Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy and Kevin Kim.
So, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
**Ignorance is Bliss**
We feel the real start to our story begins in a studio apartment in Los Angeles. From humble beginnings, we often skipped breakfast. Chef Boyardee and the occasional Hot Pockets were our guilty luxury. It was Mom, Dad, and us brothers and we made the best of it.
When we were not in school, we were working. Waking up around the early buzz of the garment industry and warmed by the heat of the boiler room baking bagels, we started learning from our environment. Math lessons began early at the cash register. Our occasional trip to restaurant depot is where we learned about inventory. Profit and loss replaced homework and play. Anything our environment would throw at us we could use as a teaching experience. Some lessons were not always pleasant.
During the L.A. riots, we learned that life could straight up suck, and sometimes, regardless of how hard you work, it can all come burning down around you. We learned so many lessons, one of the biggest being how to rebuild and start from scratch.
After graduating from college, we both worked in reputable corporate companies for a few years. Deep down we felt like there was always something missing. We had worked so hard to make it through college but the biggest lesson we learned in life was how to start from scratch.
So in 2012, we chose to risk it all and decided to jump back into the crazy world of running your own business. It was a decision that we would never regret and since then, onward goes our journey. Clearlens is born.
Has it been a smooth road?
According to Bloomberg, 8 out of 10 entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within the first 18 months. That’s a whopping 80% who crash and burn. No one likes to talk about these things or the toll it takes on you and your family’s physical and mental well-being. America is built on the backs of entrepreneurs and that weight is seriously felt.
Starting a company takes a lot of patience and hard work. There is always a problem right around the corner that needs a creative solution. The world is constantly changing and threatening to leave you behind if you can’t adapt and keep up. Identifying the steps, you need to take to not only keep up, but grow in the right direction is an ongoing struggle. It has always been our philosophy that if you are not growing, you are dying.
The most challenging part is getting your team, but not just any team, your A-Team. Good people are extremely hard to find. Good people who share your vision and passion are next to none. The process takes time but our core is in place and we are ready to take the market by storm!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Clearlens – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Clearlens is a microfiber and optical specialty supplier. We mostly provide our clients with those soft cloths people use to clean their glasses that don’t scratch, smudge or leave lint behind. We brand them with custom logos, photo prints, and additional design options that help organizations and professionals promote their businesses and events.
Most promotional material is printed or developed on mediums we associate with trash. Paper business cards and flyers – plastic or vinyl stickers – We throw paper and plastic away regularly. Mentally it is easier to throw away these materials especially if there is no functional use for them. A cloth is something we get use out of that we regularly wash and re-use. Throwing away a cloth feels innately wrong to people.
With a strong foundation built on optical tools and accessories, we have begun to focus on the latest specialty fashion lines, the most fashionable eyewear accessory trends and giving our clients the selection to compete and remain relevant in the marketplace.
As a company, we are most proud of our relentless drive to bring the best products at the best prices for our customers. Our passion is in “Wowing” our customers.
The thing that sets us apart from our competitor is our level of customer service. Nobody can beat us!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
As a born and raised Angelino, we love our City. There is no place like L.A. We have been all around the world and find ourselves missing the food L.A. has to offer and the energy. There is so much diversity, history, and opportunities the City has to offer. It is also a great sports town and we are very passionate about the Lakers, Rams, Dodgers, and Kings.
No city is perfect! The least thing we like about L.A. is the traffic. But it is a small price to pay for living in the best city on earth.
Contact Info:
- Address: 11620 Trask Ave Garden Grove, CA 92843
- Website: www.clearlens.com
- Phone: 714-530-3002
- Email: [email protected]
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
