Welcome to The Startup Junkie’s Podcast!
Ben Clark, CEO of B-Unlimited, joins our hosts, Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Davis McEntire, to discuss how he created a people company that just so happens to sell t-shirts. Ben breaks down how making a bought-in team, along with well-curated values and a striving for excellence, has scaled this t-shirt company into an entire culture. From building trust and rapport with competitors, helping other struggling businesses during COVID, to the impact of technology, to even the NCAA licensing fiasco, we dive into just about everything!
Thanks for tuning in!
Shownotes:
(1:07) Introducing Ben Clark of B-Unlimited
(5:19) Big News for B
(8:19) Reaching Out To Competitors
(10:08) COVID and Uncertainty of University & Greek Life Retail
(12:02) Building Brand Loyalty
(16:01) Transitional Leadership
(26:22) Culture Creation and Talent Acquisition
(28:39) Science, Technology, and Earth Friendly Initiatives
(37:15) Impact of New NCAA Protocol
(44:27) 5 Years From Now
(44:27) Wrap Up
Links:
Quotes:
“Through COVID it really has caused me to reach out to all my competitors, which has been something really different than the past… I’ve just been able to talk to them and just kind of talk through what we’re doing. It was good to know that you had someone there, even though they were a competitor… that could help you and pick up the pieces.” (8:19) – Ben Clark
From seeing another business fail, [it] actually helped me understand that I needed to make [us succeed]… and it’s really more about systems, procedures, and automation.” (16:45) – Ben Clark
“Our ethos is: be unique, be yourself, be unlimited and that’s on our wall… we don’t care how big we get. Culture costs money, it’s an investment.” (24:39) – Ben Clark
“You’ve got to find a community to help you navigate… Seek out good mentors and advice.” (45:23) – Ben Clark
B’ing Unique with Ben Clark of B-Unlimited
The Startup Junkies were joined by Ben Clark, CEO of B- Unlimited, on episode 260. B- Unlimited is coined as a people company that just so happens to sell t-shirts. If you know anything about this company’s culture, you would agree. From being unique in a city with multiple screen printing companies, to setting values and goals within a startup, to future aspirations, you will want to hear how Ben Clark is doing big things with a smile on his face all the way!
B-Unlimited may sound familiar to you if you’ve been involved with Greek organizations. With their products at over 150 Universities spread across over 2000 fraternities and sororities, they are now a staple for greek life. This foot in the door led to their e-commerce push of selling retail products to universities such as U of A, LSU, and many other SEC schools.
Although Ben was not the initial founder, he had to experience starting from ground zero and building up from 0 to 42 designers and 250 employees.
Creating Community With Competitors
Something Ben Clark and his team did differently was utilizing the opinions and advice of competitors. The shift in this community building began during COVID but set a precedent that would continue to this day. Rather than seeing other screen printers as just competition, they utilized each other’s wisdom and even employees to lean on each other.
“Through COVID it really has caused me to reach out to all my competitors, which has been something really different than the past… I’ve just been able to talk to them and just kind of talk through what we’re doing. It was good to know that you had someone there, even though they were competitors… that could help you and pick up the pieces.” (8:19) – Ben Clark
Building Brand Loyalty
COVID caused uncertainty for many reasons, one being the market for university and greek life screen printing. In the middle of the unknown, B-Unlimited didn’t just go into survival mode but looked around at the other hurting businesses of Northwest Arkansas. Thus began the NWA Business To Business Initiative.
On one end, they had to think of an idea quickly to generate some income, and on the other, the heartbreak for friends’ and families’ businesses shutting down was in every conversation. By partnering with restaurants, bars, and other local companies, Ben was able to split profits 50/50 and push out the marketing for it through their website. B-Unlimited ended up doing about a thousand of those across NWA and even farther! This initiative even ended up opening the door to B- Unlimited working with more of the corporate world than just mostly Universities like before.
Culture Creation Lending To Talent Acquisition
Keeping a company going is not just about keeping the same person in charge. It would be about setting up systems, procedures, and automation, even if, Ben admittedly responded, those were not his strong suits.
Knowing the skills B-Unlimited needed, and investing in those individuals who have them, would become critical in building out his team. Leadership was not just going to be one head honcho, but a tribe all bought into the same culture and principles. Spending time and money to create a culture, then multiplying it into 7-12 people, and entrusting them to do the same has been the method of B-Unlimited.
By choosing to create company outings, a safe place for all types of employees, alongside a healthy environment to cultivate fun and creativity, B has a culture that is not dying anytime soon. Each of those things took extremely intentional time and financial investment and were not grown overnight. They have seen their fair share of employees moving on to other places and setbacks, but as time goes on, the culture being created is proving to go above and beyond the typical work environment.
“Our ethos is: be unique, be yourself, be unlimited and that’s on our wall… we don’t care how big we get. Culture costs money, it’s an investment.” (24:39) – Ben Clark
Finding the talent to produce screen printing designs and expedite these processes is also at the heart of culture creation. People will invest their work into a company that values and inspires them. B-Unlimited has done that for numerous creatives and is continuing to do so even as they build-out.
2021 NCAA Standards
The ongoing changes in the NCAA with student-athletes are on the minds of those at B-Unlimited. As for licensing, each school responds differently, and B-Unlimited will be working to make the best out of each scenario, as they have been for years now. Whether it’s a school doing a No Cap program like the University of Arkansas, or co-branding or even not co-branding at all, these new waters will be navigated just as they were with the sorority, fraternity, and university screen printing licensing that B-Unlimited is known for.
We want to hear how YOU are bringing your own unique ideas and methods to shake up the entrepreneurial world! It’s watching one person’s ideas be put into a team, then created into a brand, and then a community that makes our job both fun and never dull.
Are you a Startup Junkie yourself? Are you getting the itch to create something new? First, keep up with us each week as we get to speak to people just like you, and then learn more about our services here at Startup Junkie. Contact us today!
English 
Spanish 
Korean