We were lucky to catch up with Andrew Frischer recently and have shared our conversation below.

Andrew, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

FOM 9 Designs. I spent 24 years Active Duty Navy, specifically in the Submarine Force as a part of and leading Navigation Teams. Our world is driven by GPS, from workout watches to driving our car, as two of the most common examples, and as a Navigator you always have to know how accurate your devices are to determine if you are where you really think you are. FOM, which stands for Figure of Merit, is the most common way to measure the accuracy of GPS. Where FOM 1 is the most accurate, FOM 9 is the least. I went with FOM 9 as an homage to my roots in navigation but also as a twist on the concept of where you find yourself. When you’re at a FOM 9 you’re free of the tethers and boundaries that are put in place, free to explore outside the lines, and free to get lost in yourself and the world around you. At a FOM 9, you can be whatever you want to be.

Andrew, 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?

I grew up in Western Oregon in the sleepy town of Forest Grove, far from the ocean. Dreaming of adventure and travel, I joined the Navy at 18 and spent 24 years in the Submarine Force, circumnavigating the globe multiple times. I was an ANAV, or Assistant Navigator, the pinnacle of my rate (job) in the Submarine Force. As the senior enlisted Navigation expert onboard the boat (boat not ship, they are subs), my job was to Navigate the ship, plan and prepare operations, and train the officers and enlisted sailors in the art and science of Navigation. I fell deeply in love with the craft, like taking a blank chart and developing and planning every element of a whole voyage to a faraway destination. I dreamt for some time about creating a T-shirt company that celebrated what we do, but never had the time to explore it. When my final assignment brought me to San Diego in 2016 to teach at the Submarine School house on Point Loma, I saw a community rich in nautical history and proud of their heritage, both civilian and military. So after retirement from the service, and knowing I could never stand a desk assignment or “regular” 9 to 5, I took a job teaching Navigation to the US Navy and Merchant Marines, feeling I still had more to give. When the pandemic struck and the world shutdown, shipping and US Navy kept going. I found myself stuck on ships for long periods of time, so I started designing shirts, and before long I had created a whole line I thought I could be proud of. That’s where FOM 9 was born, out at sea, under the stars, far from the shores. We’ve now been going strong for almost two years. The brand and the community it’s building is only getting stronger. FOM 9 designs is dedicated to those Sailors, Seafarers, Mariners, Pirates and Buccaneers around the world who choose to sail the seas or simply seek an adventurous life.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Keeping in touch with my clients can only happen with the help of the internet and social media. Most customers are overseas, in remote locations or disconnected from the world for periods of time while sailing or deployed. Using apps like What’s app, email, or DM’s thru social media, I’ve been able to create real connections. By sharing stories and challenges that every sailor can relate to, I’ve talked to yachtsmen in Australia, Pakistani Navigators, and Cruise Ship Captains. Brand loyalty comes from our shared experiences and love of what we do and the stories and experiences we share. And I genuinely love and respect what I do. I also believe the authenticity of the art and the details, makes all the difference. From those who have never sailed but are curious to those who have spent a life in the salt and sea, the feedback has been overwhelmingly gracious and welcoming.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

The Top 5 for me… 1.) Nautical publications from the big three; Bowditch, Duttons and Farwells.
2.) “The Power of Scarcity” by Mindy Weinstein.
3.) “Contagious: How to Build Word of Mouth in the Digital Age” by Jonah Berger
4.) “The Art of Possibility” by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
5.) “The Innovator’s Dilemma” by Clayton Christensen

Contact Info:

• Website: FOM9.myshopify.com
• Instagram: fom_9designs
• Facebook: FOM9Designs
• Other: Threads – fom_9designs