Meet Nick Fletcher, founder of Absolutely Bear
Nick Fletcher is a nature and outdoor lover who grew up in the Northumbrian countryside. He came to live in London like many others after university but missed the connection with nature and the natural world as an effect of being based in a big city like London, which is one of the reasons behind the ethos of the brand.
He spent 10+ years working in the city before setting up a purpose-driven brand based on the idea that business could be a force for good and Absolutely Bear could be a way to help urbanites like me connect with nature through the clothes they wear and lifestyle that they lead.
Nick started the business just before the birth of his first child and subsequently spent 4 years working in the city as a head-hunter and for a large US Investment Bank, before moving to 4 days a week and then full time, just before the birth of his second child. Passionate about wildlife, animals (he love bears) and the environment and trying to do his bit to help protect nature and the environment, Nick started a business that would give back to environmental non-profits.
How do you prepare for all the unknown obstacles when running your business?
Mind-set. Things rarely go exactly the way you want them to and often you’re dealing with issues and obstacles that seem overwhelming, daunting and at times insurmountable, but being able to take a step back and see the bigger picture is key. Dealing with obstacles and learning how to problem-solve daily is an important part of any entrepreneur’s journey.
What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?
As a Londoner, living in an urban environment who wanted to buy quality, stylish men’s clothing made from sustainable materials, I struggled. The few brands I did discover only spoke of living by a beach or up a mountain and whilst they are amazing places to live and visit, they didn’t speak to me, a Londoner who was looking to connect every day with nature whilst living in a big city.
A lot of what we talk about and try to do is educate and show people how they can live in a more natural way and enjoy the benefits nature has to offer, whilst still being based in a town or city. The goal was always to make men’s sustainable fashion mainstream and in doing so help in our own small way to reduce the damaging impact the fashion industry has on our planet. We’re also in businesses to give back to the wider community and environment in which we will live. We’ve been lucky enough to able to support a range of charities and NGO’s already from children living in the care system to wildlife charities and environmental NGO’s looking to make our towns and cities greener and healthier places to live.
How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?
Our goal as a brand is to help urbanites connect with nature through the clothes they wear and the lifestyle they lead, whilst giving back to the wider community through being a member of the 1% for the planet movement. Through the content we produce and the clothes we make, we’re helping our community with both of these things.
Keeping an eye on the numbers in any business is important. How do you ensure that you’re always up to date?
Planning. Planning can be difficult, time-consuming and sometimes not even feel necessary or the most important thing to be doing, but without a clear plan and strategy, you can get caught out and lack direction which is essential when you’re no doubt managing a huge number of different things and spinning many plates.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?
Resilience. Being an entrepreneur sounds glamorous and for those that make it there are rewards and often riches to enjoy, but without discovering how to be resilient, solve problems and pick yourself up quickly when things don’t go your way, you’ll never achieve what you set out to.
What are your thoughts on failure?
Failure is almost a taboo concept in modern society, but it shouldn’t be. It should be one of those subjects that are talked about regularly. The reality is, even successful entrepreneurs fail in some way on almost a daily basis, whether it’s a decision that didn’t work out, an ad campaign that failed to get off the ground, whatever it may be, it’s the failures that we really learn from and allow us to make the improvements to our business, products and service that ultimately lead to success, whatever that may look like to you. Failure is not just necessarily used in the right way, it can be hugely positive.
As a business owner, do you know when to walk away from a sale?
Knowing when to walk away, particularly when you really want something to work can be a difficult thing to do. In the real world, decisions are rarely black and white, but being able to analyse something analytically and often without the emotion we all bring to a situation is a key skill to have or in most cases develop. I’d always say trust your instincts too, I tend to find they’re normally right.
How did you fund the launch of your business and what creative strategies did you use to execute a minimal cash flow?
Having a career before starting your own venture can be a good way to fund the launch of a business and this is how I started things. But unless you’re a millionaire learning how to bootstrap effectively is probably going to be the key to keeping things going, making improvements and developing your skillset in areas you’re probably not an expert in. In a nutshell, don’t be afraid to ask people for help, chances are they’re going to be happy to help you and if they’re not, then you’ve lost nothing anyway.
What’s the most important question entrepreneurs should be asking themselves?
There are a few questions I would say are crucial to be asking yourself:
Is what you’re offering different from your competitors and if it isn’t, what is it about your business or product that means people will choose you over them.
If the latter, can you improve something?
Can you reduce the cost and compete on price? Whatever it may be, every successful business needs a differentiator, and you need to figure out what that is for you before you take the leap into becoming an entrepreneur.
What do you think gives a brand longevity?
Community. Building a community around the vision of your brand is more important now than ever. People don’t just buy in our case a physical product; they buy into the vision of the brand too. They care about who we are and what we stand for because they share the same values. Having a great product is critical, but that alone I would say is no longer enough. Create a brand, don’t just create a business and your customers will keep coming back and that is how businesses grow.
