Today we’d like to introduce you to Tom Tu.
Tom, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I was an undergrad at UCI, I honestly had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. I was a Chemistry major with a Biology minor but that didn’t mean much. My older brother was headed towards becoming a ER doctor and my parents expected something similar from me. I hopped around from job to job to figure out what interested me most.
I had spent time in the pharmacy and research but ultimately I decided to work towards a dental degree after working some time in a dental office as an assistant. Looking back, I was never truly interested in it but it seemed the best option from my experience. I eventually graduated with my D.D.S from UCLA School of Dentistry. Soon after, I began working as a general dentist.
In the five years, I’ve been out of school I’ve worked at over 10 different dental offices. I have experienced dentistry in everything from private offices, corporate offices, to mobile clinics, and community clinics. Currently, I work at two community clinics, working a total of 50hrs./week Mon-Sat. Since graduating from dental school, I have gotten married, had my first child and bought my first and second home.
In retrospect, so much has happened and for the most part, I have had a very fortunate post-graduate life. Unfortunately, my relationship with dentistry has never blossomed into more than a job and a paycheck. This is mildly bothersome considering I spend more time doing dentistry than anything else in my life. However, where I lack passion for dentistry, I make up for it in my passion for entrepreneurship and my new company Black Finch.
In the Summer of 2017, my wife and I founded our scrub company, Black Finch. The origin story is quite simple. Because I work in LA and live in Orange County, I spend anywhere from two-three hours a day on the road. During that time, I do a lot of deep thinking and let my mind go wild.
During one of my drives home, I started to think about all the things I could do outside of dentistry to make an extra income or potentially take me away from Dentistry completely. Just as a thought, designing and producing fashionable medical scrubs popped into my head. Almost immediately after, my wife Maria called me to chat as I drove home.
During our conversation, I decided to bring up my wild idea of starting a scrub company. Interestingly, instead of laughing at the idea, Maria showed support. Moreover, she encouraged me to start the company immediately. “There would be no better time than now,” she responded.
Her reasoning was that she would start school in a little over a year at which point it would be increasingly hard to start a business. The very next day, I started researching “how to start your own clothing company.” Black Finch, LLC was established July 21, 2017.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Does any journey in life go smoothly? No, our journey was a rocky one, especially in the beginning. Neither one of us had a background in fashion or business. Great ideas are a dime a dozen but the execution is key and we had no idea how to execute.
But through, tons of research on Google, YouTube, and entrepreneurial podcasts we started somewhere. Was it the right place to start? Probably not. Did we lose a ton of money going in the wrong direction? Yup. However, we somehow were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and met some folks that made our journey easier.
More specifically, right when we felt very down about failing to find the right fabric and manufacturer for our first scrub line, Maria met and befriended a mom at my daughter’s toddler gym who’s husband helps companies source and manufacture apparel. So, BOOM we were in business. Like I said, right place at the right time.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Black Finch – what should we know?
Black Finch makes high-end premium scrubs for the medical industry. Our company was built on the concept of bridging the gap between business casual and basic scrubs. For so long, medical professionals have worn scrubs that were ill-fitting and horrendously styled. However, with the hectic lifestyle of health care providers, it’s no wonder they choose to not care and put on scrubs every morning.
It takes no thought and is highly efficient. However, dated scrubs tend to lack style and flare and resemble pajamas more than something a professional should wear. Black Finch aims to change that. Our styles are focused on a business casual look and our fabric is chosen for not only its comfort and functionality but also how it drapes and makes the wearer look.
So, with our scrubs, a medical professional can quickly get ready in the morning but still feel comfortable all day, look great and impress those around them. We currently, have only the men’s line for sale but hope to launch our women’s line no later than January 2019. Our scrubs look and feel better than any set out there and we did it all by ourselves without any prior experience or training. I think that’s pretty amazing.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Obviously, my wife Maria has been absolutely paramount to this whole journey. Not just Black Finch but she was there through my hard times during and after dental school. And even if Black Finch doesn’t succeed she’ll still be there so all is never lost.
Outside of her, our families are always there for us, whether it be to babysit while we do business things or lend us advice where they can. Arnold and Monica who is the couple Maria befriended at the toddler gym deserve a shout out. My brother Khoa, believed in our vision from the very beginning and was adamant about supporting us, both financially and morally.
Pricing:
- Men’s Rogue Pants – $69
- Men’s Impact Top – $49
- Men’s Streamline Top – $49
- Midnight Hat – $27
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shopblackfinch.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopblackfinch/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopblackfinch/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/shopblackfinch/
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