Beyond the Brick and Mortar with Duquette Johnston

Show Notes

Background and Business Journey

  • Young Maven:
    • Founded by Rob and Bob, the oldest manufacturers of hemp clothing in the US
    • Partially owned by an investment group in Birmingham
  • Evolution of Young Maven:
    • Duquette’s vision for hyper-focusing and working with small businesses
    • Conflict with selling during the pandemic and desire for more original products
    • Experience with Levi’s and decision to discontinue carrying their products

Club Duquette Origins and Philosophy

  • Initial phases:
    • Pre-launch community building through blog and newsletter
    • Emphasis on trust and connection with the audience before selling
  • Business challenges:
    • Pricing, margins and retail vs. online sales
    • The decision to close the brick-and-mortar store due to personal and professional reasons
  • Rebranding and evolving Club Duquette:
    • Transition to online store, focus on unique products and community engagement
    • Introduction of new product categories and consulting services

Community and Customer Engagement

  • Importance of building community:
    • Use of playlists and newsletters to foster connection
    • Preference for experiential retail spaces and personalized customer engagement
  • Business ethos:
    • Genuine passion for the products and authentic customer interaction
    • Creating a fulfilling and engaging community space

Leadership and Employee Relations

  • Philosophy on leadership and management
  • Emphasis on slow productivity, intentional work and elevating employees
  • Challenges and importance of empowering employees and maintaining positive relationships
  • Example of current and past employees and their contributions

Reflections and Future Plans

  • Personal and professional growth:
    • Learning from challenges and evolving accordingly
    • Emphasis on adaptability and acceptance of change
  • Future plans for Club Duquette: Continued focus on hyper-focusing the brand, working with small businesses and creating a community-driven experience

Find full show notes, including links mentioned in the episode, at carrierollwagen.com.

Carrie Rollwagen

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