Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Holmes.
Hi Sean, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Nectar Sunglasses was founded in 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. The move home to Richmond, Virginia was a short-lived time where the business relocated to help grow in the early stages. Our hometown had much deeper connections and relationships that helped launch Nectar into the world. As things started to progress, we were looking to bring the Company somewhere closer to the ocean on the east coast in order to be able to fully live the brand we were building. After a few visits to Charleston, South Carolina it just felt like the right place for Nectar to land.
Charleston has been home now for 8 years and this is where the brand and Company have grown up and matured along the way. Nectar has always been an east coast brand and we have now really leaned into our backyard in every way by focusing our content and partnerships with other like-minded folks from the east coast. All of our product collections are named after east coast cities, towns, and locations that we love.
We are launching a campaign called “Salt of the East” which is a play-off of the saying “salt of the earth”. There are lots of connections to being from the east coast and our side of the country which is aligned with the Atlantic Ocean. This Company was built around the love for the ocean and being outside. In our industry, the west coast gets all of the love. We have mountains, oceans, lakes, and rivers too and they are all incredible. This side of the country wakes up earlier and was built off of hard work and hustling which is what inspires me to continue down my journey.
Our product has evolved from a $20 dollar party pair of sunglasses to an incredible polarized product with frames that are 100% eco-friendly.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been some smooth patches for sure but plenty of bumps along the way! One of the biggest challenges has always been on the product development side. We are always looking for new ways to improve our products and with that comes lots of testing and failing at certain ideas and things that just don’t quite work out the way you intend them to which in turn, become slow-moving inventory. Dealing with physical products has lots of challenges from design, prototyping, production times, tooling, shipping, and then finally selling the products. Over the years, we have refined all of these things and continue to mitigate the slow-moving inventory, lower shipping costs, and strengthen relationships with our suppliers. It’s a challenge that I love at the end of the day because I truly enjoy the constant evolution of problem-solving in real-time.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We’re known for our polarized sunglasses and love of the good things in life. We believe quality sunglasses should be affordable and make what you see even better. That’s why we cover them for life with our lifetime warranty. Our sunglasses are made with recycled plastics, and we’re looking forward to making more sustainable products. We’re proud to be from the East Coast and show the Salt of the East.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Our business PC (Pre Covid), was going well and this crisis taught me a lot about myself and was a gut check of the reality that there are so many things out of our control. We seemingly had it easy now looking back and Covid put things into perspective for me in a way that I had never had before. I learned that we can adapt quickly, work remotely, and batten down the hatches when we need to. We were fortunate to have landed some really positive partnerships during the Crisis as well as everyone looking to go outside which was conducive for selling sunglasses.
The challenges we are still facing are in the logistical world that has really not seemed to come back to where they were. Lead times are higher, transit times are incredibly unpredictable which makes it nearly impossible to underpromise and overdeliver (pun intended). Shipping price inflation is still 6-10x what it was before covid and this is something we have had to work through as a Company.
Pricing:
- $39-$59 -Classic line – Polarized sunglasses made with 100% recycled frames
- $85-$120 – Premium Acetate Collection – High-quality eco-friendly frames with injected polarized lenses
- $49 – Blue Light Blocking Collection – Built for working on computers and filters out harmful blue light to reduce eye strain
- $120 – Snowboard Goggles – These are spherical, polarized lenses that come with a low light option with each pair
- $20-$35 – Hats & Beanies – All made from premium performance materials
Contact Info:
- Email: info@nectarsunglasses.com
- Website: https://www.nectarsunglasses.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nectarsunglasses/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nectarsunglasses
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/nectarsunglass
Image Credits
Paul King
