Meet Andy Taylor | Co-founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andy Taylor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andy, what do you attribute your success to?
I think behind any successful entrepreneurs’ story is an element of luck. Before gogglesoc, goggle covers were not a product available in the mainstream – especially those made from recycled plastic bottles. Having a good idea for a new product-type is one thing, but you must be in the right place at the right time. gogglesoc is 5 years old this January. We’ve worked incredibly hard these past years to build the company we have today, and for sure we’ve had our fair share of luck along the way. Josh, Rich and I are all originally from Europe. We’ve been avid skiers our entire lives, but the truth is we didn’t have a clue what we were doing at the beginning. None of us had worked in the industry before. We had an idea and decided to give it a go. If it worked – great. If it didn’t then we would do a ski season in Whistler (worst things have happened). Luckily, from day one, it was apparent that we were entering an industry that is incredibly welcoming. Everyone just wanted to help us succeed. They gave us a chance and here we are 5 years later with 12 full time employees and over 500,000 plastic bottles recycled. We’re grateful for the fact that we’re lucky enough to work in such a supportive and collaborative industry, an industry that we love.

What should our readers know about your business?
When gogglesoc launched in 2016, we launched with a single and very simple product – the gogglesoc – an elasticated microfiber goggle cover manufactured from recycled plastic bottles. The gogglesoc covers the front of a pair of goggles and comes in a range of designs. The gogglesoc combines function (protection) and fashion (designs) making it a win-win for every skier.

We have managed to achieve what we have achieved through applying our core company values to all of our decisions on a daily basis.
– Simple is sexy – by focusing on one small thing over the past 5 years we have been able to grow it large
– It’s good to green – our products are made from recycled plastic bottles. To date we have recycled over 500,000 plastic bottles (that’s the height of 11 Mount Everest’s in plastic bottles!).
– It’s cool to be kind – we’re incredibly lucky and humbled to be welcomed into the ski and snowboard industry. As such, we love to give back and donate to environmental charities (e.g. Protect Our Winters) and adaptive ski associations across the world. If you’re reading this and would like to know more then please get in touch!

If a decision ticks all these boxes, then we’re onto a winner.

We’re proud of our progress, and we’re excited to do more. Through our work with E-myth we have come to the realisation that the product isn’t the item that you’re selling, but it’s the business. We have been tinkering with ours for the past 5 years and today we have a team of 12 full time employees that allow us to supply our unique and innovative products to 23 countries world-wide and sell through over 2000 retailers. We have invested in sustainable growth and the systems we have put in place allow us to work smarter, not harder. Over the past 12 months we have transformed as a brand that aspires to be the leading eyewear accessory brand in the world. We’re excited to bring new and exciting products (such as our latest, the sunnysoc) and pursue this niche with the same focus that brought us success with the gogglesoc.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The company was founded in Whistler, BC. For all the winter & summer sports enthusiasts out there this is going to be a great week.

Day 1 – pick you up from Vancouver airport and check into a downtown hotel. That evening check out the Gas Town some of the best bars and restaurants that Vancouver has to offer
Day 2 – once recovered, warm the ski legs up with some night skiing at Grouse / Seymour / Cypress. On a clear night the views of the city and Howe Sound are incredible.
Day 3 – drive to Whistler and stay in the heart of the village giving you the best access to the ski slopes, shops and everything else whistler has to offer
Day 4, 5, 6 – pound Whistler & Blackcomb big time. First up, last down. Once done skiing, have a few apres beers and then retire to the hot tub. Once rested, go out for dinner.
Day 7 – drive to airport and regret not booking a longer trip

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I just want to do a quick call out to my co-founders, Rich & Josh, who are like brothers to me. Like most families, you have moments, but we have had each other’s back from day 1. We work & play hard for one another, and I could not be more grateful. Each one of us brings a little something different to the table and together we have been able to tackle and overcome any curve ball thrown our way. Thank you, guys.

There is a long list of people who have made this possible. Kyle & Dave – two Whistler store owners that gave us our first retail listing. Our independent sales reps & distributors who fight tooth and nail to help us protect goggles all over the world – we couldn’t wish for better partners. The outdoor community in general who have backed us every step of the way – thank you. Thank you to our parents for being so patient.

For any aspiring entrepreneur out there, I would also recommend reading, emyth & Traction. The processes and systems detailed in these books have allowed us to grow scale quickly and not implode at the same time. Running a business can be tricky, and for first time entrepreneurs (like ourselves) knowing what to do next can be tough. These books are packed with experience and information and a reminder that to us that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Larger and more successful companies than gogglesoc are built on the principles in these books, so if it works for them…

Website: www.gogglesoc.com

Instagram: @gogglesoc

Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/gogglesoc-limited

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gogglesoc/