and they give me feedback. I can make the
proper adjustments in the correct time. So we
can all be on the same page. They’ll buy into
what they pretty much want and I just try to
fill it like that.”
99%
of the time, a designer has an in-
vestor who is willing to back the line.
The
numbers are in
.
The big question now: is there
an ROI? And is it enough to turn a profit? “In
determining ROI, it’s this little formula” - says
Nathanial. “You’ve got to, at least, get 45 to
55
percent margins on everything you do.
How I win is actually manufacturing my own
product in-house. I cut a lot of cost there. So,
I actually have a little advantage over other
brands who kind of source their stuff in China
and send it overseas internationally. And
they’ve got to wait weeks. They cut costs but
lose time. On my end, I actually have my fac-
tory connected to my showroom. Myself and
my design team are in the same space togeth-
er. We’re able to react with styles and trends
and we’re able to comfortably set a great ROI
before we go into production.”
In-house is not something every
startup designer can afford. While outsourcing
overseas is a common option it’s not the only
option. A new designer can outsource in town;
locally. “The key to everything is time-
management. If you can’t capture the time or
essence of when that style or that trend is
happening, or if you can’t capitalize off of it
during its peak or conception? You are 9 times
out of 10 going to miss the ball. You’ve got to
jump right in there. The only way you can re-
act is doing everything domestically. That’s
one thing we pride ourselves on in the position
we are in now, at least in the market. Is that
we manufacture and we make everything in
the good old US of America. That right there
gives us the reaction time that we need. Time-
lines will throw you off. Especially when you’re
trying to be a trendsetter. At the end of the
day, in the US market, that’s we’re they
should start at and establish. Once they get
the ball rolling then obviously they can look at
financial opportunities and financial cushions
by manufacturing products overseas as well.”
This election year, a point of concern is
job creation. U.S. manufacturing means you
will be a part of that solution. “I’m definitely
all about recycling the dollars within the area
of where I’m from” - says Nathanial. “I would
love to keep everything in the threshold of
staff where I can touch. The organic way of
doing things is having a family-orientated
company. I don’t mean you have to be related
but you have to have a family interaction. Our
motto is ‘Teamwork makes dream work. Defi-
nitely a true statement.” -
Tonisha L. Johnson
WWW.TOMIMAGAZINE.COM
NOVEMBER 2012 75
link