You’ve probably noticed Tucker Blair on the blog before. The company’s needlepoint belts have shown up in the Golf Course Essentials and 4th of July Clothing posts. I was recently able to get in touch with Taylor Llewellyn, the founder of Tucker Blair, to ask him a few questions about the company and find out a little more about the brand and the founder beyond what you can simply find on the web site.
What’s your background? What did you do before starting Tucker Blair?
I grew up in the Bay Area and after college I worked in my mother’s catering company in San Francisco. Growing up both of my parents ran their own businesses, so I was exposed to entrepreneurship my whole life. It became very evident to me that I really needed to start my own company and the best idea I had 4 years ago was belts! So at 25 I took a one way flight to China to find a production source and have been figuring out how to grow the business one day at a time since then.
Why did you choose to make needlepoint belts?
I had a great needlepoint belt that a family friend made for me. I loved wearing it and thought that it would be a really cool product category to get into. I felt (and still feel) that everyone deserves a sub $100 needlepoint belt and we’re the people to make that happen.
Why did you choose a duck for you logo?
My mother’s family grew up on a duck farm on Cape Cod. I thought the duck logo looked good, no one had used it before and it has family significance.
Why should a customer want to buy your belts as opposed to another company’s?
We have the best selection and quality needlepoint belts at virtually half the price of every other company in the marketplace.
What are the plans for the future of the company?
We want to make sure that everyone on the planet that loves needlepoint belts has a Tucker Blair in their closet! We still have a long way to go but we’re moving in the right direction.
For more information on the history of the company, check out the very informative Story section of their web site.
I’m a huge fan of these belts and there’s a style out there for everyone. As a business school graduate I also really admire how Taylor has set up the business to best benefit the consumer. By selling directly to the consumer online, Tucker Blair skips the markup that’s added on at retail stores, keeping the belts affordable. Tucker Blair has also just launched a brand new referral program that gives you a $30 store credit each time a refferal makes his/her first purchase. This is an amazing deal and definitely gets Tucker Blair and Taylor one step closer to their goal of getting a Tucker Blair needlepoint belt in every closet. You can find more information on the program and sign up here.
Once again, a big thank you goes out to Taylor for taking the time to answer my questions.
Leave a Reply