A fellow ‘Cac-er, Brian Ayers, started Goodees clothing, an awesomely comfortable clothing brand with social conscious. We talked to Brian quickly about what Goodees is and where he hopes to go. Happy shopping!
Name: Brian Ayers
Hometown: Southborough, MA
College: Middlebury College
What is goodees? Where did the idea come from?
Goodees is a preppy lifestyle brand focused on style, quality, and social conscience. I started Goodees because I like the look of the current preppy clothing companies, but don’t like how they inflate their prices to become a status symbol. I wanted to create a brand that delivers the same quality, good looking clothing but puts an emphasis on fair prices and giving back to the community (each design is embroidered with the logo of a non-profit and 5% profit donated to that organization).
How is goodees different from other clothing brands?
I think the social conscience aspect is what sets it apart. I don’t have any investors I have to answer to so I can build the business from the perspective of what I would want from a company as a consumer. I’m not forced to focus solely on profits. I want to make Goodees more meaningful then just clothing.
Was it hard for you to start your own company? Can you explain how you did it?
It is definitely a time commitment. I took an entrepreneur class during our one-month January term freshman year, which gave me the time and guidance to begin contacting manufacturers to get started. After that it has just been a constant process of problem solving. Ranging from being scammed by a manufacture in China to my website crashing the night before launch, every day poses a new problem to overcome.
What is your favorite product from the brand?
Definitely the pullover. It’s the product I knew I really wanted to make before I got started. I wear one almost everyday. We’re finishing up the final touches on full-zip and no-zip hoodies that are coming out soon that are unbelievably comfortable too.
College students love goodees! Do you cater to students?
Yeah college students have been our target audience starting out. I feel like this type of style is very popular on a lot of campuses, and having fair prices helps out the college budget too.
Where do you see goodees five years from now?
Hopefully big. Making Goodees a well-known brand on campuses across the country is our goal.