#awkwardorangesofa

[vettery]

Small Talk on our Awkward Orange Sofa with Steven Tiller, Founder of SeaVees

Vettery’s Clark Winter sat down with Steven Tiller, Founder of SeaVees to discuss the growing interest in casual culture, the inspiration for his company, and why he loves shoes. Based in Santa Barbara, SeaVees is a men’s shoe brand from the 1960s that pioneered the original way to go casual. While dormant for almost 50 years, SeaVees has been restored creating a vintage shoe in today’s surging sneaker culture.

So I am intrigued… it seems the story goes something like this. You were working in Boston designing shoes for Cole Haan and at the drop of the hat, you flew to Japan to be inspired by the wayward shoe brands of our past, when you stumbled upon a pair of SeaVees shoes and decided to resurrect them to their pinnacle as an iconic surf culture shoe. Am I on the right track? You are more or less on the right track. I had actually started my career at Cole Haan in Maine where I thought I’d learn the ropes for a few years before moving to California and starting my own brand. Cut to 18 years later and I was still in New England (working for Sperry Topsider in Boston) and not any closer to realizing my dream. With doubt and disenchantment setting in, I began to search in earnest for the right opportunity. Ideally a sneaker brand with a heritage, a once-proud brand in need of a resurrection. It was behind glass in a secondhand store in Tokyo where I found my first pair of SeaVees. I love casual shoes more than most, in fact I even wrote a post about them (“Kicks”). Unfortunately I didn’t know much about SeaVees at the time… tell me why I should add them to my quiver. You are not alone. This brand was off the radar for most after going dormant in the early 1970s. I was an obsessed aficionado of the category and even I had never heard of SeaVees. I soon discovered SeaVees was born in 1964 and was the original casual sneaker. With a groundbreaking advertising campaign throughout the 1960s, SeaVees pioneered the transformation of the sneaker from gym shoe to casual shoe. To “Show Up In SeaVees” meant you could enjoy the comfort of a sneaker with the sophistication of a more refined footwear choice. Today we honor the brand’s 1960s origin with a "vintage vibes meets modern tech" mantra by making contemporary amendments to classic design. The result is a timeless sneaker of exceptional quality and comfort that you can confidently wear in any social setting. California seems to be an woven into the fabric of the SeaVees story (and you for that matter!). What is it about California that resonates so much with you and the vibe of the brand? California provided the creative origin of the brand back in the 1960s when the Golden State in its golden age defined the coastal casual lifestyle. As a landlocked kid growing up in Oklahoma, I always aspired to be from California so I understand its powerful magnetic pull. Most of us have a reverence for the escapism that is promised with the warmth of the sun. Responding to that lifelong yearning is what resonates with me, is what SeaVees means to me. A wise man once said, “You spend most of your time in your bed or on your feet, so it’s important to invest in both.” If we opened up your closet, what shoes would we find in your assemblage?

SeaVees. You’d be shocked by the number of shoes in my closet. I definitely have issues - there is literally a sea of SeaVees. I have a pair of Nikes for trail running and a pair for the gym. And I have held on to a pair of Prada Chelsea boots for so long they have now officially taken on vintage status. Other than that I show up in SeaVees everywhere I go, for every occasion. How do you think about your competitive landscape-- is your target demographic currently wearing Vans/Converse or are you hoping to be the first foray into fashionable sneaker for the guy wearing his father’s crusty old New Balances? Both. Come one, come all. Today’s consumer has grown up in sneakers, and unlike the generations before him, he’s not being told at some point in his life to get out of those smelly gym shoes he wore as a kid. Still, while he respects the brands he grew up wearing, at some point in his early adult life he’s looking for something a little more evolved. A clean and sophisticated design he can easily dress up or dress down and look appropriate for most any occasion. As he comes of age and develops his own sense of style, he’s willing to pay a little more for the quality, comfort and class offered by SeaVees. Men’s style has certainly has become more casual these days. How do you see that fitting in with the SeaVees brand?

As the category creator of the casual sneaker, this movement truly hits the core of our brand. Todays athleisure or everyday casual style is just a modern day translation or evolution of what SeaVees was initiating back in the day. With the discerning modern sneaker consumer our heritage grants us an authentic voice in this movement. There is a certain cool factor that permeates throughout the SeaVees brand. In fact, I’ve read that you said,  “California in its golden age was the certified hub of all things cool, so I’m equally inspired by Steve McQueen’s hot-rod culture, Jack Kerouac’s San Francisco Beat scene and Richard Neutra’s Desert Modernism.” Who or what in today’s society inspires you/represents all things cool? I am most inspired by new music and travel. I’m on an undying daily quest to discover my next favorite band. I spend way more time reading music blogs and deep diving on Bandcamp then I do studying the latest fashion trends. And since the day I was dropped in Paris at 19 years old with a backpack, $500 in American Express travelers checks, and not knowing a word of French, I’ve been addicted to the adrenaline rush of foreign travel. Somewhere along the line I converted culture shock to a familiar comforting pang that never fails to inspire. How would you describe your personal style? Smart casual or dress casual. I tend to twist the traditional in a thoughtful way. I subscribe to the over/under rule of style. When the occasion calls for casual attire, I will err on the side of being slightly overdressed. For a dressy occasion - when I’m certain most guys will be wearing dark suits and wingtips - I’ll make a less serious statement by slightly underdressing. I’ll leave the tie at home and have my pant leg cropped just-so to show an irreverent bare ankle - and of course to show off my SeaVees. A classic, relaxed elegance is what I’d like to always represent. What is your favorite SeaVees shoe?

My favorite SeaVees style is the 06/64 Legend. It’s our most iconic style as it celebrates the original brand’s launch in June of 1964 and is the shoe featured in the old advertising campaign. This style is a re-creation of the shoe I discovered in Tokyo, so it holds special emotional status for me. I feel it best defines SeaVees today as it appeals to both modern and classic tastes. It’s familiar in styling but its high sidewall gives it an aggressive edge. Looking to the future, does the SeaVees brand extend beyond footwear into a fully fledged fashion/lifestyle brand? I certainly envision a SeaVees future that embraces the 1960s coastal casual lifestyle across multiple product categories. But honestly we’re focussed on improving within our core competency before we move on to other things. Our women’s business is still in its infancy, our international business (with the exception of Japan and Korea) is totally untapped. And while I’m very proud of the progress we’ve made to date, I know we still have a great amount work to do to restore the brand to its rightful place on the top shelf of heritage sneaker brands. Our favorite question: if you could combine two existing, but unrelated startups to make something totally ridiculous, what would they be?

If you could see the battery usage on my phone, you’d see that most of my power is spent on Spotify and Waze. What if they did a collaboration and provided you with a personalized playlist based on where you are going, when you are going and the duration of your drive. It would know your taste based on your Spotify history and could sense your mood based on where and when you are traveling (i.e. Friday afternoon build up for a coastal drive versus Monday morning chill out for the dreaded commute). What is favorite social media account to follow? Instagram is my platform of choice and I tend to gravitate toward photography - especially a group of Santa Barbara area kindred spirits that includes @willadlerphotographs, @morganmaassen, @deweynicks, @nick_presniakov, and @bluegabor.

[vettery]

Small Talk on our Awkward Orange Sofa with Ariel Nelson & Lane Gerson, Co-Founders of Jack Erwin

Vettery’s Clark Winter sat down with Ariel Nelson & Lane Gerson, co-founders of Jack Erwin, to discuss the changing landscape in men’s fashion, how millenials think about direct to consumer products, and why they love shoes.

Based in New York, Jack Erwin is a men’s shoe brand creating well crafted, honestly priced men’s dress shoes. While driven to keep their retail pricing down, they are unwaveringly committed to quality materials and to the labor intensive, age-old craft of fine shoe making.

I’ve heard this story before…top of the line product retails at $500+ with the alternative being a terrible quality option at bargain prices. In the shoe market, you are making shoes for $90-250 and selling them direct to consumer. Tell us the story here?

It was fall 2012 when Lane and I (Ariel) were walking in New York in need of a pair of dress shoes for a wedding. Everywhere we looked we were finding ourselves compromising on something; good quality – crazy price, comfortable fit – poor design. So we asked ourselves “how is there nothing out there that we actually like?”

So we decided to do it ourselves. The idea was to make beautiful men’s dress shoes for $100 and sell them for $200. We wanted to make shoes that were well made, beautifully designed, and not outrageously priced. So that’s what we did.

I’ve read that part of the inspiration for Jack Erwin was the question, “Where did the simple men's dress shoe go?" What do you mean by that?

At the end of the day we believe in great product. We have always been drawn to simplicity and elegance. There is true beauty in something made well, with the highest quality materials, with design audacious enough be simple and clean.

The men’s shoe market today is crowded. And as everyone tries to get involved we have seen quality and design suffer the most. As a result we are bombarded with over stylized, lower quality, bizarrely priced products that don’t actually reflect what most men want.

To date it seems you are focused exclusively on Men’s shoes. Is this an intentional brand angle or just phase one for the company?

First it is important to note that we also love women’s shoes. Women tend to appreciate great products and have actually responded quite positively to our brand. In fact, an interesting side note is that a significant number of women have bought our men’s styles for themselves.

However, remaining a men’s shoe brand is something we have been very intentional about. We believe men are caring more and more about what brands they align with and how it informs their personal style and identity. This is an exciting time to build a brand for men and the opportunity is only getting bigger. Our goal is to be a brand men can relate to that provides products they actually want.

A wise man once said, “You spend most of your time in your bed or on your feet, so it’s important to invest in both.” If we opened up your closet, what shoes would we find in your quiver?

Both Lane and I love shoes. For me, you would see 5-6 pair of Jack Erwins, my Chuck Taylors, and a pair of Nike running shoes. For me our brand provides the best option for almost any occasion outside athletics. However we are also inspired by those brands that we were brought up with. From Chuck Taylors to Stan Smiths to Nike trainers, between the two of us we cover each base.

How do you think about your competitive landscape-- is your target demographic currently shopping at the Cole Haans/Allen Edmonds of the world, or are you hoping to be the first foray into fashionable dress shoe for the guy who wears squared toed loafers?

We know this sounds like a phony answer but we really don’t look at any specific brand as direct competition. Here’s what we do know, that there are very few brands speaking directly to men in a way that truly resonates. We aim to be that company.

Men’s style has certainly has become more casual these days. How do you see that fitting in with the Jack Erwin brand? Do you envision me wearing your shoes with a t-shirt?

The short answer is yes. The more involved answer is a bit more nuanced. Personal style, especially for men, is evolving in new ways every day. We are challenging what it means to be formal vs. informal. We (men) are looking for products that allow us to be dynamic in life and in style. A beautifully made shoe can be worn with anything. It’s not our job to tell customers how to dress; it’s our job to make the best shoe that you can make you own. That’s our approach.

How would you describe your personal styles?

Lane: Classic, always classic. Usually jeans and a T. Ariel: Classic, with an element of formal. I like a clean button down, jeans and great pair of shoes.

Branding is having an ever greater presence on our mind share of how we learn about things. You guys created a beautiful “How We Make Our Shoes” video. How do you think about this transparency and authenticity as a way to connect with your customer?

We are proud of how we make our product. We spend a tremendous amount of time and energy to ensure we practice what we preach. For us, the design, sourcing of materials and manufacturing process is baked into our brand DNA. So to let our customers see into that process is both authentic and, we believe, important to helping them understand who we are.

What is your favorite Jack Erwin shoe?

Lane: Joe in black (Oxford cap toe) Ariel: Ellis brown suede (Chelsea boot)

Our favorite question: if you could combine two existing, but unrelated startups to make something totally ridiculous, what would they be?

Uber meets Open Table. Fully integrated restaurant booking and car service. This could/would pick up all attendees, book table, and return them home after.

What is favorite social media account to follow?

We are not on social media however we do check the Jack Erwin instagram account pretty regularly

Lastly, what does the name Jack Erwin mean?

The name is a combination of our fathers names. My dad’s name is Jack and Lane’s is Erwin. We thought, if we can make a product that both our fathers would buy, that would be a successful business.

[vettery]

Small Talk on our Awkward Orange Sofa with Phil Nguyen, Founder and Editor of The Daily Water Cooler

Vettery’s Clark Winter sat down with Phil Nguyen, founder and editor of The Daily Water Cooler, to discuss the changing media landscape, how millennials consume content, and what the process is to summarize the morning news.

Based in New York, The Daily Water Cooler is a delightful morning newsletter designed to summarize the day’s news across a variety of topics to make sure you’re never left behind in conversations. With thousands of daily readers, the newsletter has attracted a loyal following through word-of-mouth.

Millennials seem to care about getting a snapshot of the world from a different lens: "things that are trending". With that in mind, why am I giving you two minutes to give me a snapshot of whats happening in the world vs. somebody else?

People read The DWC because they like the format and the personality. The information itself is not particularly exclusive but the key is careful curation. Information and news is so plentiful these days that people are looking for just the highlights, as well as to be entertained. The DWC optimizes for this.

The bullet point layout is the same everyday and covers four important topics: Business, Politics, Sports, and Culture. This makes it easy for readers to skim over quickly and if they decide they want to learn more I always provide a link to the source article.

In addition to the format and curation elements I try to inject a little personality into the newsletters too, typically with one-liners or interesting related links. At the bottom of the newsletter I always include a To Share section because people love to share great content with their friends.

I've been told you create the DWC in the wee hours of the morning to hit our fresh eyes when we wake up. Walk me through how a daily issue of the newsletter comes to life.

If I have some free time the night before, I'll try to find a few funny or provocative pieces to go into the To Share section. Sometimes I also write about a Sports or Culture news piece too. In general though most of it is written the morning of delivery because much of it is impossible to write earlier.

I have a list of approximately 50 sites and sources that I visit to each morning starting around 5 or 6AM ET. I choose these specific sites because I trust their content and find them high quality. I typically write the sections in the same order everyday: Sports, Culture, Politics, Business, and lastly, To Share.

I choose Sports first because it's the most straightforward and helps get my brain going in the morning. Then I take a quick swing through Culture, generally focusing first on pop culture/celebrity media then on "harder" topics such as science. I'm about warmed up by now so Politics is next because it takes significantly more comprehension and analytical energy to wade through that news. I'm not always familiar with the background situations of certain stories so I have to do additional reading in order to properly distill the current news appropriately. Afterwards is Business, which I tackle at the end because early morning announcements can happen and I'd rather not miss out on those. Last is the To Share section, because it's the most fun and also the easiest to scale back if I'm running low on time.

After that's all done, I'll try to do a quick spot check for glaring errors, though regular readers will know that I'm not so good at that! I still maintain that typos show personality and that the newsletter was written by a friend rather than a robot. Then I'll press send (hopefully around 7:30AM ET), hope I didn't miss anything or make too many mistakes, and eat breakfast.

Social media is having an ever greater presence on our mind share of how we learn about things. Do you foresee us ever receiving The Daily Water Cooler via Snapchat stories or the like (à la Ian Bremmer's "The World in 60 Seconds" Facebook videos)?

I suppose it's a possibility during the inevitable path towards The DWC's initial public offering (ha!), but in the short to medium-term, no, not likely. Twitter is a strong candidate to have an improved presence on but as for other channels I typically have a negative view of video content and the like. It's time-intensive and expensive to make, plus from a user’s perspective it's not easy to consume (impossible on the go and gutsy at work) and challenging to skim over quickly. You pretty much just have to watch the entire thing and ain't nobody got time for that.

What is your favorite topic/article that you have discussed in The DWC?

This will sound odd, but one of my favorite topic was the Federal Reserve's interest rate hike at the end of 2015, which was the first increase in nearly a decade. I liked it for a two main reasons. First, it was a topic that had far-reaching implications but one that most everyday people would not really know or care that much about. Second, it was a real challenge to make the subject entertaining and engaging. How many jokes can you really make about interest rates?

Our favorite question: if you could combine two existing, but unrelated startups to make something totally ridiculous, what would they be?

Chatroulette + Facebook, but anonymous and text-only. So basically you would get paired up with a random Facebook friend in a chat and you would both be anonymous. There could be daily prompts of conversation topics to get the conversation started. It would be a great way to learn more about your friends, as well as an interesting use for all those Facebook friends you have that aren't really friends or you haven't spoken to in a long time.

What's your favorite social media handle/account to follow?

On Instagram I enjoy @CoffeeCupsOfTheWorld, because I love coffee and design, as well as things that have standard forms but can be differentiated in creative ways (e.g., business cards, résumés). Also big fan of accounts that use the grid on their profile page in neat ways, such as @GeometryClub and @MicahNotFound.

I'm a heavy Twitter user, mostly for news and surfacing interesting articles. But one account I'll mention is @RecruiterBro, which I find hilarious since I work in that industry.

Lastly, what caused this obsession with GIFs?!

I love GIFs because in many ways they're the perfect medium of communication and surprisingly complex. GIFs are the ideal blend for mobile consumption - more expressive than still images but less committal than video (see my comments about video above). Superficially, they're just entertaining and a stellar way to end the newsletter on a bright note.

What I think makes them powerful is that they're instantly relatable given that many GIFs are derived from pop culture, giving GIFs a nuanced context and history when used properly. The act of cleverly reappropriating something recognizable into a different situation is what makes GIFs so engaging for viewers.

[vettery]

Small Talk on our Awkward Orange Sofa with Alex & Mike Faherty, Co-Founders of Faherty

Vettery’s Clark Winter sat down with Alex & Mike Faherty, co-founders of Faherty, to discuss turning a life long dream into a family company by bringing the unique skills of twin brothers together to create a special clothing brand.

Based in New York, Faherty is a lifestyle brand dedicated to creating premium products for life’s great moments at the beach and all those times when you wish you were there.

What was version one (season one) of your product like? And compared to your latest season?

Our first season was solely men's and women's swim made from our signature recycled polyester material. Three years later, we have a full ready to wear collection. For men we offer indigo and cotton knits, outdoor pieces, sweaters, canvas jeans, chinos, flip-flops, and a wide variety of woven shirting. For women, our collection includes tomboy flannels, silk shirts and dresses, embroidered shorts, cozy sweaters, and ethnic jackets.

Have any tips you would give to someone who wanted to work for your company?

The people we hire all have five of the same characteristics: (1) super ambitious, (2) a can-do positive attitude, (3) a self starter, (4) extremely passionate, and (5) extremely kind and a team player.

The last is likely the most important. We're a tight knit team, so bringing people onboard is like hiring a family member.

If you weren't at your current company, which other startup would you love to work at? Why?

Honestly, we couldn't possible imagine being at a place other than here. It's been our dream to create this company since we were kids.

Describe your perfect day?

Get up early, surf, eat a homemade omelet with cold brew, head to the office and work for a few hours to touch base with the team, and end the day with a rum punch and a big family dinner.

Given your shred travels far and wide, what is your favorite surf spot you have visited?

To this day, we love surfing at our home down in Spring Lake, NJ. The waves are good, the water stays warm till November, and there's never a crowd.

What's your favorite social media handle/account to follow?

Oh man, we're constantly inspired by so many. Anything that showcases good waves, cool cabins, and vintage trucks.

If you could combine two existing, but unrelated startups to make something totally ridiculous, what would they be?

It would be awesome if there was a Airbnb type app that you could look at an inventory of surfboards in a specific area (when you're traveling) and be able to rent and then have something like Lyft be able to drop the boards off at the beach for you.