DNVB List: Hey Anibal, thanks for chatting with us!
Auxilry (Anibal Marin, Founder & CEO): No problem, we dig what you guys are doing. It’s true, there’s so many brands out there; deserving brands, cool brands! It’s tough for consumers to find them and tough for the brands to stand out. DNVB List can add value on both fronts.
DNVB List: Well, hopefully we can do just that for Auxilry. We see a lot of brands and thought what Auxilry is doing is so unique, we wanted to learn more. How did it all get started?
Auxilry: Yeah, we haven’t found another brand doing what we do either. The idea itself came to me in a couple ways. The first was when I found I was attending more events than my outfits could catch up to, and wanted a simple way to look different every time. I figured if there was a quick way to interchange my shirt buttons and suit buttons with fashion buttons, I could refresh my look while customizing at the same time!
DNVB List: Makes sense, no need to buy more shirts and suits if you get a variety of looks simply by changing out buttons.
Auxilry: Exactly! So what I landed on was developing an interchangeable button that was easy enough for someone to apply it without needing to know how to sew.
DNVB List: Did you have experience with anything like this prior to?
Auxilry: Yes, I have over 15 years of product development, branding, and fashion experience, working on so many types of products and brands. I had to think out-of-the-box for a complete redesign of the button itself. I mean, if we can land on the moon, we can certainly reinvent the shirt button, right?!
DNVB List: I hear space travel, flying cars, and shirt button innovation in the same sentence all the time!
Auxilry: It’s one of Elon Musk’s next big projects.
DNVB List: Ha! Well, with any luck Auxilry will be the Tesla of interchangeable shirt buttons. You’ve told us where the idea came from, how about the initial execution. What did that look like?
Auxilry: Pretty soon after coming up with the initial concept I started scouring the market and researching US Patents. Once I finalized a working and heavily-tested prototype, I filed the first US and international patents while building the Auxilry brand at the same time.
DNVB List: And what problem did you feel your product was solving in the marketplace?
Auxilry: Take a look around. Buttons are e-ve-ry-where! They’re highly visible but are completely subject to the clothes we buy. Consumers, effectively, have no choice. The buttons that come with the garment are what you get, period.
DNVB List: To be honest, I never thought of it that way. I rock a button-down pretty much every day and have never thought about how I have zero choice on buttons.
Auxilry: Exactly. And on top of that, buttons fall off. It’s happened to everyone! Half the time it doesn’t even get fixed, people just stop wearing that piece. The method of application for a button hasn’t changed, literally, in centuries. We’ve made a centuries-old staple…better! Gone are the days when your shirt button gets loose, falls off, or damaged at the dry cleaner. Auxilry allows anyone the ability to apply and replace shirt buttons in seconds. Best of all, you can mix and match shirt button styles to personalize your shirts or accessories in seconds!
DNVB List: Changing the world one button at a time! Did you bootstrap the business or was there investment money put into it?
Auxilry: Bootstrapped, for sure. With a prototype, my industry experience, a financial plan, and some of my savings, I just went to work. I was able to stretch a lot of my capital because I did everything myself mostly: packaging and technical design, marketing, factory sourcing, shipping, financial planning, video, photography, PR, everything! Anything I didn’t know, I tried to learn as fast as I could!
DNVB List: That’s definitely the most economical way to do it. You mentioned you were growing the brand while at the same time developing the product. Can you speak more to the “brand” piece of it, not necessarily the numbers, but the brand Auxilry.
Auxilry: Yeah, the name “Auxilry” derives from “Auxilary” which is defined as adding support or aid. On that premise I built Auxilry with the meaning of supporting, aiding and refining one’s personal style with accessories starting with our interchangeable shirt buttons. Auxilry has rapidly become the staple for turning the button into an optional accessory and changing the way we personalize our clothes. We offer a high-quality product, lifetime guarantee, great customer service, and the ability to buy buttons online, and all of that becomes part of our “brand”.
DNVB List: And are you guys only focused on e-commerce or have you thought about going brick-and-mortar, or partnering with brick-and-mortar in the future?
Auxilry: Brick-and-mortar will never completely go away, but e-commerce and hybrid models will continue to gain ground. Most people already live on their phones, so shopping with additional benefits like competitive price deals, availability, product information, fast shipping, customer reviews, easy returns is the expectation nowadays. Years of pressure on manufacturers from retailers maintaining high margins have hurt the current retail landscape too. Things are changing and manufacturers are clearly maximizing direct to consumer sales, and that’s the route we prefer as well.
DNVB List: I’m curious, since this is a unique product, what type of customers are you getting and where are they coming from?
Auxilry: Thanks to a lot of A/B testing I’ve been able to narrow down two major types of consumers and their subgroups: 1) the general fashion consumer, and 2) the notions/sewing consumer.
DNVB List: We noticed pretty early on how this can be useful and fashionable for both men and women. That had to have been something you realized early too, I would think.
Auxilry: Oh, without a doubt. The need exists for both. If you look at our Instagram, you’ll see great pictures of both. Definitely a product that can be used by everyone.
DNVB List: What’s your long-term goal for the company and then maybe a goal just for 2017?
Auxilry: Long-term our goal is to not only signify the go-to source of interchangeable buttons, but additional innovative accessories as well. 2017 has already brought us some cool opportunities. We’re working with a few top fashion brands as well as licensees into various markets. We’ll also be extending patent rights into additional countries. So far 2017 has been great!
DNVB List: Good to hear! What would you say to someone who is considering starting a startup with a physical product? Regardless of the product itself, what advice would you give them?
Auxilry: I would say to learn every aspect of your business. Even though you won’t be a pro at all of them, you need a full understanding. No one knows — or will know — your business better than you! Accept failures as part of the game, it toughens the skin. A “no” is one step closer to a “yes”, and that may be the only yes that matters. Understand that we are our own worst enemy, keep your eye on the overall picture and persistence is key!
DNVB List: The “learn as much as you can” thing is one you hear all the time from some of the most famous entrepreneurs out there. The Richard Branson’s, Bill Gates’, and Elon Musk’s of the world are all voracious readers and learners, so there’s got to be something there. Excellent advice, thanks for that.
Auxilry: Of course!
DNVB List: Well, thanks so much for your time. Anything else to add?
Auxilry: Thanks for reaching out to us, this has been fun! If it’s cool, I’d like to offer DNVB List followers a discount.
DNVB List: By all means!
Auxilry: Great. People can use DNVB2017 when purchasing for 10% off their purchase.
DNVB List: Thanks for the discount, we’ll be sure to let our followers know!
Auxilry: Awesome, thanks again!
DNVB List: You bet, talk soon!
