Inspiring Business #1 - Hiut Denim
This is the first in a new series of articles where I focus on an inspiring business, discovering what makes them special and how they stand out from the crowd. I focus on the elements of business that I think are the most important and which can help to create a successful business in your image.
This week’s inspiring business is a particular favourite of mine and a company which really inspires me and gives me a lot of joy and happiness, Hiut Denim! Formed in 2011 by David Hieatt with the vision of making world-class jeans from west Wales.
I first came across Hiut quite recently in lockdown. It was the story that got my attention and then the product sealed the deal.
I am very passionate about story and quality and feel that both are essential factors to any progressive business. It may seem obvious to some, but I see a lot of businesses not valuing themselves in these areas.
The two are inseparable, a good story is not going to do you much good with an average product and the best product in the world is not going to get recognised or valued without a strong story.
Storytelling and narrative are such potent forces and the reason can be found in our shared past. If you have read Sapiens you may know where I am going with this, we are (to a certain extent) products of our evolution.
The modern world layers onto our evolutionary traits, and believe it or not, how we lived for many eons is actually highly relevant to running a business. How we behave, what we make, who we like it can all be traced to our lineage as human beings.
Let me give you an example, why has social media become so important, addictive in many cases, because it is a community space, we evolved to live in communities, the issues only come when this artificial world only gives us a part of what we need.
These traits are inherited because at some point in the evolutionary process it had a benefit and nature selected it. They may not be overly relevant to the modern world we have found ourselves in but they are the wheels that drive everything.
We were storytellers, we were tool makers and we still are.
We may not always know it but we live in an intricate world of stories, everything from our work, our family and who we are, they all have very strong stories attached, sometimes we know about them and sometimes we do not.
Story also goes by other names such as marketing, brand, marcoms, advertising and so on. But simply put it is the science & art of story.
The Hiut story began in Cardigan, Wales, the town was the largest Jeans manufacturer in the UK employing 400 people in a town of 4,000. They made Jeans for Marks & Spencer amongst other clients but in 2002 the manufacturing was moved to Morocco to save costs.
The closure of the business meant that 400 skilled craftspeople lost their jobs overnight, it had a devastating effect on the town and put 10% of the population on the dole overnight.
David is from Cardigan and so it seemed almost pre-ordained that he would create a new denim brand built on the historical foundations of home town, which he clearly cares so much about.
Hiut started small, employing 8 or so makers of the old denim factory and they are growing the business and the workforce as the company expands, utilising the existing skill base of the town.
They call the experienced makers of the jeans ‘Grand-Masters’, a master stroke which elevates the craft and product giving it a higher regard. Hiut have harnessed mythology and legend to make high-end jeans which they sell from £200 a pair upwards.
The owner's motto is ‘Do one thing well’, and I really love this part of the story. It is reminiscent of the master craftspeople of Japanese culture, Shokunin.
Shokunin simply translates as craftsman or artisan, but there is a little more to it.Famed Japanese artist, sculptor, teacher and woodcrafting expert Tasio Odate says “the Japanese apprentice is taught that shokunin means not only having technical skills, but also implies an attitude and social consciousness. … The shokunin has a social obligation to work his/her best for the general welfare of the people”.
Shokunin is about continual improvement to create the most beauty individually possible, created with time, care and skill. The reward is simply the satisfaction derived from the work, nothing more.
It feels though Hiut have embraced Japanese culture and the concept of shokunin with their grandmasters and pursuit of perfection, just like in Japan where shokunin are the custodians of tradition, in Cardigan it is just so.
Layer on top the storytelling of the people, place and culture of Cardigan and you have some formidable business alchemy.
Hiut’s story feels like it has spread like wildfire on social media by advocates including celebrity customers such as HRH Megan Markle. But not necessarily all their advocates are wearing their jeans. Just take me as an example, I have never bought or even tried on a pair of Hiut jeans but here I am telling you how much I love them.
I am mostly excited by Hiut because it is built on simple principles of integrity, they care about what they are doing and it shines through, it is built on shared human experiences as they strive to employ 400 makers in Cardigan once again and who would bet against them.
Even if we strip away everything Hiut have used in the creation of their business; story, culture, people, craft. I believe there is another more important factor in their success.
I think David Hieatt is following his energy. It looks like he uses his intuition to guide him and his sharp intellect and experience to create. He has learnt and reflected on his journey and created something he loves, a reflection of his energy.
This is a company that you cannot help but love. It is intelligent business design and the motivation was never to make money, it was to make a difference.
The money is a useful way to create more with. It is energy and if you love what you are doing and you believe in it, I think you will succeed, how can you not.
If you have enjoyed what you have read and would like to create a business that is as successful as Hiut then why not get in touch.
Cheers, Damien :-)
NB. This article is based on opinion and is by no means a representation of the facts.
References:
Kylie Fennel, October 16 2018, https://www.kyliefennell.com/be-an-expert-embrace-shokunin-expert/