Welcome to the inspiring story of Wool & Oak, a brand born from a simple need for the perfect travel bag. In 2016, after realizing the lack of functional, stylish, and straightforward travel bags in the market, the founders of Wool & Oak set out to create something unique. Their journey started with the Duffle Suitcase, a first of its kind, launched with great success on Kickstarter. This success was just the beginning. The Duffle Backpack, their next creation, confirmed that they had something special. In this article, we dive into Jonathan's journey from a student of fashion design to co-founding Wool & Oak, and how this brand is redefining travel essentials for the modern traveler. Let's explore the story and vision behind Wool & Oak's innovative products.
Johnathan: Sure, Chris. I studied fashion design in college, specifically women's wear, in Italy. Post-college, I sought opportunities with top brands like Dior, Prada, and Gucci, but faced challenges due to visa issues and local hiring preferences.
Johnathan: They led me to New York City, the closest place to Europe, where I felt I could make an impact. I started in menswear, assisting a head designer at a small brand. My journey took me through various roles, from pattern-making at Theory to working at Helmut Lang.
Johnathan: I always knew I wanted my own business. In 2012, I made the leap, starting my own menswear brand. However, I quickly realized the financial challenges. With limited capital, it was hard to make a significant impact, leading me to rethink my strategy.
Johnathan: The turning point was a mishap at a trade show in Italy. A leather duffel bag I owned broke, damaging my laptop. It was stylish but lacked functionality. This incident got me thinking about creating a product that wasn't just aesthetically pleasing but also practical and organized.
Johnathan: I started exploring platforms like Kickstarter, which was relatively new at the time. I focused on creating a single product rather than a brand. The idea was a duffel bag with walls, combining the aesthetics of a traditional duffel with the organization of a suitcase. The Kickstarter campaign for this bag was a huge success, raising significant funds and setting the foundation for Wool & Oak.
Johnathan: The most significant change is that you can no longer afford to overlook social media for an extended period. Previously, Instagram was good, but its current impact surpasses our earlier perception. Interestingly, we began prioritizing Instagram last year. For a considerable six-year period, we only had 14,000 followers. We truly started concentrating on it due to the company's growth, resulting in our current count of 222,000 followers. The most noteworthy shift has been towards video content. I recognize that this might have been a trend even three years ago, and we might have been late to adopt it. Operating with just two individuals in the company stretches our bandwidth, and our primary focus has always been on product quality. However, we've realized the significance of video content in today's landscape.
People often believe that professional photography and other elaborate elements are essential for advertising. While those elements are beneficial, authenticity is the real key. This is a lesson we quickly learned. We've conducted Kickstarters that cost us from $5,000 to $100,000 to create, showcasing both high-end and low-end approaches. Ultimately, success lies in the story you convey, and your social media platforms play a crucial role in telling that story. You no longer require the best photography; however, avoid subpar quality. Focus on maintaining aesthetic appeal, as this has been our most significant takeaway for effective marketing.
Johnathan: Just the website and then Kickstarter. And we only do one thing with one partner because we've been approached by many wholesalers. But I do this one out of pure joy. We partner with Emirates and we do their bags for them. If you go to the Emirates Airlines, if you go to Emirates shop right now, you'll see Wool & Oak bags on the top of the page. We do a collaboration. We do Emirates by Wool & Oak, and that is the only wholesale deal that I've accepted. We've been approached by large retailers, but at the end of the day, we know where we want to be and how we want to build this company. And I much prefer enjoying having total control, having the website, taking the time to curate it and giving our customers and people who find us just kind of like they know where to go and where they can find us. There are a ton of websites that are scamming and pretending to sell our bags, which is kind of a really nasty thing that's going on the past six months. So anyone who's considering Wool & Oak, you can only get it from Woolandoak.com.
Johnathan: I don't know if I can put it in the top three. I can give you the one that is always challenging. Creating a product is a year-long journey for us. It's not just about having an idea and executing it quickly. For instance, the bag you saw on YouTube went through a year-long process of design, prototyping, testing, and more testing. We constantly went back and forth with our factory, fine-tuning every detail, like ensuring the quality of wheels for luggage. It's a comprehensive process involving multiple factories.
The biggest challenge in this is the uncertainty – you invest a year into creating something without knowing if it will succeed. If it doesn’t, it feels like a whole year and significant resources have been wasted. We experienced this around 2018 or 2019 when we invested a lot in a product that didn’t perform as expected. Since we primarily rely on Kickstarter for funding, a failed product can impact us significantly. We’ve chosen not to take on investors to avoid the pressure and retain control over our work-life balance. This means we bear the brunt when a product doesn’t succeed.
This constant uncertainty can be grueling, but the key is to keep pushing forward, making what you believe are the right choices. Even if it turns out not to be the right choice, at least I know I’ve done my best. That's the mindset that helps me navigate the unpredictable nature of product development.
Johnathan:There are days when I absolutely question what I'm doing, and then there are incredible days that keep me motivated. I'd be lying if I said I was motivated every single day. To stay motivated, you need some success, or it feels like you're just running in circles. Wool & Oak wouldn’t exist if we were constantly failing. I remember reading something from Phil Knight, Nike's founder, who’s always been an inspiration to me. He advised to fail quickly, which I've taken to heart. For me, if a product doesn't work, I prefer to move on quickly to the next idea.
Staying motivated also comes from celebrating successes, like seeing our sales increase, our Instagram following grow and receiving incredible customer feedback. We once got twelve bottles of maple syrup from a customer’s farm, just because they loved our bag so much. It's those small, unexpected moments that really motivate and remind us why we do what we do.
If someone asked me how to stay motivated day-to-day, my answer would be to find a hobby. For me, it's golf. It's crucial not to let your work consume you entirely. I play golf as much as I can, often starting at 5:30 in the morning. During that time, I don’t think about Wool & Oak at all. We’ve also made it a practice to take mini breaks within the company, especially after launching a Kickstarter. It helps us maintain mental freedom and keep things organic.
Living in New York City for twelve years was hectic, and moving to Los Angeles helped us slow down. Finding things that help you disconnect is key. I find it amusing when I see entrepreneurs on Instagram claiming they work non-stop. It's not sustainable or healthy. You need to give yourself breaks. Mental health is incredibly important. Sometimes, I only work four days a week or take a long break in the afternoon. Being busy all the time doesn't equate to success. It's more about completing what needs to be done and allowing yourself to relax. If you can chill for a few hours on a Monday afternoon, you're doing just fine.
Johnathan: Our best year ever was 2023. It was an incredible year. It certainly helped that our product went viral and became very popular. This isn't the first time we've had a product go viral, but this time we really nailed it. I think it's because of our experience that we were finally able to hone in and hit the target really well, which was very satisfying. This holiday season is still going strong for 2024, and our goal is to double it. We want to keep going and continue to satisfy our customers. It's funny how well this year has gone. Our plan is to launch the next product and have it do really well, while continuing to make quality products that satisfy our customers. I truly believe that if you make a quality product and provide it to your customers, they will tell others about it. I always tell others about things that I'm impressed with when I buy something. So, let's stick to the fundamentals and double it.
Johnathan: Starting your own brand, huh? I couldn't imagine working for someone else again, so I’d always encourage taking the leap. But it's amazing how fast things change, especially with technology. Starting a brand eight years ago is vastly different from starting one today. When giving advice, I think it's crucial to not just throw out generic tips. You need a clear foundation and end goal. Early on with Wool & Oak, we focused more on the product than the brand, which I later realized was a mistake. If you're starting with a product, that's fine, but ensure it aligns with your broader vision for the brand.
Creating a brand's identity is about writing down what it stands for and making every decision align with that. But to give practical advice, you need to show a proof of concept without overspending. You could use social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram to gauge interest through user-generated content. If I were starting from scratch today, with limited funds, I'd think of a product and explore platforms like Alibaba to find a manufacturer. I'd avoid drop shipping or Amazon affiliate models; my focus would be on creating something unique. Understanding your product and market is crucial.
It's essential to figure out what you know and how to make it. Don't start a business in an area you're unfamiliar with. Use social media to test your ideas and see if people are interested. You can achieve a lot with a small budget, maybe under five thousand dollars, or even less. But remember, you might need to invest a bit of money – perhaps ask family or friends for support. That's the approach I'd take if I were starting with limited resources."
Chris: Johnathan, this has been really enlightening. Your hands-on advice is gold for anyone starting out. Thanks for sharing your journey and insight with us.
