Spring Break
What is Success?
Marc Ecko Helps HBS Students Tap Their "Inner Yoda"
By Shane Rahmani (OG) & Earl Gordon (OH), Contributing Writers
Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: News
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Marc Ecko, Founder, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Marc Ecko Enterprises, shared his entrepreneurial story to a crowd of over 90 HBS students on January 24th, 2008. The event, which was organized by Shane Rahmani (OG), Earl Gordon (OH), and Sheldon Wong (OC) and co-sponsored by the Marketing and Retail & Apparel Clubs, provided a glimpse into how he built his fashion and lifestyle conglomerate, while learning from mistakes he made along the way.
Marc Ecko's journey began while he was still a high school student working from a makeshift design studio located in the garage of his parents' New Jersey home. Armed only with an airbrush and his custom graphic designs, Ecko quickly built a loyal fan base and in 1993, at the age of 20, he left Rutgers University to launch *ecko unltd. However soon after finding success with the increasing popularity of *ecko unltd. t-shirts and other apparel, the business became significantly over-leveraged. After 6 years, the company owed $6 million to an assortment of creditors.
"That $6 million dollar pit was a fountain of knowledge and experience for me. The ultimate Ivy League education." From this experience, Ecko learned quickly how to do more with less and how to be creative not only with his designs but also with his cash flow management.
"How were we going to survive? If we were going to make it, we had to have teeth… rather than sink us, that survival instinct made us. To do more with less - became our new marketing mantra."
Doing more with less has become a hallmark of the Ecko brand and Marc Ecko sensationalism. He described innovative ways the company distinguished itself from its competitors. An early example occurred at the expensive, heavily-trafficked industry trade show in Las Vegas, known as MAGIC.
"One year we came up with a cheaper way to get the ultimate impact. Instead of manning our [trade show] booth, we deserted it… and placed in the middle of it, a sign that read 'Where's Ecko?'"
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sam
posted 2/05/08 @ 12:41 AM EST
Yes . I know it is true since i was a supplier of apparel to this company couple of years back from India. His designs are for fat guys and highly technical too. (Continued…)
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