A little while ago, HC USC posted an article about an exciting new way for college students to shop online. At the time, DormStormer.com was still in the process of setting up future sales with brands ranging from Dolce Vita to Streets Ahead. The thought of being able to shop these brands with anywhere from 30-70% off led to much anticipation and finally, after months of waiting, that day has come. And what better brand to launch the site with than American Apparel! But before you make your way over to the site, check out this exclusive interview with one of the company’s co-founders, Adam Gausepohl, who is also a part of the Trojan Family!
Her Campus USC: How did the concept for DormStormer come about?
Adam Gausepohl: The idea came about in a USC classroom. I was taking a class in the entrepreneurship program and we were asked to come up with our own business. For a while my friend Bryant and I, along with my sister, Sarah had been thinking about building our own company and with this class assignment DormStormer was born. We originally set up an off-line sale at USC and had a great turn out. From there we realized the idea could be much bigger and decided to take it online so schools all across America could have access.
HC USC: What goes into setting up a company and what types of feelings arise as the launch date nears?
AG: A lot goes into setting up a company, from going to trade shows to meeting with brands and discussing your concept, to ensuring everything that goes on sale is photographed on our models so that it looks great when placed on the website. As the launch date arrives, we are making sure that everything on the site works and looks good and ensuring that we have all of the sample shot from all of the different companies we are working with in the first few weeks. Of course, we get nervous as the launch date arrives because there is so much to do! But being nervous comes a great deal of excitement; we know the launch will be huge and we can’t wait to see the response.
HC USC: How long does it usually take to organize a sale and what is the process like?
AG: It can take either as little as a few weeks or over a year. We have to build trusting relationships with the brand’s sales manager and go from there to get them on board for a sale. We usually go to trade shows and talk to them in person or go to their showrooms. They usually want to come on board because it creates brand loyalty with the students who will in the future remember these brands and the great discounts they offered.
HC USC: What types of brands do you specifically look to work with?
AG: We want to work with brands that college students like and are looking to buy from but can’t always afford them. We have students from FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) making sure all the brands we contact are ones that will be either already successful or ones that are up and coming and have styles college students will respond to.
HC USC: What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?
AG: Advice would be to work hard to make your concept the best it can be. Give it your very best shot and build a team of quality people that will help you get off the ground.
Now head over to DormStormer.com, sign up and start shopping guilt-free!