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Sevenly co-founders Dale Partridge, 26, left, and Aaron Chavez, 19, the Fullerton company's headquarters. The pictures in the bottles signify each cause the company supports: anti-slavery, hunger relief, clean water, medical help, disaster relief, anti-poverty and miscellaneous aid. (Gary Friedman, Los Angeles Times / January 5, 2012) |
At Sevenly, a business started by young entrepreneurs in Orange County, a key to the operation is the number seven.
Each line of T-shirts and hoodies designed by the company goes on sale for exactly seven days. No more, no less.
The Fullerton company donates to seven causes: anti-slavery, hunger relief, clean water, medical help, disaster relief, anti-poverty and miscellaneous aid.
And for every item sold, Sevenly donates — you guessed it — $7.
"It's a great number," said co-founder Dale Partridge, who holds the title of chief world changer. "We just happened to be able to break down the world's greatest issues into seven causes, seven days in a week, etc.
"It had tons of parallel brand play."
Partridge, in the hallowed tradition of entrepreneurs, is always looking for an edge and an opportunity. At 26, he already has created and sold a small fitness company, and he currently co-owns a chain of rock climbing gyms in the Inland Empire.
The hook at Sevenly, which he co-founded last year with Aaron Chavez, 19, goes beyond the number gimmick. The company is following a recent trend in business models — for-profit firms that donate a major percentage of their revenue to charitable causes.
In Sevenly's case, it's nearly 30%. That might seem like a huge cut of revenue, but it's also a way to generate sales.
"Consumers want to do business with brands who do good," said Loren Solomon, founder of Advertising for Good, an agency that creates marketing campaigns for nonprofits.
Since launching in June, Sevenly has sold more than 29,000 items and donated more than $200,000 to charities including Cure Childhood Cancer in Atlanta; the International Justice Mission, which fights sex trafficking abroad; and Hope International, which provides micro-financing for developing businesses in Africa.
Toms Shoes in Santa Monica is one of the best known companies built on a social-good business model. For every pair of shoes sold, the company — founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie — donates a pair for a child in a Third World country.
For some customers, wearing Toms has become as much a fashion statement as a public proclamation that they're socially responsible.
"It's cool to be socially good today," said Aradhna Krishna, a University of Michigan professor who studies cause marketing.
A consumer study last year by the Cone Communications public relations agency found that 80% of those surveyed said they would be likely to switch to a brand associated with a good cause if product price and quality were comparable.
In the 18-to-24 age group — commonly called millennials — 53% had purchased a product or service tied to a cause in the last year.
Sevenly, which has a staff of 12 including the founders, has had $700,000 in sales since its inception, Partridge said. Even with giving away nearly 30% to causes, he said the company makes a small profit.
"We're not swimming in the green, but we're doing well," Partridge said.
The idea for the business was born in Partridge's living room in Corona in April when he and Chavez, who had dropped out of junior college to become a social media consultant, began brainstorming about how to blend charity, social media and e-commerce.
Each line of T-shirts and hoodies designed by the company goes on sale for exactly seven days. No more, no less.
The Fullerton company donates to seven causes: anti-slavery, hunger relief, clean water, medical help, disaster relief, anti-poverty and miscellaneous aid.
And for every item sold, Sevenly donates — you guessed it — $7.
"It's a great number," said co-founder Dale Partridge, who holds the title of chief world changer. "We just happened to be able to break down the world's greatest issues into seven causes, seven days in a week, etc.
"It had tons of parallel brand play."
Partridge, in the hallowed tradition of entrepreneurs, is always looking for an edge and an opportunity. At 26, he already has created and sold a small fitness company, and he currently co-owns a chain of rock climbing gyms in the Inland Empire.
The hook at Sevenly, which he co-founded last year with Aaron Chavez, 19, goes beyond the number gimmick. The company is following a recent trend in business models — for-profit firms that donate a major percentage of their revenue to charitable causes.
In Sevenly's case, it's nearly 30%. That might seem like a huge cut of revenue, but it's also a way to generate sales.
"Consumers want to do business with brands who do good," said Loren Solomon, founder of Advertising for Good, an agency that creates marketing campaigns for nonprofits.
Since launching in June, Sevenly has sold more than 29,000 items and donated more than $200,000 to charities including Cure Childhood Cancer in Atlanta; the International Justice Mission, which fights sex trafficking abroad; and Hope International, which provides micro-financing for developing businesses in Africa.
Toms Shoes in Santa Monica is one of the best known companies built on a social-good business model. For every pair of shoes sold, the company — founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie — donates a pair for a child in a Third World country.
For some customers, wearing Toms has become as much a fashion statement as a public proclamation that they're socially responsible.
"It's cool to be socially good today," said Aradhna Krishna, a University of Michigan professor who studies cause marketing.
A consumer study last year by the Cone Communications public relations agency found that 80% of those surveyed said they would be likely to switch to a brand associated with a good cause if product price and quality were comparable.
In the 18-to-24 age group — commonly called millennials — 53% had purchased a product or service tied to a cause in the last year.
Sevenly, which has a staff of 12 including the founders, has had $700,000 in sales since its inception, Partridge said. Even with giving away nearly 30% to causes, he said the company makes a small profit.
"We're not swimming in the green, but we're doing well," Partridge said.
The idea for the business was born in Partridge's living room in Corona in April when he and Chavez, who had dropped out of junior college to become a social media consultant, began brainstorming about how to blend charity, social media and e-commerce.
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