Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine and Victoria Dickerson are joined by entrepreneur Mo Elliott. Mo founded Fayettechill while he was a student at the University of Arkansas and served as the CEO for thirteen years before eventually selling the outdoor lifestyle brand in 2022. After a successful exit from Fayettechill, Mo pivoted to real estate, flipping houses and eventually purchasing and operating multiple Airbnb properties in Santa Fe, New Mexico with the Pecos Group, which he founded. Throughout the episode, Mo, Jeff, and Victoria discuss Mo’s transition from retail to real estate, why he chose Santa Fe, and what’s next for Mo and the Pecos Group.
Show Notes
(0:36) Introducing Mo Elliot and His Origin Story
(6:14) Leaving Retail for Real Estate
(10:27) The Magic of Santa Fe
(13:26) Establishing Fayettechill as a Northwest Arkansas Staple
(15:44) What’s Next for Mo?
(21:00) Staying Connected to Fayetteville
(22:06) Advice to the Younger Self
(24:21) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“What I love about real estate is you make the purchase and it’s a tangible asset in front of you and you can control everything. With manufacturing, it’s rough. We’re buying 50,000 units twelve months in advance. We have data to understand what we sold last season, but it’s such a question mark with manufacturing, and it’s always changing.” – Mo Elliott, (6:42)
“I built [Fayettechill] with all the ideals of a little Patagonia. And so having a north star of our ideals and then eventually creating products that I wanted to use outside. And then the employees that worked for us, we were our own test dummies on the products that we wanted. So it wasn’t like we were designing for another core market that we weren’t a part of.” – Mo Elliott, (14:30)
Designing a Business for Yourself and the Market with Mo Elliott
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine and Victoria Dickerson are joined by entrepreneur Mo Elliott. Mo founded Fayettechill while he was a student at the University of Arkansas and served as the CEO for thirteen years before eventually selling the outdoor lifestyle brand in 2022. After a successful exit from Fayettechill, Mo pivoted to real estate, flipping houses and eventually purchasing and operating multiple Airbnb properties in Santa Fe, New Mexico with the Pecos Group, which he founded. Throughout the episode, Mo, Jeff, and Victoria discuss Mo’s transition from retail to real estate, why he chose Santa Fe, and what’s next for Mo and the Pecos Group.
Building a Prominent Brand
Mo founded Fayettechill in 2009 after moving to Fayetteville and noticing that there wasn’t a local brand that represented the area’s love for the outdoors. Fayettechill quickly became a booming brand that the community took pride in, later opening its own brick-and-mortar storefront on Dickson Street in Fayetteville. Mo was heavily influenced by other outdoor brands like Patagonia, and he followed their lead in prioritizing sustainability within Fayettechill’s core mission.
“I built [Fayettechill] with all the ideals of a little Patagonia. And so having a north star of our ideals and then eventually creating products that I wanted to use outside. And then the employees that worked for us, we were our own test dummies on the products that we wanted. So it wasn’t like we were designing for another core market that we weren’t a part of.” – Mo Elliott, (14:30)
Leaving Retail for Real Estate
While Mo experienced significant success with Fayettechill, he ultimately sold the brand and pivoted to real estate. His passion for design, retail, and the outdoors gave him the background to create one-of-a-kind experiences for short-term rentals and commercial properties that inspire tenants.
Comparing the retail industry to real estate, Mo said that he enjoys controlling his entire supply chain. Rather than relying on twelve-month forecasts and unreliable manufacturers, Mo is able to supervise and regulate his entire business.
“What I love about real estate is you make the purchase and it’s a tangible asset in front of you and you can control everything. With manufacturing, it’s rough. We’re buying 50,000 units twelve months in advance. We have data to understand what we sold last season, but it’s such a question mark with manufacturing, and it’s always changing.” – Mo Elliott, (6:42)
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