This week, the HourlyNerd Founders Series stops at Blank Label, to say hi and learn from Danny Wong, the company’s co-founder, advisor, and lead evangelist. We talk about Inc 30 under 30, scaling advice, and personal branding.
Congrats on being Inc 30 U 30 – how has that changed your own personal brand?
I’m pretty lucky to have been recognized in Inc.’s 30 under 30 list in 2012. Awards are an incredible way to demonstrate credibility and generate press for a budding startup. For individuals, awards open the door for meeting many other highly motivated professionals. I’m grateful to be able to align myself with smart and talented entrepreneurs including Shane Snow of Contently and Dinesh Wadhwani of ThinkLite.
Blank Label has been killing it, how do you adapt as a business to meet the growing millennial generation?
Danny Wong Blank Label, Co-Founder, Advisor and Lead Evangelist
We learn to speak our audience’s language, through their preferred methods of communication, whether it be via SMS, Instagram, or email. Our products similarly evolve to adopt more timeless looks because we want our clients to purchase a garment they’ll wear for years and years to come. Instead of positioning our products as a bargain basement impulse buy, we make sure shopping at Blank Label is a thoughtful experience in which the client knows exactly what he wants and gets just that.
After scaling a business, what advice do you have for entrepreneurs who are in a rut looking to scale?
Companies should prioritize people. The staff you hire matters in building a successful business. Furthermore, the influencers, vendors, and customers you partner with will surprise you, so treat everyone fair and well. Influencers can provide much-needed fuel for your marketing campaigns. Vendors can help you deliver a better product to customers. And your customers can spread positive word of mouth and share gushing testimonials.
How do you define a disruptive company and how is Blank Label disruptive?
Innovative businesses take their craft to another level. Ideally, they raise standards across their industry and, consequently, encourage customers to demand more from other brands and their suppliers. At Blank Label, we’ve innovated by simplifying the way men shop to provide them with clothes that actually fit in styles and designs that will stay consistently classy, instead of the fast, fleeting trends brands such as Zara and J. Crew promote.
You write for some well-established publications. How has content helped you and your business?
Content has been a critical component of our business, as it has helped us develop empathy for what a newsworthy story is. As a blogger, I’ve received thousands of pitches from entrepreneurs, PR folk, and marketing representatives. While I rarely cover breaking news, I’ve learned what it takes to package company milestones, product updates, and industry trends into news that real journalists and reporters want to cover. So, for Blank Label, I’ve helped us land placements in The New York Times, Slate Magazine, Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and hundreds of others.
Where do you see Blank Label in 2020?
Blank Label is the Brooks Brothers and J. Crew of 2020. Soon, every man who even remotely cares about his looks or what he wears will adopt custom as the only way to purchase their favorite garments. For shirts, suits, jackets, and chinos, off-the-rack menswear will be a thing of the past.
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