Press Release: Inspiring Fathers to Spend More Time with Their Kids: The Entrepreneurial Story Behind the First Father-Son Clothing Brand
This entrepreneurial story is an inspiring example of how a simple wish can lead to great success. Erik's clothing brand Frenky S has not only changed his life, but is also an inspiration for other fathers. It would be nice to share this story to inspire others and show that with passion and perseverance, anything is possible.
Press release
Inspiring fathers to spend more time with their children: the entrepreneurial story behind the first father-son clothing brand
From traveling the world for his employer to founding the first clothing brand specifically for fathers and sons, Erik’s story is an inspiring transformation. Once an employee at a multinational, Erik followed his heart and created a company that brings fathers and sons closer together worldwide. What started as a simple desire to explore the world with his family, grew into a success story that inspires families.
It all started at a festive gender reveal party. When Erik and his girlfriend Demi discovered that they were going to have a son, Erik's heart jumped for joy. He immediately imagined how great it would be to walk around with his son in matching tracksuits. But after a long search, he found nothing that met his expectations. "There has to be another way," he thought determinedly.
With this thought Erik started his adventure. He approached his niece, a fashion designer, who turned his ideas into rough sketches. Armed with these sketches and countless screenshots he requested samples everywhere. Disappointment after disappointment followed, and Erik started to lose courage. But just when he was celebrating Frenky's first birthday in Thailand with his girlfriend Demi and their son Frenky, the time had finally come. A new set of samples arrived at their holiday destination... and they were finally perfect!
Erik didn’t hesitate for a second and placed a large order of €20,000, despite the doubts of those around him who thought he was crazy because the concept was untested. His belief in a father and son clothing brand was rock solid and he named it after his son: Frenky S. On a sunny beach afternoon in Thailand he looked at Demi and said: “Fuck it, I’m quitting my job and going for it.” Demi supported him completely, knowing that his passion and determination were undeniable.
Erik's dream was simple but powerful: to create a clothing brand that would inspire fathers to spend more time with their sons. The first marketing campaign, filmed at a castle with fancy cars, seemed promising. But nothing happened, not a single sale. Instead of giving up, Erik decided to record an honest and personal video in his son Frenky's bedroom. This sincerity struck a chord with the audience and the orders started pouring in.
The first shipment from China arrived in huge 70kg bales full of crumpled clothing. Erik had to iron 20 to 30 tracksuits on busy days to make them saleable. It was a hell of a job, but he knew it was necessary to satisfy his customers. The hard work paid off: the brand became a huge success and many fathers, like Erik, wanted to match with their sons.
When the orders outgrew the small office in Doetinchem, Erik hired a fulfillment center. This was a big step towards Demi and Erik's personal dream: taking a long trip with their family. A year and a half after the successful launch, the time had finally come and they left for Thailand. But a month before departure, unexpected bad news arrived: the fulfillment center closed down, which caused a lot of stress. Fortunately, Erik was able to find a new solution in time and their dream trip could continue.
After the experience with wrinkled clothes from China, Erik decided to look closer to home. It turned out to be a challenge to find a factory that could produce both children's and adult sizes. Eventually he found a suitable factory in Turkey. Together with his brother he traveled to Turkey for a visit. What followed was not only a successful business trip, but also an unforgettable brothers' weekend full of fun, lots of food and raki drinking.
Although the Turkish supplier was not a specialist in children's sizes, he dared to take on the challenge. This sometimes led to incorrect size charts, which made sleeves too short and trouser legs too long. Part of the collection became unsellable because of this, which cost Erik a lot of money and stress. Fortunately, Demi always knew how to support him, because life with an entrepreneur is not always easy.
Despite the challenges, the brand continued to thrive, even when Demi, Erik and Frenky were in Thailand for three months. But when the winter stock ran out, a major problem arose. For weeks, Erik received messages from customers asking when sets would be available again. To make the right choices, he held polls on Instagram to determine which colours and items of clothing were popular and based his new orders on this. Swim shorts were a popular item. When they finally came back in stock this spring, it was a hit. Within three weeks, the entire stock was sold out and replenishment had to be made quickly. The new t-shirts and caps were also a great success.
Looking back on a turbulent year, Erik feels proud. He receives so many positive messages, reviews and photos from fathers with their sons that he knows he has achieved his goal: connecting fathers with their sons and encouraging them to be participants rather than spectators in their family life.
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Contact details:
E-mail: info@frenky-s.com
Website: www.frenky-s.com
