Year of Ours' Eleanor Haycock and Alejandra Hernandez on hitting the gas on growth
The Glossy Podcast · with Eleanor Haycock and Alejandra Hernandez · March 8, 2023 · 39 min
Summary
Year of Ours, an activewear brand, differentiates itself through a fashion-forward approach and celebrity endorsements, achieving consistent double-digit revenue growth without outside investment. The co-founders, Eleanor Haycock and Alejandra Hernandez, discuss their strategy for scaling the direct-to-consumer business from 20% to a higher percentage, emphasizing vertical integration via their factory ownership and strategic product category expansion. This episode offers valuable insights into bootstrapping success, brand differentiation in a crowded market, and calculated growth strategies for consumer brands.
Key takeaways
Leverage a distinct brand identity, like Year of Ours' fashion-forward activewear, to stand out in competitive markets and attract celebrity endorsements.
Consider vertical integration, such as owning a factory, to control production, ensure quality, and potentially improve profitability, even without external funding.
Prioritize profitable growth and solidify your team before aggressively scaling, as Year of Ours did, to ensure a sustainable expansion.
Strategically expand product categories (e.g., skiwear, swimwear) to diversify revenue streams and capture new market segments.
Develop a clear roadmap for increasing DTC sales, even if it currently forms a smaller portion of your total revenue, to maximize control and customer relationships.
Co-founded by Eleanor Haycock in 2016, L.A.-based Year of Ours is managing to differentiate itself in the crowded activewear category. That’s thanks, in part, to its fashion influence, which has earned the brand celebrity fans including Tinx and Hailey Bieber. The brand’s head designer, Alejandra Hernandez, is also a fashion stylist, for celebs including Britney Spears and Sza.
Despite no outside investment, Year of Ours has managed to own and operate a factory, double its revenue every year and expand to new product categories, including skiwear and comfort-focused Body apparel. Swimwear is next. Haycock and Hernandez said they also want to ramp up the brand’s direct-to-consumer sales, which currently make up just 20% of the business. And that’s just the start of their in-the-works plan for the next era Year of Ours.
"There is a heavy weight on us [to figure out] where we want to go, because we know there's so much potential, and we've learned so much. And we've been a bit relaxed on progressive growth,” Haycock said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “So we're at that point where we're like, 'OK, let's do this now. We have both feet on the ground, we're profitable, and we have a great team. Let's go.' But, we're asking, 'What does that look like?' And we're saying, 'Let's make sure we do it right.'"
Leverage a distinct brand identity, like Year of Ours' fashion-forward activewear, to stand out in competitive markets and attract celebrity endorsements.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Consider vertical integration, such as owning a factory, to control production, ensure quality, and potentially improve profitability, even without external funding.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Prioritize profitable growth and solidify your team before aggressively scaling, as Year of Ours did, to ensure a sustainable expansion.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Strategically expand product categories (e.g., skiwear, swimwear) to diversify revenue streams and capture new market segments.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Develop a clear roadmap for increasing DTC sales, even if it currently forms a smaller portion of your total revenue, to maximize control and customer relationships.
