Wagwan with BPB - New Site

Bingo Bongo Boom Boom Boom

Parental Advisory: Explicit Content

Bad News -

• BPB bizniz sales have went down, costs have soared therefore we're not breaking-even.

• Further therefore, if you've no money you cannot donate to mental health services

• Bees are dying out

Good News -

• Not one bit deterred

• Adapting a new business model. Including new suppliers, new postmen and a new location

• Absolute mixed molly whoppery of a Clearance Sale of our current threads on Friday the 19th of May - if we make the 685 euro we intended to make, we'll give it straight to St. Pat’s

So here's a brief synopsis of a sick year! I know I just said we're not breaking-even but we've achieved way more than we thought we would.

• We were able to donate a wad of cash to St. Pat's.

• We've had a couple of articles wrote about us and videos and shiznit (thanks Claire Scott, Hazel and Laura Costello)

• First independent Irish label to be on ASOS Marketplace.

• We were nominated for Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur in Wicklow’s Start-Up category. Didn't win the award but definitely won having been acknowledged.

• Got the Minister of Health, Simon Harris to sport some gear and give us some support.

Fuck. It's only when I started writing this I realised that was a mad year. Still, a long long way left to go.

 
The greatest achievement is that I'd like to think we've helped somebody get out of a dark hole. I hope that doesn't sound 'aw look at me, great lad' but I would die happy knowing that, if we've helped one other little lost soul, we’ve done our job. Which will hopefully have a domino effect of others influencing others mental well-being - which is what happened to us.

 

FEW CHANGES AROUND HEYOR

I keep saying 'we' as a company but I’ve been a sole-trader for a while. A chip shop without fish is a plaice without sole. Cameron finished-up in July (way way wayyyy too much other work on), and Lukey finished-up in September (a super good reason; having a child to feed). Luke's remaining a face of BPB and Cam has sent on some design. Both Cam and Luke leaving kind of has me questioning whether I'm very hard to work with but not very bothered about these questions because I don't know the answer. Anyway, they both put incredible amounts of foundation work in and I'm forever grateful for that. I’ve also got some serious amounts of offers of help and I’m gonna say thanks later on in this bee log.

There ya go now ye pups.

So currently we're losing money - peeps aren't buying the BPB steez and I have a good idea of the reasons tea be hatch.

On the cost side - An Post keeps fucking us over. Exchanges keep fucking us over. Odd sizes/wastage keeps melting brains. Unfortunately, I personally can't afford to put any more bobs into BPB because I keep having to put fucking money in the curse jar. I’ve implemented not charging for postage even though it actually costs an arm and a leg and that didn’t drive sales.

Phat beats, armageddon on the streets.

And then I got a serious few nips from the auld Black Dog. A few patches in between September '16 and January '17. Real recognise real, I figured out why and was able to control the thing without meds or psychs, which is pretty much a first; and also leaves me pretty confident for recognising emotions in the future. It did however leave me pretty discombobulated and BPB suffered.

So yeah, BPB went pretty quiet since September basically. Much less smooth manoovs by Steve on his own. Made some bad calls on some products nshit but 'forever winning, forever learning' - Walker, Ian (2016).

I was stressed out to the fucking max man and two things I don't have much time for but are quintessential to running a business began to control my life; phones and money. Which led to more stress and more depression.

I was also eating shit, not sleeping, not excercising much, and sessioning very hard. In between finishing off another college, rugbying, started working full-time and was also out getting more jingle-jangled than that auld triangle every opportunity I got. Shout out to my fellow work harders and play harders.

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Very very strenuous trying to promote happiness and well-being when you want to go chill with crows and listen to radiohead.

I never use it as a reason or excuse but it's not easy running a business; and it's especially hard trying to run one with Attention Defecit in the midst of trying to commit to everything else. Mix that with a good wallop of wobbly head and the phone got flung out the window and creativity got bingo bongoed.

I don’t know if they are words but hopefully they make sense to you.

I cannot reason using a phone for hours a day, and I cannot answer the thing when I'm depressed. The thought of talking to someone about a subject I don't want to talk about is absolutely terrifying.

I had a good friend and investor who's always looked after me who was interested in investing; but I just couldn't make the decision on what to do with an investment and it eventually took about a month and a couple of phone calls to have the dignity to get back to a very good friend.

Another good friend John Michael Shiels wanted to partner up with BPB and start promoting the brand in SBG but I prefer to stay in my little cocoon and/or throw my phone out the window. Both fabulous opportunities from good friends and I did not mean to be rude, I should've just explained wagwan lads I'm sorry.

Ye wouldn't get a dart in Connolly Station

There’s also a big bunch of silent angels I’d like to thank that have helped me and BPB. Family and friends of course my horse. Me oul petit filous Laura Carey has been super fucking pivotal in nearly any big decision I’ve made, the big dragons den bizniz laydee head on her. She’s also kind of great for listening to unrelated shiznit so thank you muchly laura! Real lines - big up her brother Jay Carey the real lion for being a shoulder I can rely on (biggie smalls is the illest)
 

Stephen Snell is in a different league. Innovative little idea fucker and smooth manoeuvrer in the business world. He also helps with the books, attends events and even makes sales by calling out to halting sites and threatening their Jack Russells with Stan Smith’s castration. And the green giant Conor Rochford who’s helped with orders and events too. Sound fellas. Dara Kenny and Sophia Welsh two scallywags gone but not forgotten, and also returning to Ireland at some stage. Thanks for your constant support, paint and friendship.

There’s been a heap of other people who have offered help/have helped and I’d be an absolute mongo to go and start naming people and then inevitably forget a name mista scatter brain. It means a serious amount to me though for anyone that has offered help. I s’pose I’m only after realising the reason I didn’t take you up on the offer is because it would’ve been a case of not enough work to do/the time to train or man-manage wouldn’t have been worthwhile. I will hit you up at some stage, watch out.

There are some other people I’d love to thank. Customers. Fuck me some of you guys are legends. Customers is a shit word, but supporters doesn’t justify you either. There’s a bunch of people that ALWAYS buy stuff. You know who you are, and I’ve more than likely said thanks already, but seriously thanks, my dream would’ve capsized within a month without you.

There’s also a bunch of people that ALWAYS like and share stuff. This may be unbeknownst to them, but social media engagement is worth it’s weight in gold. The further reach and impressions a business gets in this digital landscape the better #digimark So I’m in debt (in likes, not gold) to all you, and thank you.

And then the bloggers. Jesus jelly fishing Christ. Any of you guys that did write in; I hope you realise how much you could’ve saved someone’s life. By inspiring people to give them courage to speak-up OR by teaching them coping mechanisms OR by standing up and showing people that they may feel isolated but they’re not fully alone.

Apologies to anyone that did write in, but wanted to do so anonymously. I fully understand where you’re coming from, but it will only further feed in to the stigma.

THE PHUCKING PHUTURE

BPB Wear isn't a business and I will forever stick to that ethos.

I'd like to think we're the graffiti of clothing - for people, by people. No red tape, white paint or other such fuckery around here. It's a community.

But to stick that ethos, I've had to tell people looking for kids clothes, womens clothes and every other mother lover, that it can't be done, and it broke my heart. Down the sideline with a pair of bolt cutters and a fashionable balaclava I pulled one out in injury time though.

 The End of May

I’ve been in contact with a crowd in LA.

I work website, marketing and designs, they print, package and ship.  How fucking sick is this!!

They will print or make pretty much anything. And each print is done to order, where we used to have to buy in batch, in the hope they'd sell.

They do cost a little bit more (but not for you), but it's even better quality goods and wayyyy more diverse.

Kids clothes, babies, dogs, ladies, men and maybes.

Yes you to the 3,000 people who asked me, kids clothes!! Towels, mugs, canvasses and hugs.

Get this - it will work out cheaper to post to Ireland from LA, than it will to post to Ireland from... Ireland.

I'm also going to be fully-transparent with the pricing so you know wagwan with your money. I really don't know why tbh but it'll be a nice little touch.

We'll also being ditching ASOS and we've been accepted on Amazon, and we'll  be selling on Shopify and a few others.

Here's a little preview of leggings, but I don't want to give the whole game away. They'll be available soon my faithful friends. Thanks for sticking with me.