Christine Esposito, Managing Editor02.02.21
Just Wipes
Devon Fanfair, Founder
Headquarters: Houston
Founded: 2019
You are a serial entrepreneur and the head of a private equity company—but now you are making and selling wipes. It seems kind of low-tech and not nearly as exciting. Why this brand?
Great question! Last year when I was flying back to Houston from the Bay Area, I took a not-so-clean plane ride and got obsessed with solving that problem in the same way we solve tech problems—with the end user in mind. I saw a space in the market where we could design a product that fits our lifestyle both in aesthetic and function. I also learned that while it’s nice to try to create a unicorn, you should take it step by step and start with what you have.
There is a lot of competition in wipes from some very big players. What will make Just Wipes standout?
Thank you for asking! The big players haven’t really created a product for the end user. Their focus has been creating products that get the job done, safely or not. Honestly, if I were a billion-dollar company, I most likely wouldn’t change, either. Our competitive advantage is the size of our packs. A pack of 10 of our wipes can fit in your pocket, clutch purse, gym or diaper bag and more. This portability compares with most “on the go” packs that have 20-30 wipes per pack. In reality, you will take that larger pack from your home to your car and leave it there. We are a true “go with you” product so you can feel safe in any circumstance right when you need it!
Was it easy or not so easy to find a partner to develop and manufacture your product in the way you envisioned? What didn’t you know going in that you wished you had known?
My “superpower” is human connection. Not knowing much about the industry, I quickly formed trusting, significant relationships. Gratitude and respect go a long way! I am grateful that my teammates, who have an incredible gift of design, were able to take my vision and after a few iterations and sleepless nights, we were able to land on solid ground. I wish I would have known that the product was 20% of the battle. The real war is logistics and distribution. My mentor told me how hard the fulfillment side was, but did I listen? Not enough to not try it, but I did listen enough to know that once the product was created, nothing else matters if you can’t fulfill orders to your customer.
Tell us how Sage, your daughter, helped you during this process?
Sage is the evolution of my wife and I: her free-thinking nature, her ability to absorb so much from watching us build businesses, her curiosity along with her solutions to solving problems. It is such a joy to walk her through each step of the business. She went from understanding how important it is to solve problems to learning what it means to have truly good partnerships to helping us promote Just Wipes by selling them to friends we would run into at the store. Then she understood that this was her company too! That led to her wanting to start her own company and now she sells kids blue light-blocking glasses along with toys she makes with her 3D printer. I’m such a proud parent!
What are your plans for 2021?
For 2021, our goal is to land with a national retailer and take the manufacturing work “in-house.” I am also working to launch a new product that I am very excited about. Finally, I plan to continue to build a lifestyle brand that celebrates living life clean in a way that is relevant to current culture.
Devon Fanfair, Founder
Headquarters: Houston
Founded: 2019
You are a serial entrepreneur and the head of a private equity company—but now you are making and selling wipes. It seems kind of low-tech and not nearly as exciting. Why this brand?
Great question! Last year when I was flying back to Houston from the Bay Area, I took a not-so-clean plane ride and got obsessed with solving that problem in the same way we solve tech problems—with the end user in mind. I saw a space in the market where we could design a product that fits our lifestyle both in aesthetic and function. I also learned that while it’s nice to try to create a unicorn, you should take it step by step and start with what you have.
There is a lot of competition in wipes from some very big players. What will make Just Wipes standout?
Thank you for asking! The big players haven’t really created a product for the end user. Their focus has been creating products that get the job done, safely or not. Honestly, if I were a billion-dollar company, I most likely wouldn’t change, either. Our competitive advantage is the size of our packs. A pack of 10 of our wipes can fit in your pocket, clutch purse, gym or diaper bag and more. This portability compares with most “on the go” packs that have 20-30 wipes per pack. In reality, you will take that larger pack from your home to your car and leave it there. We are a true “go with you” product so you can feel safe in any circumstance right when you need it!
Was it easy or not so easy to find a partner to develop and manufacture your product in the way you envisioned? What didn’t you know going in that you wished you had known?
My “superpower” is human connection. Not knowing much about the industry, I quickly formed trusting, significant relationships. Gratitude and respect go a long way! I am grateful that my teammates, who have an incredible gift of design, were able to take my vision and after a few iterations and sleepless nights, we were able to land on solid ground. I wish I would have known that the product was 20% of the battle. The real war is logistics and distribution. My mentor told me how hard the fulfillment side was, but did I listen? Not enough to not try it, but I did listen enough to know that once the product was created, nothing else matters if you can’t fulfill orders to your customer.
Tell us how Sage, your daughter, helped you during this process?
Sage is the evolution of my wife and I: her free-thinking nature, her ability to absorb so much from watching us build businesses, her curiosity along with her solutions to solving problems. It is such a joy to walk her through each step of the business. She went from understanding how important it is to solve problems to learning what it means to have truly good partnerships to helping us promote Just Wipes by selling them to friends we would run into at the store. Then she understood that this was her company too! That led to her wanting to start her own company and now she sells kids blue light-blocking glasses along with toys she makes with her 3D printer. I’m such a proud parent!
What are your plans for 2021?
For 2021, our goal is to land with a national retailer and take the manufacturing work “in-house.” I am also working to launch a new product that I am very excited about. Finally, I plan to continue to build a lifestyle brand that celebrates living life clean in a way that is relevant to current culture.
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Bettina Mercado of Bettina Cosmetics asks: What are the biggest challenges you have successfully surpassed and, if so, how have they changed your business or you personally? Talent was the biggest challenge to overcome. I’ve always known that if I can recruit my friends to create a thing together, we can make a significant mark on this earth. I was able to recruit a super team and place them in roles where they are most energetic. I have learned that business is personal. It impacts our families, our mood and our personal financial state. What I have learned not to do is take business personally. If we are all focused on the goal, we can do this and create a culture of serving each other for the greater good of the agreed mission. —Devon Fanfair |
