Peeling Behind Do Good Clothing
Meet Seth.
Seth is authentic. You'll taste that in the heartfelt answers he offers to describe his clothing company, its vision, and his story.
Do Good Clothing Company is derived from the notion that we can do good in small and meaningful ways.
Do Good just launched their brand new site! And in the same week, we're privileged to peel behind Seth's passion.
1. What does success look like for Do Good Clothing?
I’ve rewritten my response to this question multiple times. However, I can’t find the words to describe it.
It’ll be a feeling, I think. A moment where we realize we’ve changed the way people think about consumerism.
Our mission is to push large corporations to donate portions of every purchase. I want consumers to make it an expectation for their favorite brands.
I want it to be a prerequisite. Doing good should be at the forefront of every business. Because, why the hell not? There is plenty to go around so why not share it? In our opinion success is a perfect mixture of sustained, smart, work, and passion. You have to be insanely passionate about what you do to be the best at it.
No exceptions.
Credit Jason Hales Photography
2. What do you think attracts people to Do Good initially? How do you strive to showcase that?
Simply, our purpose.
In the words of Simon Sinek, "People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” This sentiment is the core of Do Good.
Our products will sell themselves to an extent. They’re cool, comfy, well-made, and reasonably priced. Combine those qualities with a positive purpose and ambitious mission that focuses on giving back and I think you’ll have something pretty special.
I have no expectations. Seriously. If nothing comes from this besides being a reminder to our friends and family that doing good is important, I’m fine. We’re fine. This wasn’t and will never be about the money, or sales, or cool products. Those are just symptoms of your business' story. It’s all about the story. A story easily overlooked.
It’s a story about someone doing something nice for someone else, just because they want to.
Credit Jason Hales Photography
3. What is a business lesson you wish you would have known 2 years ago / 2 months ago?
It’ll never be perfect on the first try, or the hundredth.
Business is, in part, attrition. Not outlasting your competitors, but outlasting yourself.
Pushing yourself harder than you could have envisioned when you started, or even five seconds in the past. I knew it would be difficult, but had no idea its personal impact.
You find out extremely quickly what your friendships are made of. Daily, I’m faced with friends and family looking for roadblocks to toss in our path. And they do so with reckless abandon, no assistance added. It can easily be misinterpreted as malice or hatred. It’s not. They love you. They just envy you. They envy your passion and drive. They envy your lust for the purpose.
4. What are you reading right now and is it any good?
Personally, I don’t read often, per se. I’m visually impaired so the majority of my learning is audio or video based.
I love podcasts so let’s go with that.
I religiously listen to The Tim Ferriss Show.
I’m not a fitness or self-experimentation zealot but I’m obsessed with studying those who’ve built their own future -- people who take calculated risks on progressive ideas.
That’s what’s interesting to me.
Credit Jason Hales Photography
5. What do you credit the growth of Do Good? And what role has social media played?
All credit goes to those who’ve followed, liked, shared, and encouraged Do Good along the way. Social media is crucial. Think about it.
How often do you get on BBC or CNN or Fox News websites to get your news? Never, for me.
I use Facebook and Instagram as a starting point for just about everything I do. The power behind these platforms is inconceivable.
Currently, Instagram is the hub for fashion.
The biggest problem I’ve encountered is that everyone else knows it. It’s super-saturated with the best fitness, nutrition, goods, art, and design possible. Regardless, it’s still possible to carve out your niche and capitalize on a captive, obsessive audience.
We are blown away at the explosion of our social growth. It all goes back to story and purpose.
Our goal for our media accounts is for visitors to know exactly who we are and what we stand for in the first 10 seconds and what we do in the next 20 seconds.
We will see if it translates into action on the sales side!
Credit Jason Hales Photography
6. What do you think is the biggest missed opportunity for businesses online?
They miss the opportunity to connect emotionally with their customer.
Anyone can make and sell cool products. Anyone.
Want to double your annual sales? Connect.
Show them a message they can relate to. Make them feel something. Good or bad, just never indifferent. It’s super easy to sell cool products, super easy. However, without purpose, story, and connection your value is fleeting.
Credit Jason Hales Photography
7. As an Instagram follower, I feel like I know who you are and would recognize you in a crowd at Ponce before an Atlanta United game. How do you balance sharing yourself and keeping your personal brand and professional business separate — if at all?
I don’t. We don’t separate the two.
As an owner of a startup, you are the face.
People want to see your thought process, your creativity, your execution. Sharing your process and ideas is taboo for most. Why?
Most “secrets” are a Google search away. Your idea and process are rarely revolutionary. And if it is, share the shit out of it. People will love you for it.
Every day, when my late father dropped me off at school, I would say, "Thanks.” and closed the door. He would roll down the window or force the car door back open and yell,” Hey! Do something nice for someone today.” or “Be good to somebody.” I would say,”Okay” or nothing at all and hurry away, embarrassed.
It’s so simple. Just be good to people. So damn easy. He, along with the kindness and sacrifice of my mother, instilled the value of goodness in me. And for that, I am eternally grateful.
Be kind, and do good.
Credit Jason Hales Photography
Do Good Clothing launched their new website this week!
Follow them on their Instagram page and check out their incredible cause and swag. It took me no time to find an amazing shirt I loved and can't wait to wear.