Jeff Sheldon is a designer turned entrepreneur. He launched Ugmonk, a Pennsylvania-based direct-to-consumer brand, in 2008 as a seller of graphically inspired T-shirts. The desktop organizers he added in 2020 seem unrelated until you realize he designed both the T-shirt graphics and the desk tools.
jeff appeared first He had just moved T-shirt fulfillment in-house and launched a Kickstarter campaign for his first desktop tool.
In a recent conversation, he mentioned phasing out T-shirts, expanding his desktop product line, and the dilemma of selling on Amazon. The entire audio is embedded below. The transcript has been edited for clarity and length.
Eric Bandholz: Tell your listeners who you are.
jeff sheldon: I am the founder of Ugmonk, a 16-year-old direct-to-consumer brand. Initially selling T-shirts, the company has evolved into a line of well-designed and functional desk and organization products. One of our standout items is Analog. It’s a desktop note card system to help you stay organized and reduce digital distractions. Agmonk is known for its designs that combine aesthetics and functionality.
For the first 12 years, people associated Agmonk with graphic T-shirts. I designed graphics and eventually moved into shirt manufacturing to improve quality. working with Manufacturer In Los Angeles, we make better clothes. Despite the manufacturing challenges, we found a good rhythm and built a customer base around these shirts.
However, about two years ago, we stopped manufacturing apparel. When we announced this change, our business recorded its highest revenue in a single day. Customers bought 20 to 50 shirts so they wouldn’t miss out. It was tough leaving that part of the business behind, but we knew it was the right decision.
Bandholz: Have your apparel customers migrated to desk products?
Sheldon: I haven’t looked into the analytics, but it’s surprising that many customers who purchased t-shirts also purchased desk products. It may seem strange at first glance – what do T-shirts and desk accessories have to do? But Agmonk appeals to customers who value design and functionality. Many of our customers who have been with us since the t-shirt days have moved on to careers that require high-quality, well-designed tools in their workspaces.
When I started Ugmonk, graphic t-shirts were huge. Platforms like Threadless were popular, and many of my customers were in their teens to 20s, and they were buying shirts and posters. Many customers now have desk jobs or work from home. So while some of our older customers still miss the shirts, many have moved on to analog systems, which are more popular than they were in the apparel’s peak days.
of online t-shirt market It’s incredibly saturated. Everyone is selling T-shirts, and countless brands are using dropshipping to offer generic products. In the early days of Ugmonk, we grew through organic growth like email lists and social media before going paid. But when we tried to scale using ads in 2017, it was difficult. Selling t-shirts through Facebook ads is difficult, especially when you’re competing with a large number of similar products. I didn’t see much success.
In contrast, we launched an analog system. on kickstarter In 2020 you will quickly achieve success. We raised almost $500,000 from over 5,500 supporters. We decided to invest in paid purchases of the product and it worked. This is a visual product that solves a real problem. People are distracted by their devices, but analog systems offer tangible ways to stay organized. Compared to T-shirts, selling analog through advertising is more scalable. This is an example of a good product-market fit.
Bandholz: Has your role within the company changed?
Sheldon: Although my role has evolved, I still handle many of the tasks I did in the early days. For example, I still do most of my photography because I have a passion for photographing products in a way that tells their story. I could outsource my photography, but I enjoy the creative side. Moreover, it is also a core part of our brand identity.
Our team has grown. Before, it was just me. Next, we added the employees. We currently have two full-time employees and 2-5 part-time staff depending on our needs.
We have expanded our operations with in-house warehousing and fulfillment. We outsource some of our work, like an adHowever, I still work on organic marketing, writing most of my emails and my monthly newsletter, Five Things I’m Digging, which has become a fan favorite.
Managing the creative and operational aspects of a business can be stressful, but it’s all part of the journey.
Bandholz: Ugmonk products are not available on Amazon.
Sheldon: I have a love/hate relationship with Amazon, similar to meta. We tested the Gather desk organizer there in 2017 and it didn’t get much attention. So we retreated. Amazon is flooded cheap imitationsThis makes it difficult for customers to distinguish between high-quality products and substandard products.
Lately, I’ve become more open-minded. The reality is that people shop on Amazon. A significant percentage of e-commerce searches start on Amazon.
I buy consumables such as coffee filters on Amazon because they are convenient. For the same reason, we are also considering selling refill cards for analog systems. It’s about meeting people where they are. I still value owning the customer experience directly on our site, but Amazon may be complementary for certain products.
Bandholz: Therefore, your listeners will have to visit your site and purchase your product.
Sheldon: Yes, yes Ugmonk.com. they can find me × and Instagram.
