Alongside her two other siblings, Courtney Glasser founded the well-known clothing company, Grey Bandit. As triplets, the three siblings were a “power trio” in the sense that they each had strengths in their own separate areas—all crucial to the success of their startup. In a Podcast, Courtney stated that she specialized in understanding Grey Bandit’s market. She was knowledgeable about social media and understanding customer behavior. Lindsey considered herself a strong “people-person” and took care of relations. As for Robert, he took charge of warehousing and inventory. All three of them were exemplary in their own areas. Even though they served separate roles, their functions all contributed to one large machine—that being their business.
Grey Bandit did not start as a multi-million-dollar business. It all started with their mother. She, too, was an entrepreneur. As their role model, her successes became an inspiration for her children. Courtney and Lindsey demonstrated that same entrepreneurial passion in their early years. In 8th grade, the girls began selling t-shirts and progressed to shorts in 9th grade. They received plenty of encouragement in school, which the girls claim was a great motivator for their largest project, Grey Bandit.
Within just one year of the launch, Grey Bandit reached nearly 60,000 followers. The girls attest this success to the investments they made back into the business, which were the Instagram influencers they paid to promote their brand. On average, every post from these influencers would result in 150 more followers for the company. The growth was exponential.
What remains admirable about these young entrepreneurs is the social impact they had on the world. Profit, although a benefit, was not the purpose of the platform. Their purpose was to break the stigma that is often associated with mental illness. There was a deeper message involved in their business. In their Ride The Wave Collection, 30% of any item purchased would be donated to several mental health organizations they supported. Not only were Courtney, Lindsey, and Robert great entrepreneurial thinkers, but they were also determined action takers. The important takeaway from their business is to act on your ideas and be willing to ask for help in fields outside your expertise.
It’s amazing that this is a business created by siblings. I found great the way that they started selling t-shirts in 8th grade and how they expanded their brand through Instagram.
I like how each of these siblings were able to bring their own strengths to the table in developing this brand as a team! I also admire the donation aspect of this company, as I think knowing your purchase and money is going towards a good cause and organization makes you more likely to buy from the brand.
It is really cool seeing these siblings coming together and collaborating their strengths to bring something of value, especially at such a young age. Their marketing technique is impressive too, giving people extra reason to purchase their products (the donation factor).
This is such a cute family business! Their story definitely shows the impact of social media today, and how much it influences someone’s business! I also love the creative name of their line, Ride the Wave, and how well that correlates with mental health.
It would be awesome to start a business with family. The idea of working with those you love on something that you love to do is so appealing to me. They are truly living the dream. The creativity of their company is so unique!