We were lucky to catch up with Alvin Cooper III recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alvin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a time you helped a customer really get an amazing result through their work with you.
One of my clients gave one of his staff members a gift certificate to utilize my services as a performance bonus. His employee didn’t have the “mannequin body” and always had a difficult time finding clothing that fit properly. As a result, his attire did not represent the firm in the most professional manner. During our first custom clothing fitting he commented, “This is the first time I have ever had a shirt and suit that actually fit properly. I have always had to compromise with fit issues and have never felt comfortable!” After that, we completed the remainder of the wardrobe order that provided him with a variety of versatile options to wear in and out of the office. Not only was his boss happy with the results, he continued to excel in the office.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I am a Denver native that grew up going to fabric stores with my mom, who made my clothing as a young child. I acquired a love of fabrics and fashion as a result of my childhood along with having my first high school job in a men’s clothing store. After my college experience, I spent time as an athlete and coach before entering into the corporate workforce. Helping guys with fashion advice was always a part of my life, but I never thought it would lead to a career until I met a guy who sold custom suits. From there I was on a quest to start my own business helping guys dress better through custom clothing. Fit issues plagued me because of my athletic build as I could never find a shirt that fit properly, so going into this was also a win for me. I also knew guys who didn’t like going to the mall, so being a personal shopper didn’t make sense for those who didn’t like shopping. So I figured if I came to them and could provide a custom experience, I had a winning combination. CStyled was born in 2013 and I established a relationship with a brand partner to fulfill my product orders for clients. Clothing options include everything from formal wear to suits and shirts. I also have a large amount of casual clothing that a lot of guys found themselves wearing while working from home since the start of the pandemic. Working with grooms for their wedding day is also a speciality. We all know how much thought and effort the bride goes through to look amazing on that special day, and I want the groom to have a similar experience. Plus, I have never met a bride that rented her dress, so why should the groom wear an ill-fitting rented suit? You can’t photoshop bad fit and he’s in all the photos so he should look good, too!
To me, style is more than just clothing, it’s where you choose to live, eat, drink, travel, and much more. Exposing my clients to other experiences through special events has also been a part of my business over the years, ranging from a luxury wrist watch event, whiskey tastings, and a annual pedicure event. Look for upcoming blog posts on fashion, travel, libations, and grooming.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
I started my business part-time while I was co-running a shoe store. I knew I didn’t have enough savings in the bank to just walk away from my current position. Plus, when you are on straight commission it puts a lot of pressure on you to close sales. So I started my business one client at a time and for a while I worked 6-7 days a week. My schedule at the store was different every week so I would schedule clients on my days off or before/after my store shift. It was a grind for a while, but definitely worth it until I could break completely free after a few years.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Joining a business networking group and going to a lot of networking events has been my most effective way to grow. The conversation eventually leads to the “what do you do?” question which leads to a potential new client. It also helps that I can wear my product, making me a walking advertisement no matter where I am. I also started referring to myself as a haberdasher, which always strikes up a conversation. Because the majority of people have no idea what that is, it catches their attention and they are curious. At first, when I was using the title of stylist, people thought I cut hair and very few want my hair style (I am bald by choice) . Then I tried fashion stylist and that was also confusing, thinking I was a personal shopper. Haberdasher sounds intriguing and what guy doesn’t want to have haberdasher? It makes them feel cool, which it should because now they look great, too. Over 95% of my business comes from referrals and the rest from social media.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.CStyled.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/alvincooper www.instagram.com/denverhaberdasher
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/cooperstyled
Image Credits
Jill Houser Photography Gabriel Christus Photography Geovanny Flores Photography Waller Weddings