We recently connected with John Hinkel and have shared our conversation below.

John, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

The launch of my business is summed up with the phrase “one step at a time”. Often I did not know what the next step would be, so you just focus on the next immediate task. I knew I wanted to build a clothing company so I started with something to put on the clothing. My friend connected me with a local artist and he designed our company logo. My friend then connected me to a printer to make the clothing. Then he told me of local festivals and stores I could try to sell to. As I began selling, I met other business owners who connected me to accountants and tax preparers. Step by step I continue to build!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I had been thinking about starting a business for a while but wasn’t sure what I’d want to spend so much time on. The essence of the business has to be something you love and so for me I focused in on the outdoors, beach, sun, summer and the lake. I was watching my wife and friends of our getting kids etc. ready to go to the beach one day, and realized you need an array of clothing based on the weather. In warm months you might need a t-shirt, rain jacket or a baseball cap. In colder months you might need sweatshirts, a rain jacket or a winter hat. We all love to show off where we’re from so I tied the clothing into Lake Erie. I wanted the geography to be wide enough to appeal to people but not so wide that it didn’t feel relevant. A “lake” shirt could be for any lake but what I feel sets us apart is the tie to Lake Erie specifically. What I am most proud of is that the clothing gives you a way to brag about where you are from. We have received photos of customers in our clothing from Rhode Island to Chicago to Alabama to California!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Early on, we signed a contract to rent space in a store to sell our product. While the people were nice and I did learn a lot from other vendors, ultimately we didn’t sell a whole lot. The lesson here was that while one store may not be a fit, that doesn’t mean all store will not be a fit. Just as each company is it’s own entity, each retail store is it’s own entity. So don’t let one bad experience turn you off from other experiences.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My original idea was to provide all the supplies one would need for a day at the beach. I found it overwhelming to research so many products and so pivoted to launch the business in stages. They say the best way to start a business, is to start! So I had to take the overall vision and divide it into phases. We are in Phase One, the clothing phase. We want to expand into other beach accessories but will do so when we have more experience, money, and connections. I am hoping to one day meet someone that can guide us into Phase Two!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.erieshoresbeachlife.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559244937063

Image Credits

All pictures taken by John or Erin Hinkel