer questions, and you don’t feel like you’re navigating these waters alone. I believe a common mistake for entrepreneurs is trying to handle everything solo, which can be isolating. Having a support network of people facing similar issues is not just helpful, it’s essential for any entrepreneur. Additionally, we’ve brought on some really smart, highly skilled team members to help us manage inventory and forecast growth.
Jorgensen: Strap in, because you’re about to become BFFs with discomfort and uncertainty. Starting a new venture is kind of like you’re walking into a party blindfolded—you know there’s fun to be had, but you’re also stumbling around trying to find it.
From the get-go, you’re in this perpetual state of “What the heck is next?” And that mild anxiety? It’s your new normal. Every decision feels like a leap of faith because, honestly, it is. You’re charting a course through uncharted territory, and the only guarantee is that there are no guarantees. But learning to navigate these waters is where the growth happens. It’s in the discomfort, the uncertainty, that you find what you’re truly capable of. So, my advice? Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Embrace the uncertainty like it’s the secret ingredient to your success because, in a way, it is.
Where can people follow you or connect with you online?
Gage: Instagram: @appgearco
Brehm: Instagram: @ombraz, @jensagraham
Jorgensen: Instagram: @fuel_goods or LinkedIn