Listen to this articleBelow is our recent interview with Bill Davis, the Founder & CEO of BeachNecessities.com:
Q: Could you provide our readers with a brief introduction to BeachNecessities.com?
A: BeachNecessities.com forges the online shopping experience for the $15B+ US beach goods market with a focus on sustainability, both in the products we carry as well as protecting the health of the ocean, and the human race, given the impacts from climate change and ocean plastics. While many people equate the beach with the ocean, for others this could be a favorite lake, pond or river so we define beach as any place you can dig your toes in some sand, go for a swim and just enjoy yourself.
Q: Bill, what is your backstory? How did your company come into being?
A: My parents were active in the civil rights movement in the south and my high school, the oldest school in continuous existence in North America, drilled into it’s students that we have a responsibility to make the world a better place so… After college when I applied for my MBA, I was trying to identify a program that incorporated social responsibility into it’s curriculum, but that didn’t really exist in the late 1980s so I had to figure out much on my own.
My first job out of graduate school was at The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College so that reinforced my interest in the private sector making money by doing the right thing. That being said, the magnitude of the issues facing us today related to climate change and it’s impact on the ocean along with plastic waste in the ocean didn’t seem to be garnering much corporate involvement so I saw an opportunity to fill that gap with BeachNecessities.com.
The business idea emerged in 11/16 on my first trip to Hawaii, Oahu, where I blew out my flip flops getting off the plane and found a great new pair along with a cooler to keep our beer cold watching surfing on North Shore. This trip prompted me to start prepping an online store with a beach / ocean focus which launched 6+ months later in 6/17.
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Q: What types of products can be found on your website?
A: Beach products across categories like beach accessories, beach activities / sports, beach apparel, beach house, beach lounging and sun. Today we have over 700 skus, but realistically think we could easily carry 5000+ skus.
Q: What’s the best thing about BeachNecessities that people might not know about?
A: 1% of our annual revenue gets invested in beach and ocean conservation organizations through our membership in 1% for the Planet which was founded by Patagonia and is modeled after their efforts. Giving back to protect the resources where our customers, and we, like to play increases the likelihood those resources will be here for everyone to continue to use in the future.
We’re also developing the most comprehensive list of beaches here in the US, both coastal and inland on lakes, as well as eventually in the world so people will have ready access to learn about these places which will stimulate travel to them.
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Q: What can we expect from BeachNecessities.com in the future?
A: Protecting beaches and the ocean one baja hoodie at a time! In essence, connecting people’s shopping habits to beach and ocean conservation through our involvement with 1% for the Planet. And providing more beach and ocean safe and sustainable products as we learn more about the impacts of the current accessories and products we use on or near the beach and in the ocean.
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