Moab will always be a place of wonder, beauty, joy, history, and sadness for me. My journey will definitely bring me back many more times, I'm sure. Each return will deposit an additional layer of complexity while eroding the rough edges to reveal the true depth of my relationship with this place.
-JDS
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Be that as it may, it is damn hard to see the beauty in the natural. We see the flashy, the popular, the new, the shiny, and quickly our minds stray from contentment to lust, from peace to hate, and from joy to depression. We want for more because others have it. We abandon our values to appease the whims of the populous. And why not? Why wouldn't you jump ship when the social media opposition is telling you that it's sinking? Why wouldn't you abandon your ideology when 3 of your "friends" shared an article praising the oppositions beliefs? It would seem that having beliefs, values, and morals have become trending topics rather than core attributes of a society. We are made to fear our beliefs, fear our natural inclinations, and fear the mob of public opinion. Sucks, right?
When my brother, Tim, and I started this company in 2005, we set out with one steadfast value : design and print shirts that we like, that we wear, and that we are proud of. This unofficial mission statement led to the creation of GreenHouse Clothing and aided in any "success" we may have garnered throughout the years. As we grew as a brand and a company, the advice and opinions of others began to hold more weight than ever before. We, primarily me, began letting the opinions and ideas of others sway our own style. We were slowly succumbing to the populous, abandoning our ideology, and following the trending topics that "everyone" was in love with. We are, for lack of a better classification, a fashion brand, so it's safe to assume that a certain element of trendiness and pop-culture play a role in our design process and style. However, it is one thing to watch the trends and create a style based on them, and it is entirely another thing to succumb to the trend as it passes. Let me put it this way, we were slowly becoming your Grandma joining Facebook, not cool (Love you MeeMaw). Lame, right?
Though the reality of this was slowly starting to sink in with me, we were experiencing huge growth in our custom screen printing and embroidery (find out more HERE) and I wasn't fully aware of how badly we had strayed from our unofficial mission statement. It wasn't until I had two separate, but equally impactful experiences, that I was shaken from my delusion. The first experience was as we were checking in our raft at the Tulsa Raft Race when a fellow rafter and potential customer approached us to talk. She mentioned that she had heard of GreenHouse Clothing and had researched our new Shirt Of The Month Club. We exchanged some pleasantries and then she asked,"I liked what I saw, but can I ask you a question? What makes you different?" I look to Tim, he looks at me, and we both let out a resounding, "Uhhhhh?" Stumped, I quickly give some form data answer about who we are, what we do, and yada-yada. Weak, right?
While everything I told her was true, I felt like a politician answering a question about anything. "That is a great question, thank you for asking it. It is questions like this that strengthen my faith in this country and how we can get America working again. My great grandfather had that same faith in this country when he came here as a migrant sheep masseuse. 'Merica." What makes us different? We used to be 3 dudes printing shirts that we wore and were proud of and would find any excuse to have a party at our house so our friends could shop our "breakfast nook turned boutique" for all of our latest threads. We would hoof it at any local event or concert hawking our wears to any who would look our way. We would post up in smoky bars for an entire night, only to air out all of our remaining inventory on the back porch for the following 2 days. We would drive an hour from Tulsa to Stillwater to print all of our shirts through the night, drive an hour back to Tulsa, sometimes not getting home until 5am, and be at our "jobs" after only a few hours of sleep. We would do it all and not get paid a red cent because we were putting everything back into the company. Awesome, right?
The second eye-opening experience was when a good friend of ours commented on a few of our recent outerwear releases. We were warming up before softball (yes, we are a bunch of has-beens that play slow-pitch softball) and he remarked that he saw some of our new outerwear and liked them. Flattered, I began to say thank you, but before I got it all out, he finished,"I was getting worried about you guys. Hadn't seen anything I liked in a while." As the dagger twisted in my side, I gulped my pride and came to the realization that he was right. Ouch, right?
Here we are, 10 years after starting GreenHouse Clothing, in the first year of our 2nd company, DuPree Sports Tulsa, and we have forgotten our "mission statement", if you will. We have forgotten who we are, who we were. We had succumbed to the mob and become what others thought we should be. Looking to the trending topic to determine our course. Blindly printing shirts without passion, without direction, and without purpose. We had abandoned the natural, the organic, the real. I couldn't stomach it anymore. So began "The Journey". The journey to regain what was lost, calm the compass, and find our "north". Like an overgrown bush or hedge, you can't simply prune a few stray limbs and regain the beauty that once was, sometimes you have to cut the entire plant to the ground. When you take away the growth, the comfort of the shade, and the smell of the blooms, you re-focus your energy on the roots. Metaphorical, right?
We have started out on a journey of rediscovery and growth. We are refocusing our energy on the natural style that was the cornerstone of GreenHouse Clothing. Offering designs and styles that we like, we wear, and we are proud of. With that said, a lot has changed since we were in college. I now have a beautiful wife, two kids, Landon (almost 3) and Lydia (almost 3 months), and a whole different style than I did back then. Jason, Tim, and I are, by most people's standards, men now with personal styles that have matured as well. With this in mind, we have created our own men's wear styles that fit who we are and what we like, with complimentary women's wear styles coming soon. We've also gotten back to the basics of who we are as consumers and what we would spend our money on. We've lowered prices on all youth apparel, because if I wouldn't spend $20-25 on a onesie or t-shirt for my kids, why would I expect you to?!? Also, increasing our focus on seasonal style and fashion with a huge new offering of youth, women's, and men's outerwear and headwear perfect for wherever the journey takes you. Cool, right?
While we know all of the above doesn't right the ship entirely, we are refocused on where we are going and who we are. We will strive for authenticity, originality, and creativity in all that we do, and ensure that it stays true to who we are and where we are going. Our journey started in 2005 and we are thankful for all of you that stayed with us. For those just joining us, we welcome you and thank you for allowing GreenHouse Clothing to be a part of your journey, wherever it may lead. Let the journey begin.
Sincerely,
Bryan Schooley
Co-Founder/Co-Owner
GreenHouse Clothing, LLC
3310 S Yale Ave
Tulsa, OK 74135
918-895-6225
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A decade of printing t-shirts, forging awesome friendships, and growing our business has been a dream come true. Thank you to everyone that has supported us along the way. Join us as we welcome in the 2nd decade of GHC the only way we know how, by throwing our "Lucky No. 7th Annual St. Patrick's Day Anniversary Party" on March 17, 2015 at Arnie's Bar in Downtown Tulsa, OK.
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Want to win a $100 GHC Shopping Spree!?!?!
Enter our #StPatSelfie Instagram Challenge by following these 4 steps :
Step 1) get your official #drinkingteam shirts online or in store
Step 2) take a selfie of you, your friends, etc doing some St. Patrick's Day shenanigans in your #drinkingteam shirts.
Step 3) tag us (@ghclothing) on Instagram & use #StPatSelfie
Step 4) post on Instagram to be entered into the challenge
You can submit as many entries as you want, now until midnight 3/17/14. GHC will choose the winner and announce on Instagram 3/18/14.
May the best #StPatSelfie win. Slainte!
]]>January 25, 2013 was easily one of the best days of my life. I became a father to an amazingly perfect baby boy, Landon. In the time since, my wife and I have experienced fear, joy, confusion, anger, love, and every varying degree of emotion in between. We have seen sleepless nights, emergency ambulance rides, bumps and bruises, and yes, tears, lots of tears. In the same breath we have seen the most beautiful smile, an infectious giggle that sends us into hysterics, and a love so indescribably amazing that it brings us to, yes, tears.
In reflecting back on the past year of my new found fatherhood, I began noticing the similarities between raising a child and starting a business. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how alike the two are. Am I a business pro that's at the top of the economic and business pyramid? No. Am I a salty seasoned parent that has successfully spawned 10 doctors and lawyers? No. I have, however, come to realize the similarities between the first years of starting a business and raising a kid.
1) You learn as you go. I studied business in college. I read books (started them anyways) on how to start a successful business. I watch "Shark Tank". I asked my parents about what to expect with having kids. I read books (well I listened as Mandi read them out loud) on pregnancy, childbirth, and the first years of a newborns life. No book, class, advice, YouTube video, or Google search will ever prepare you for what you are on the precipice of. You may have a general idea of what childbirth looks like, but until you witness first hand the miracle of your child being born you never really know. FYI - very alien like and slimy. Similarly, you never fully understand or know what you are doing in business until you make that first step. I believe the saying goes, "There is no better teacher than experience." When we started this company with just an idea and some t-shirts, we had NO CLUE what we were doing. Sure we knew how to design and print cool graphic tees, but that's it. How will the business be structured? What is our marketing strategy? What are our core competencies? What's our mission statement? What's our plan? NO CLUE! As seemingly ignorant as we were, we took each question as it arose and answered accordingly. When you lack the knowledge but counter balance it with willingness and dedication, you can achieve anything. I look back at when we first started out and remember the mistakes, the bad decisions, the failures, and I wouldn't change a thing. They are the lessons learned, the weaknesses conquered, and the reason we are where we are. Have we figured it all out? No, but we'll learn as we go.
2) It's not easy. All too often I see TV, social media, magazines, etc. sensationalize being your own boss and starting a business. Likewise, you get flooded with adorable little humans wearing adorable little clothes and being perfect little angels, too which your wife says, "Oh I want one!!" Look at my Facebook profile for instance. It's flooded with pictures of my son smiling, playing, crawling, dancing, and being the most adorable thing you've ever seen. You know what's not on my page? Sleepless nights, crying fits, allergic reactions, vomit, and diapers so dirty you have to take a turpentine bath just to get clean. The same goes with business. You see the success stories, the millionaires, the Richard Branson's of the world, and think, "Oh I want one!!" Like with your child, you are going to have crap filled diaper days, but what will determine the success or failure of your business is how you handle it. You have to put in the hours, put in the effort, and know that your actions today and everyday that follows will determine the direction and growth of your business. It's not easy, but it's worth it.
3) Be consistently consistent. Kids are very good at knowing what they can get away with, and I'm no different. As the youngest of 5 kids from a divorced family, I learned this game from a young age. I knew exactly what I could get away with at my dad's (nothing) and what I could be away with at my mom's (a lot). This doesn't mean that our parents didn't love us, care about us, or have our best interest at heart. Rather, they just weren't on the same page about some things and us kids took full advantage of the inconsistency. I can't expect Landon to learn right from wrong when I allow him to do something today that he was told NO for doing yesterday. With business, a consistent message in who you are and what you do is a vital ingredient to being successful. Jason, Tim, and I have had many "discussions" (when you work with your brothers, discussions become synonymous with fights/arguments) about the direction and message of the company. Are we going to be a clothing line? Are we going to be a retailer? Are we going to be a wholesaler? Are we going to be a print shop? Who are we?!?! Answering these questions was important for us because it allowed us to have a focused approach to our growth plan and carry it out effectively and efficiently. Though the questions may vary, you must answer them before you can achieve any real growth as a business. With a consistent brand image and message across all media, brand recognition begins to build with potential customers, and potential customers become customers. Be consistent, consistently.
4) Be patient, it takes time. We've all heard, "Rome wasn't built in a day", "Good things come to those who wait" blah blah blah, right? Even though I can see my high school counselors office littered with similar clichéd inspirational posters, it's true. As your child is learning to live, you are learning how to be a parent, and the payoff won't come until years down the road. For example, a fetus is full term after 40 weeks, your child will likely walk after 1 year, form simple sentences after 2-3 years, go to Pre-School at 5-6 years, hate you at 13, leave you at 18, call you for bail at 21, around 25-30 your child realizes that you were right about A LOT OF THINGS, and then after many years of waiting, your child will finally say thank you for all that you've done. And there are no rules as to why things happen when they do. A few of my college buddies had kids around the same time we had Landon. One of which was walking at 11 months, while Landon could care less about standing. Another one wouldn't self feed, while Landon may as well have attached his own feed bag at 9 months. Their is no pre-ordained time that kids will invariably achieve things. They will reach their own "milestones" in their own time. Your business is the same. It has taken us almost 10 years to achieve mild success, and we still have a long road ahead. We are of the mindset that organic growth at a steady pace creates a more sustainable business model. We didn't want to walk before we could crawl, we didn't want to force feed the growth by financing it, and we definitely didn't look at other businesses and think "Why not us!?" When you allow your roots to grow deep and wide, you will yield a bountiful harvest. There will be plenty of times that you question what you are doing, unsure as to what it's all for. If you are diligent, dedicated, and confident that your business will be a success, it likely will be. Just be patient, it takes time.
I take this business very seriously and personally. I started it with my brother Tim in college in 2005, we became GreenHouse Clothing, LLC in 2007 with a handful of boutiques carrying our shirts, added our oldest brother Jason to the mix in 2009 when he launched us onto the world wide web, we opened our 1,800 square foot retail space and print shop in 2013, and are expecting even more great things in 2014. It's been a long road with a lot of late nights, arguments, mistakes, and yes, crap filled diaper days, but it's all part of the journey. This business our baby, and whether we've raised it right or not is yet to be seen. Either way, I'm one proud dad.
]]>#tbt of our first photo shoot in 2007 in front of the original GreenHouse in Stillwater, OK. Our model Tate wearing an original Crow City T. When we started out, we only offered our Crow City T in green with white ink. As demand for the shirt grew, we began offering a number of color combinations, and began seeing it across the US. Been growing ever since.
]]>Our annual party will be held at Fassler Hall in the Blue Dome District, downtown Tulsa on March 17th. Join us for live music, party games, prizes, lots of beer (we're Irish, by the way), and fun for all.
Details on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ghclothing
See you on the 17th!
Slainte'
]]>GHC leaped into the online marketplace in 2009 and officially released GreenHouseClothing.net on St. Patty's Day. It was time (in 2013) to freshen things up a bit, so I decided to transition our site hosting from Yahoo to Shopify. Hopefully, the interface is cleaner, simpler, and overall easier to use for our customers.
The Shopify site offers new integration with GHC social media (@GHClothing), news feed/blog (which you are currently viewing), and other slick bells and whistles which make your shopping experience at GreenHouseClothing.net more satisfying. Customers can subscribe to updates to GHC News using this atom feed http://greenhouse-clothing.myshopify.com/blogs/news.atom
Of course, when you release a new website, there are bound to be some glitches along the way, so please be patient with us. If you have any suggestions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me at jason@greenhouseclothing.net Your feedback is always appreciated.
Thanks for shopping with GHC.
-JD (Webmaster)
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