Now that we have settled into 2010, it feels like a good time to let everyone know what we have been up to at hoodiepoeple.com.  Here is a quick background to get you caught up, we launched hoodiepeople.com in Nov 2008, our team has grown to four (+3 contractors), there are 44 great brands from all different style categories on the site.  hp is based the San Francisco Bay Area and have a small office in Petaluma and a photo studio in Pt. Richmond.  Since day one all the people you see on hoodiepeople.com modeling hoodies are friends and FoF, and the team grew up together in Marin County and later worked together in software sales, where the idea for the biz was born.

The company is 100% independently owned, we started with less than $5,000 of inventory and five brands and have only taken a few small investments from friends and family.  In 2010 we are going to be out raising some money for the company and hopefully will be able to tap into the new SBA loan programs and connect with a great angel investor.  While 2009 was an extremely challenging year for any business and especially rough on retail, we were small enough to weather the slim months (Feb-July) and aggressive enough to keep building our selection of brands and styles, and firmly establish the website in key search results on google to really blow out the 4th quarter and end the year with great growth.  Overall 2009 was an amazing first year for the company and we are extremely excited about really crushing it in 2010 and beyond.

Tomorrow we are heading the the huge Magic Apparel trade show in Las Vegas, which will be the 4th time we have gone.  This year marks a big change as we are mainly meeting with current brands to do our big fall buy. We will def be walking the floor to scout out fresh new brands, but in years past our main mission was to get out and meet lots of new brands.  Fall 2010 will be our biggest ever with major new brands, new categories, and an amazing exclusive launch Hitting the trade shows is a great way to see the whole macro industry and all the cool niches in one place.

I’ll be doing a few more of these posts to look at a few of the main areas of the business, what we are up to, and how we do it at hp.  Let me know in the comments or email me at hasan@hoodiepeople.com if you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions.

Tags: company news, hoodie company, hoodie people update, hoodiepeople, hoodiepeople.com, startup, startup company

Big news from hoodiepeople HQ, we are very excited to announce the addition of Aaron “Dub” Dolores to the team in the new custom tailored role of Director of Promotions.  Aaron has been a strong supporter of hoodiepeople since the very early days and now joins the team to manage the promotional side of the business.  Aaron brings a wealth of energy, connections, and passion to the table and will be a key factor in the continued growth and evolution of our startup.  Coming off two huge grassroots events that exceeded everyone’s expectations (Block Obama Party 2009 and My Two Hands Summer Groove Session) it will be very exciting to see what he can pull off next.

Taking a little trip back to early October 2008 we did a big photo shoot in SF right before we launched the site, Aaron was there as one of the original hp models. Big shots out to Laura, Dakota, Shake, and Shawn who also rocked the first shoot. So moving forward look out for a bigger hoodiepeople presence at local clubs, concerts, and most cool events, as well as some exclusive hoodiepeople parties coming up. We are hoping to build a huge online and offline base of hoodie people worldwide but it def all starts in the Bay, and Aaron will be the go to guy to get things rollin.

If you have an event or cool idea to share or just want to say hello hit him up at: adolores (AT) hoodiepeople . com

Tags: aaron dolores, hoodiepeople, startup, team

Last night I had the great pleasure of meeting Tony Hsieh, CEO of the massively successful retail site zappos.com.  As a testament to the usefulness of twitter and the approachability of Tony, I found out he was in San Francisco from a tweet, replied to him asking if he was going to be around later, and he invited me to a event he was attending at Mighty Bar (all via twitter), where a friend of his was doing an exclusive tasting of their new premium Liquor called Haamonii, which was delicious by the way.

So off I went barreling into SF with high hopes of meeting someone I greatly admire and respect, even if I only got to chat with him for a few minutes and it took me 45 mins to get into the city, I knew it would be well worth the trip.  While driving in at a slightly faster speed then the posted speed limit to ensure I actually would have some time to chat, I formulated a number of questions, mostly related to growing an eCommerce startup, raising money for inventory and marketing in a horrible economic climate, and getting feedback on our single category approach to online apparel sales.  One of the ways we describe our vision and strategy for hoodiepeople.com is “be for hoodies what zappos.com is to shoes, the preferred online destination for shoppers”.   I closely follow zappos in the news and Tony has helped me out a number of times with quick convo’s via twitter on early stage issues and advice.   He is undoubtedly one of the most approachable, transparent, and successful people in the world and if you get a chance to meet him or hear him speak, just do it, you will not be disappointed.

Upon arriving at Mighty, a cool bar in the  SOMA/Mission area of SF, I quickly spotted Tony and introduced myself.  First thing he did was introduce me to Alex, the UPS truck driver that serves Zappos in SF.  Tony asked how we ship, how much we pay, and a few other details and told me to get in touch with Alex regarding getting a zappos like rate for our small startup.  He specifically mentioned to push for a great shipping rate and that tracking a package and facilitating easy returns is a key factor in creating a great online shopping experience.  Point one taken.

From there I preceded to ask a slew of business related questions, which Tony addressed each time, but also dug a bit deeper and continually brought me back to one central point, is this business going to provide a source of personal satisfaction and happiness even if it never grows into a massive success.

I was literally stopped in my tracks a few times by this question, the truth being I’m not a huge hoodie fanatic or especially embedded into hip hop or surf/skate culture.  Personally my passion revolves around building a great business, being independent, and being  current and connected with the online community.   However, the hoodie is really special, I think its a clothing item that is rooted in self expression, utility, and comfort, hoodies are both useful and stylish.

It was clear Tony is far more interested in helping people find their passions, and guiding them to pursue them, then giving advice on improving conversion rates.  While he is highly knowledgeable in e-commerce and marketing, there is something much more important at play, and he very openly guides you to those big picture questions, so that you don’t end up following a path for the wrong reasons. Point two Taken.

Take a minute to check out this cool Nighline feature on company culture at Zappos to see how much they do to live by their core values and encourage people to be themselves and be great.

Tags: ecommerce, happiness, startup, Tony Hsieh, zappos

As a small start-up launched two months ago in the midst of the financial meltdown, we are most thankful for simply being alive and hugely thankful to the many people that have helped us get things moving.  This holiday season has a much different feeling to it then the few previous years.  Rather then being about doing it big the focus is on getting together and sharing.  A down economy hurts in many ways but it also forces us to take a step back and remember whats most important.

A huge thanks to all the fresh models/homies for making us look good.  There are also a few people crazy enough to invest their money and to them we are hugely grateful and very intent on making look good.  There is a small but vibrant community of friends locally and across the web on blogs, facebook, flickr, twitter, and myspace who have contributed in many different ways and we are massively thankful for your support.  Big big thanks to Jasper (lead designer) and all the folks at interpsire.

With the new year coming we are also hugely thankful that Barack Obama is going to be leading the country and are hopeful that our local and international communities emerge stronger and more peaceful.  Wrapping this up on a very important and slightly personal note, a huge, massive, endless thanks goes out to our wives/fiances for all your support and willingness to let us push forward.

In light of all the doom and gloom out there we hope everyone takes this oppertuity to come together, enjoy life, and give thanks for all that we have.

Tags: give thanks, hoodie, hoodiepeople.com, hoodies, startup, thanksgiving

Ladies, gentlemen, and hoodie people across the world, it is with great pleasure that I officially announce the launch of hoodiepeople.com, a great place for fresh hoodies online.  Over the last three months of hard work this idea has evolved into something real.  hoodiepeople.com is rooted in the social web and aims to be much more than an online store; our goal is to be the source and destination for hoodies and the people who love them.

Our mission is to provide customers with fresh hoodies that bring warmth, comfort and style for years to come, while continually discovering and promoting new styles to keep you looking good.

Shopping online has been a major part of the web since the early days, but lately the web has become a much more fun and social experience, where ideas, news, and even hoodies, spread quickly around the world through social connections.  The three founders, Hasan, Akio, and Aaron grew up and went to school together in the San Francisco Bay Area and share a common interest in fashion, culture, business, and the social web.  This company, too, got started from a simple comment between friends which and has since taken on a life of its own.  Many other friends, new and old, have contributed their encouragement, expertise, and time to make this all come together.  Our thanks go out to our families, friends, and partners around the world that have helped us.

Being a Bay Area based company, the current brand selection partners reflect the eclectic and divergent styles that flourish and define this unique region.  We proudly feature hoodies from the legendary urban artist collective Upper Playground, and local SF based Lady Noir, which offers mod-inspired designs with a splash of sexy.  Looking beyond the Bay, hoodiepeople has partnered with San Diego based Jedidiah Clothing to lead our surf category.  Jedidiah is a company rooted in love, with a deeply inspiring mission and record of taking direct action to help others.  The inspiration we draw from really cool hoodies is elevated to the next level by the people, companies, and community with which we are able to represent and be a part of.

Over the next months and years we will continue along our path of building our small startup into a world class business.  We are anxious to get your feedback and welcome all ideas and suggestions.  If you would like to connect, please drop us a line at team@hoodiepeople.com.

To help set the festive mood, use coupon code: grandopening2008 at checkout and save 10% off your first order.  Its a hoodie celebration.

Tags: hoodie, hoodiepeople.com, launch, social commerce, startup, sweatshirts