Today we’d like to introduce you to KC Johnson.
Hi KC, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Up North Trading Company is a family run business started by 2 brothers, a graphic designer and a contract embroiderer, looking to put their respective skills together doing something they could wholeheartedly believe in. Located in Rogers, MN, all of our gear is designed, decorated and shipped in house.
We are here to celebrate the great Up North and all the things that make it so spectacular… especially the people. For those who understand that “Up North” is not a place on a map, but a place you know in your heart, and that just about everywhere is North of somewhere.
Our vision is to outfit anyone and everyone that loves to embrace the culture of the “North” to be comfortable, clean, and simple. So that is how we design and source our clothing – to be comfortable, clean, and simple.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, not entirely.
As with most businesses there are bumps and turns along the way. We pride ourselves in being able to adapt and shift our focus if needed. Starting out not knowing too much about the retail side of selling at some different festivals and ‘shows’ was a new experience that surely brought on the some of the most challenges at first.
Then there is the retail ‘big box store’ world that we have been in and out of over the years. That in itself presents some challenges for small companies. The hoops we would have to jump through to navigate the intricacies of certain procedures and new software was not a small task, but one that was a great experience in growth and knowledge.
Now we look back and can see how great some of those challenges were as hurdles for us to get through to make us that much stronger and better as a company!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Up North Trading Company is a clothing line, designed to be comfortable, and represent the feeling of being ‘Up North’.
Up North to us is relaxing, quiet, fun, stress free, exciting, and beautiful. That is the feeling we want any customer to have when they see or wear our clothing.
I also own a local embroidery and screen printing shop, printing all kinds of clothing for businesses and athletic associations/teams. That has made having our own clothing line much simpler. We can cut out the middle man and produce everything in house at our shop in Rogers, and can control the design, printing, and fulfillment of all orders. I feel like that sets us apart from a lot of other small clothing brands that have to send off the clothing to be printed and don’t always know what they are getting back as they can’t be inspecting the product as it is being produced.
The thing we are most proud of is that we have grown this company very organically, relying heavily on family, friends, and word of mouth. It has been such an experience to see the people closest to us help spread the word about our clothing! One of the most exciting things about having a clothing line is seeing a total stranger wearing our clothing and knowing that we designed, and made what they are wearing.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
We define success in a few different ways:
GROWTH – sustaining a clothing company is hard enough in itself, much less growing one and keeping it growing over time. We have been blessed to have grown and kept growing over our 9 year life span as a company!
SMILES/COMPLIMENTS – one way that we define success is to see people smiling when wearing our products or hearing compliments either in person or via emails about our clothing and/or our customer service! It is such a joy and accomplishment to us when we see someone smiling while shopping our product, or wearing our comfortable clothes.
SALES – success is also defined by your company sales. Good sales revenue means customers like our products and what we’re doing, which means growth. growth = success
Contact Info:
- Website: https://upnorthtco.com
- Instagram: @upnorthtco
- Facebook: @upnorthtco
- Twitter: @upnorthtco
