How Shorty's Caboy Hattery Sells Exotic Furs and Custom-Made Items Online and Overseas
That's Shorty of Shorty's Caboy Hattery, who was fed up with not knowing how to shape hats. Since her business's inception, her authenticity and attention to detail have paid off as she's now a globally recognized brand within her unique tribe of real cowboys and cowboy fashion enthusiasts.
It's the classic entrepreneurial story: a resourceful and innovative individual in earnest search to find a solution to a problem comes up empty and not only recognizes the void in the market but also sets their sights from there on out to fill that void.
That's Shorty of Shorty's Caboy Hattery, who was fed up with not knowing how to shape hats. After her father's hat was ruined by a bunch of hat shaping hacks, she bought a custom hat business from another guy named Shorty (go figure). With minimal funds and a ton of passion, she officially launched her business in 1990.
Since her business's inception, her authenticity and attention to detail have paid off as she's now a globally recognized brand within her unique tribe of real cowboys and cowboy fashion enthusiasts. Did I mention that she's also one of the only women in the US that owns her own custom cowboy hat business?
In this interview, I check in with Jennifer, who runs the international side of the business, to learn how they've grown and how they've stayed local while keeping engaged with customers around the globe.
Topics and timestamps
- 1:58 — Shorty's Caboy Hattery's Current Business Model and Sales Channels
- 2:43 — How They've Pivoted Online in a COVID Era
- 3:48 — International Checkout Experience
- 4:21 — Cross-Border Fulfillment and Shipping Rates
- 5:20 — Regulatory Issues Surrounding Exotic Furs Exports (Beaver Felt Sourcing, Fish and Wildlife Department Certification Requirements, HS Code)
- 7:14 — Shipping Costs, Insurance and De Minimis
- 8:08 — After Sales Service: How They Deal With Returns
- 9:20 — Shipping Issues (UPS damage claims, USPS for international shipping, rate comparisons)
- 12:28 — Fraud Mitigation
- 14:20 — Global sales volumes
- 14:45 — Optimizing Your Website For Overseas Consumer Engagement
- 17:01 — Building Their Brand Overseas (Brand Collaborations and Influencers)
- 19:09 — COVID Impact and Pandemic Pivot
- 21:47 — Government Services: SBDC, Grants and More
- 22:46 — "Worst part about managing men as a woman-owned/managed business?"
- 23:53 — Who designs and makes your hats? Who does the beading?