We were lucky to catch up with Good Boy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Good, thanks for joining us today. So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.

Donations to good causes are possibly one of the easiest ways to be there for others though it is where many people struggle on knowing where to start. In 2020, Good Boy Mercantile became a resource for those to have the option at checkout whether or not $10 gets matched and sent to places such as Insulin for Life USA, Northwest Community Bail Fund, First Nations, Women for Women International, Doctors Without Borders, and GoFundMe accounts of various needs. Donations occur at the end of every month and divided to as many sources as possible, if 10 people choose this option, it is doubled and becomes $200, and so on. For the month of November, $200 was donated for a GoFundMe medical bill and another $100 was used to purchase canned soups and hot foods to local houseless people in Bellingham, WA. $10 can do a lot of good on your end, and you can be proud to wear Good Boy when you know what it does to your community.

Good, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Good Boy Mercantile is a chainmail artisan, specializing in handcrafted medieval techniques that celebrates hardness and softness through hypoallergenic materials. Pushing the limit of what chainmail can be. Chainmail that is worn as a necklace or decorated on a wall, drops through the website often sell out within the day.

Good Boy was created in January 2020. After losing their job in quarantine, they used their last $30 to start their business. This was not only to sell the t-shirts and prints they made in College at Western Washington University, but as a building block for mutual aid during the Black Lives Matter movement and quarantine via Covid-19, both in which specifically targeted Black, Indigenous, People of color, and Houseless people, providing monetary aid to communities that were often abandoned or incarcerated. To this day, Good Boy Mercantile doubles donations every month to be divided to great causes and to individuals still experiencing struggle.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

As a first generation Filipino Hispanic American navigating a white centered field, I am often going above and beyond to create the facade that I am a serious person that deserves to be taken seriously. I find this to make me really unapproachable as I attempt to do what other successful business are doing, but find that what truly makes business successful is being relatable and vulnerable.

A few months ago I started editing my jewelry into funny photos I saw going viral, or complaining in my reels. With the chainmail bags that I have been selling out of every drop, I like to think that creating a “What’s in YOUR bag?” series featuring objects that were fun like “bribe money” or handcuffs made my photos be shared wildly. I started thinking what’s the point if I’m not having a good time? It may be cringe, but I am free,

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I was at a party where we were up till 4am, and started talking about how hungry we were. It was easy for all of us to work together on various tasks, beans, herbs, noodles, stirring, tasting. But, the person who seemed to be the head chef of this meal said the words “When you think you have just the right amount, add a little more” between adding splashes of olive oil and whatever else. That notion changed my life, it is applied to all intricate designs and the philosophy is sprinkled into all the gears that runs Good Boy Mercantile

Contact Info:

• Website: https://goodboymercantile.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodboymercantile/?hl=en

Image Credits

Good Boy Mercantile