Today we’d like to introduce you to Curtis Brown.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Curtis. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I first got the idea to start a business as a way to invest into something while I save up for my larger goal of investing in real estate. I originally planned on buying wholesale items and reselling them online or just buying generic items in bulk to be resold online. Then I got the idea that what I was selling would be more unique and stand out more if I built it into an actual brand.
I was looking for something that I would be interested in selling and working on, but also something that I could wear and market myself everyday. I’d seen some people do wooden watches before, but I couldn’t really see myself wearing one. After some research, I decided on minimalist watches because I love the design of them and felt like I could definitely build something with them. After a couple months of sourcing and working with manufacturers, I had my first round of inventory in production!
Has it been a smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. As a business owner, there is constantly something that needs to be fixed, improved, or worked on. Since this is my first time running a business, every task was brand new to me – some were tougher than others, but what I struggled with most (and continue to struggle with) is simply building brand awareness.
I’ve tried several different things such as Facebook/Instagram ads, reaching out to and collaborating with social media ‘influencers’, organically building my social media and a few other things. I’ve had some success with each one of these, but the most difficult part is being consistent. So, currently, I’m looking to optimize a couple different strategies and get consistent results so I can scale the business even further.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Black Tie Watch Co. is a Houston, TX based minimalist watch brand specializing in modern, affordable watches for men and women. What sets us apart and also what I’m most proud of is the relationships we’ve built with our customers. I believe that customer service is an underrated part of business and it’s also the easiest part to get right. There have been times where it’s been late at night and I’ve stayed up to solve an order issue with a customer. It doesn’t cost you anything but a little extra time out your day to leave a positive impression and I’ve found that it also increases the chance that they’ll refer us to their friends or family!
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
As an e-commerce business, I guess it wouldn’t really matter where the company was based, but I think that Houston is definitely a positive place to do business in. There are so many opportunities to collaborate and network with other people in the city. Before the outbreak happened, there were always mixers or networking events happening and I know that once things go back to normal, there will be more events to meet new people and expand the reach of my brand.
Pricing:
- All of our pieces are between $60 and $110
- Average price is around $80
Contact Info:
- Website: BlackTie-Watches.com
- Email: Sales@blacktie-watches.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blacktiewatchco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackTieWatch/
Suggest a story: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
