Jamie & David chat with Ed Vickers, the brains and brawn behind Sums (sumsclub.co.uk) and the original "Sock Man" from Jolly's! In this episode, Ed shares his eclectic career journey, from his early days building the socially conscious sock brand Jolly's to working with a brand agency and a real estate fund, and ultimately, his return to the world of entrepreneurship with Sums.

Episode Highlights:

• The Wild West of Startup Life: Ed reflects on what drew him back to entrepreneurship after exploring different career paths, emphasizing the passion and unique feeling of bringing an idea to life.
• The Jolly's Story: Discover the origins of Jolly's, a sock brand with a mission to donate winter warming socks to shelters for every pair sold. Ed shares his early experiences with product development, finding joy in the customer's purchase, and the valuable lessons learned from embracing personality and taking risks in branding.
• The Brand Builder's Journey: Ed discusses his time at Multiple, a brand consultancy, where he learned from experts about the intersection of brand, culture, and growth, working with high-growth venture-backed businesses. He then shares insights from his experience at Kinrise, a real estate investment fund, and how he applied brand and storytelling to bring historic buildings back to life.
• The Birth of Sums: Hear the inspiring story behind Sums, Ed's new running sock brand. From his personal running journey and the desire to create the "Patagonia of running," to the challenges of developing high-performance, sustainable running socks.
• Community and Cause: Ed elaborates on Sums' unique give-back system, integrating customer running data through Strava to contribute to a communal pot for running charities. He explains how Sums aims to help runners help runners, focusing on the collective spirit of the running community.
• The Power of Subculture: Ed discusses the importance of building a brand rooted in a specific subculture, drawing parallels with Patagonia and Apple's early days. He shares how Sums is connecting with elite trail runners and everyday enthusiasts alike.
• The Offline Magic: Ed highlights the importance of offline, analog experiences in the running world, despite Sums being a D2C online business. He shares recent examples of pop-ups and running events where the brand fosters genuine connections with customers.
• Brand Building Wisdom: Ed offers valuable insights into building great brands, emphasizing the need for bravery, conviction, and focus, and the risks of being bland. He also shares advice on selecting and working with agencies for rebrands, stressing the importance of trust and allowing creative freedom.
• The Future of Sums: Ed gives a glimpse into the future of Sums, including product diversification beyond socks and the dream of building a wicked in-house culture.
• Inspiring Brands: Ed shares a brand that inspires him, Peak Divide, highlighting their authenticity and genuine love for running culture and community.

Connect with Ed Vickers and Sums:

• Sums Website: sumsclub.co.uk
• Ed on LinkedIn
• Maverick Race: https://www.maverick-race.com/
• Peak Divide: https://www.peakdivide.com/

Ideas Club Newsletter

Sign up to the ideas club newsletter every two weeks for ideas and a dose of creative inspiration - https://good.space/ideas-club