It Started With a Dare

Hello, Friends!

Today, I’m thrilled to share the very first edition of “Builder’s Blueprint” where I'll chronicle the adventure of building a golf apparel brand from the ground up. It’s a journey born out of a casual conversation and a playful dare and has evolved into something deeply meaningful. Here’s a glimpse into how it all began:

It started with a competitive round of golf with a familiar group. We set the teams and the stakes for the day. One member in the group (hint: not me), was proudly sporting a brand-new, neon-bright polo that he just purchased from the pro shop. This wasn’t just any polo — it was an eye-popping spectacle of neon colors that could probably be spotted from the International Space Station. As we played, the polo quickly became the butt of countless jokes

But the real twist came when, four holes in, the shirt tore open. We couldn’t help but rib our friend mercilessly, teasing him about his “fashion statement” that seemed to have a life of its own.

Amidst the laughter and friendly banter, a light bulb went off in one of my friend’s heads: “Hey, Z, Why don’t you start your own golf apparel brand?” Given my background in building brands for other organizations, it felt like a suggestion worth exploring. Before I could entertain the idea beyond the statement, another friend chimed in, “There’s no way you could build a brand from scratch. It’s way too hard. Can’t be done.” It was meant as a challenge and I took it as such.

In the weeks that ensued, I started exploring what it would take to build a golf apparel brand from the ground up. It was a hobby — a way to stretch my professional skills and personal interests. It has transformed into a full-fledged mission. Over the past year, I’ve immersed myself in the world of apparel design, manufacturing and branding.

I have built brands for other organizations who have all been at a turning point. Brands that needed to re-imagine their products, services, mission and value while also needing to future-proof themselves.

The main difference between being a Chief Marketing Officer for a large organization and building a brand from the ground up by yourself is this: As the CMO, I have a team, a budget (even a modest budget is something) and organizational support. Building something from the ground up by myself means I won’t have any of that. It’s just me, time tested product build process and brand strategy as well as good old-fashioned elbow grease.

What began as a personal development project has grown into an exciting venture and I’m thrilled to share this journey with you.

Each week in “Builder’s Blueprint,” I’ll bring you along as I navigate the highs and lows, the breakthroughs and setbacks, of building this brand. I’ll share insights, progress updates and the lessons I learn along the way. I’m looking forward to your thoughts, feedback and hopefully, your support as I move forward.

Thank you for being part of this early chapter. If you find this journey inspiring or know someone who might be interested, please feel free to forward this newsletter. Your support means the world to me!

Onward!

RAZ
Founder, [Brand Name to be Announced Later]

P.S. Stay tuned for next week’s update where I’ll dive into the first steps I took in this adventure along with some early ideas as well as advice I received from an expert.