Chris Hough is the founder and owner of Artiken. In this episode, he shares how he transitioned from an employee at Nike to building a high-growth brand centered around the iconic handmade bracelets worn by elite Kenyan distance runners.
Chris shares his journey of identifying a gap in the marketplace and going "all in" on Artiken in 2019. This episode is packed with insights on scaling a brand, the importance of product customization, and the operational reality of managing a global supply chain rooted in Kenyan craftsmanship.
What was covered:
- From Nike to Founder: Chris’s journey from working at Nike to the "all in" moment of founding his own DTC brand.
- The product idea spark: How Artiken brought the coveted, handmade bracelets of Olympic medalists to the global running community.
- The 80/20 Rule: Why Chris is "scoping down" the product line to focus on the core items that drive the majority of revenue.
- The Power of Customization: How his background with Nike ID influenced a strategy where custom products now drive 30% of business.
- Handmade at Scale: The logistics and rewards of managing a supply chain consisting of local artisans in Kenya.
- Next Steps: The upcoming launch of the "Alter Ego" collection and Artiken's aggressive move into the wholesale market.
Artiken Links:
Parker Nash Links:
What is Uncommon Brands?
How do you build a DTC brand that breaks out in a noisy world?
The Uncommon Brands podcast interviews founders of fast-growing DTC, e-commerce, and consumer product brands with unique products and marketing strategies. In each episode, we dive into how these stand out brands built their business by going against the grain.
This podcast is for any DTC brand founder, entrepreneur, and executive looking to build a stand out brand.
Host Parker Nash spent more than a decade working at Nike where he learned first-hand how one of the greatest brands in the world develops product and marketing that turns customers into raving fans.