We recently connected with Thenard Valentin and have shared our conversation below.
Thenard, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the toughest parts of scaling a business is maintaining quality as you grow. How have you managed to maintain quality? Any stories or advice?
I pride myself in maintaining a high level of quality that distinguishes our brand from others. When communicating with manufacturers, I specify the materials, measurements, colors, and gsm. I learned through trial and error that if you don’t specify your expectations, you can potentially be forced to settle with something that doesn’t meet your standards. And have lost time and money. Ive learned that you have to be persistent, concise, and non compromising when attempting to produce your vision through apparel.
Advice to anyone that is starting a new clothing business is take your time, be patient, and don’t be afraid to spend money. Always request a sample (customized if given the option) in order to see the quality before committing financially. A sample can take two to three weeks to come in. Production can take three to four weeks to complete; also allow another week or two to deliver pending on where it is coming from. And last, pinching pennies will reflect in the quality. So if you value quality and want to set yourself apart from the competition, do the research and spend the money!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
To sum it up, FLUENT FOREIGNER is all about embracing individualism and not conforming to what others may deem is the norm; Being comfortable with yourself despite disagreement and ridicule. But in order to walk this path, you must first DECIDE. NO MORE EXCUSES.
At a young adolescent of Haitian descent, I was always interested in the trendy fashion but wasn’t afforded the luxuries due to my parents’ simple yet frugal way of life. I made the best with what I had and wore my slacks, button up shirts, sweaters, and shoes with pride. As I got older and was able to buy own clothes, I began to display my creativity in the way I dressed. I later decided that I could create my own apparel.
As a Christian, my walk is displayed through the messages (scripture & quotes), style, and garments. The objective is for the customer to relate to the message and see how it applies to their walk. When creating garments, you have to be able to tell a story that the customer can comprehend and relate to. Fellowship is also a factor in order to reach my target market. Im not only able to grasp the attention of those that seek quality, but able to explain the premise of the brand and speak on the process of every garment created.
I recently taken opportunities to speak at the local schools about entrepreneurship where we touched on the pros and cons of creating a business, how to apply for an LLC, and the starter tools to get it up and running.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
The biggest thing I had to unlearn is that just because it worked of someone else doesn’t mean that it will work for me.
I started my business with $500. I would look at other clothing lines that I liked and began to model my business after theirs. Due to the lack of finances and knowledge, I didn’t know where to start and couldn’t keep up with the a releases of the competition. So I started with accessories (fitted caps) because it was a market that I was familiar with and knew that there was a demand for it. I took the money from sales and got tees printed at a local shop. It was just a simple black short sleeve tee that said DECIDE. NO MORE EXCUSES on the front. I purchased 100 units and was selling them out the trunk of my car for $40. I began to realize that it was the fellowship that sold and not the tee. Being able to speak on what it meant to me and hearing how the message resonated with others was paramount. At that point, I realized that my business walk may not by like any other business.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
Ive already covered how I gained the initial capital to start the business. I decided early on that I wouldn’t take out any bank loans or lines of credit to fund the business. That decision forced me to be very selective on what I spent my money on. I figured that if I have to be selective, then I might as well go all in. Better quality means more sales. Along with my online store, I partnered with local storefronts to carry apparel in store which increased sales.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fluentforeigner.com
- Instagram: fluent_foreigner