Today we’d like to introduce you to Luke Tarsitano.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Luke. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Craft Supply Club started as a dream to escape the monotony of an unfulfilling 9 to 5 office job. I had known for a long time that I wanted to try my hand at entrepreneurship but had trouble deciding how best to approach it. The result of my indecision was a complete lack of action – until I shared my aspirations and frustrations with a like-minded coworker. We decided to partner up and turn this dream into a reality. After endless brainstorming sessions and tons of research, we found that the men’s hair product niche checked a lot of the boxes we were looking for. The initial spark came from our shared concern for our hair and overall appearance. What began as a running joke at the office about our ridiculous vanity turned into a viable business idea.
We knew from early on we wanted to tap into the rich Santa Monica culture from which we came and much of our brand aesthetic is directly inspired by this beautiful place we call home. With that in mind and after identifying key factors we found lacking in products on the market today, we began crafting (pun intended) our product line.
Today we offer pomade and clay products with a fiber product in the pipeline. All products are handmade in very small quantities with natural ingredients.
We have also recently partnered with the local nonprofit organization Chrysalis which helps local homeless and low-income individuals find and retain employment. A portion of every Craft purchase is donated to this amazing cause.
Has it been a smooth road?
The biggest challenge I encountered was trying to get Craft off the ground while holding down a full-time job. I live in Santa Monica and worked all the way in Irvine which tacked on an additional 2 hours of commute time a day, further limiting the time and energy I was able to devote to Craft. Having a partner helped as we were able to split our workload and sneakily work on Craft when we had some downtime at the office. Those early days of grinding paid off, as we have both been able to quit since then.
Another challenge was getting the formulas for our products right. We knew what we wanted our products to do, but we’re not chemists, so there were months of research and trial and error. Endless test batches were made until we finally perfected our recipes.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Craft Supply Club provides men with exemplary hair styling products. However, there’s a lot more to Craft than great hair. It’s about the encouragement of self-realization. So many of us are bound to unsatisfactory circumstances and fail to realize the power we have to make a change. We at Craft want to help by suggesting a small first step. Make your hair the best it can be. Then apply that discipline to all aspects of your life.
We are known for our product’s natural ingredients that not only make your hair look great, but keep your hair and scalp nourished and healthy. Our bestselling product to date is our Original Pomade which has become a favorite with our customers. It provides hair with a medium hold and a high shine finish.
I think I am most proud of our partnership with Chrysalis. Growing up in Santa Monica, it was impossible not to notice the epidemic of homelessness impacting the community. I wanted to help but couldn’t figure out the most effective way to do so. Craft has given me the opportunity to aid an organization that has this down to a science. Chrysalis helps around 2000 people get jobs every year. Their mission matches up with our brand’s philosophy of “Crafting your life” and reaching your full potential and they address an issue that is uniquely relevant to Santa Monica and LA at large. I think this separates us from a lot of other companies in our space.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Los Angeles is a city with endless opportunities regardless of what business you’re looking to get into. It works well for Craft specifically because one’s appearance is emphasized rather heavily here. There are high-end salons and barbershops on every corner it seems. Having said that, there is a lot of competition and it can be difficult for newcomers in the space to differentiate themselves from the multitude of hair products on the market already. It boils down to one’s ability to build relationships with people who may be interested in carrying your products and how hard you’re willing to hustle to make things happen.
I heavily, heavily encourage anyone who wants to start a business to take the plunge and go for it. That goes for hair products, or anything else. LA is an amazing place to do this but with e-commerce continuing to dominate, your physical location is becoming less and less relevant to your success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.craftsupplyclub.com/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @craftsupplyclub
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craftsupplyclub/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/craftsupplyclub
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