What lessons have you learned since starting Revtown Jeans?
Stafford: Working with great people makes things so much easier, whether it’s the folks on your team, in your company or the partners you choose. When we started this business, we truly believed that everyone could do well. And that means not just the folks on your team or your customers, but all your partners as well. We set that tone right away, but it’s amazing when you set that tone, how quickly your partners will work with you.
I have an extreme amount of respect for those entrepreneurs who build product companies. Whether it’s sneakers, computers or a pair of jeans, it’s not easy to make products from scratch. And you’re creating something, and I really respect people who have done that along the way. Before Revtown, I’d never worked with a company that developed a product from scratch. So respecting that hustle is definitely something I’ve learned.
Marketing a business, especially a new one, can sometimes be tricky. What would you say has been the best approach for marketing Revtown?
Stafford: I think we were smart enough to know we had to take our time with it. It’s easy to blow through your budgets in marketing. So anything from paid social to affiliate programs to influencers to traditional media, we were smart enough to set up a platform and learn all these things rather than just put all our eggs in one basket. We took that first year to learn and see how we could get better. Some of the first things we did stunk, and we learned from that. Of course, after it works, it’s common sense. [laughs] Set up a platter and figure out what’s working.
What does Revtown have planned for the future?
Stafford: Being a startup, it’s hard to look too far ahead. One thing is that we just launched our business with Nordstrom, which has been fantastic. It’s a big deal. They carry the best brands in denim, and we’re competing right there with them.
We are also launching a women’s line in the third quarter of this year. We launched our business just to men, and since the launch, over 35 percent of our business [has been] women. One of the biggest complaints we got was “I can get these products for my boyfriend or my husband, but I can’t get it for myself.” So we’re working on it and we’re really excited about it.
It also goes without saying, but just reaching new audiences across the country and continent is also within our plans.