They call themselves “two boneheads” who started an online t-shirt company and that Shopify made it ‘idiot proof.’

Meet Connor Curran and Dustin Paisley, the founders of Local Laundry.

They share their founder story of starting a business on the premises of doing it for the cheapest amount possible.

Connor had joked that in the beginning, he worried that his wife might have kicked him out if he had spent even a few hundred dollars on this venture.

Now, we are seeing their brand moving across Canada.

If you want to know the basic fundamentals of business, you would start a lemonade stand. If you want to learn the basic fundamentals of e-commerce, you start an online t-shirt company.

~Connor Curran

 

Key takeaways:

 

♦ How you can easily learn how to build your online store with Shopify

♦ Understand DROPSHIPPING. You do not need to handle or ship your own product.

♦ Why your brand should incorporate social responsibility

♦ Are apparel companies over-saturated online?

♦ What you can do to build ‘community’

♦ What kind of marketing is involved?

 

WATCH this interview to get inspired by Connor and Dustin’s successful founder story if you want to start a company on the cheap!

Interview Highlights:

 

2:05 – How the YYC brand was born

2:35 – He googled “How to make a t-shirt company” and built a store within a few hours using Shopify

3:00 – Connor knew NOTHING about fashion.

3:15 – Connor wanted a business where he could give 10% of his profits back to chartiy.  Learn about the ‘Giving Toque.”

4:45 – Starting in Calgary Canada and expanding to other cities and nationally.

6:05 – Where does their brand lie between the Roots brand and Lululemon?

6:38 – Connor and Dustin’s recent big announcement – 100% made in Canada!

7:30 – By sourcing locally, how does this effect the company’s profit margins?

9:23 – How Connor and Dustin came together to grow the brand.

11:05 – How quickly did they see profits – They describe their startup costs and drop-shipping.

13:15 – Can any “bonehead” start a t-shirt company?

14:20 – If starting a t-shirt company is easy, what makes it difficult?

14:40 – Discussing the added expense of retailers and inventory.

15:50 – Why you need to become some sort of media company to make it.

16:25 – How does a business align with charities and build community?

19:30 – How many hours are required to run this kind of company?

21:50 – The support needed from family and dividing time.

24:00 – The dark moments.

Connect with Local Laundry:

Local Laundry LinkedinLocal Laundry FacebookLocal Laundry InstagramVisit Local Laundry

Connect with Connor & Dustin:

Connor InstagramDustin InstagramLeave a comment below.