Anthony Boyd is still on the hunt for real estate that can accommodate his growing fashion brand, Anaghe Atelier.
In the meantime, he says, the Buffalo-based startup continues to see sales rise as it hones product development and digital marketing strategies.
“We did extraordinarily well over the holiday season by reaching our target demographic, Gen Z, through our own website,” Boyd said. “They are coming to us and making purchases on our site, instead of” third-party marketplaces.
Boyd’s company designs and manufactures custom sweatsuits, shoes and sneakers. Anaghe Atelier last year became the first startup to receive an investment through Launch NY’s Founders Go Big program, which aims to support high-growth potential businesses from underserved communities. The $25,000 investment from Launch NY was designed to support the company for a growth spurt, particularly in adding showroom space and production capacity.
Boyd is still balancing the challenge of commercial real estate with the needs of his business. He is considering several possible lease options.
In the meantime, the real key is in analyzing the company’s own sales and customer data. That’s what has allowed it to speak directly to its target customers.
“We wanted to get more sales on our site versus Amazon and Etsy and other platforms, and we’ve been able to do that,” Boyd said. “It boosted our likes on our Facebook page, our Instagram followers went through the roof and subscriptions (for marketing campaigns) on our own website are through the roof as well.”
