Bôhten Eyewear’s journey
About
Nana Boateng Osei and Nana Kwadwo Osei are the Co-founders and brothers behind Bôhten Eyewear, a business focused on creating inclusive and sustainable eyewear that amplifies Ghanaian culture. Bôhten Eyewear was founded in 2012 and now operates online and in brick-and-mortar stores around the world.
Challenge
Bôhten Eyewear was a rapidly growing brand in 2022 when they recognized a need for greater cash flow and more efficiency within the business to drive further expansion into the U.S. Between marketing, production, and logistics, the Bôhten team knew they needed a funding partner that could help them fund their global inventory and cover day-to-day expenses so they could focus on scaling.
As a small company, money is always an issue. 8fig has beem able to give us the money to invest deeper and keep cash for marketing, production and other expenses
Solution
The Bôhten team partnered with 8fig in 2022; in addition to equity-free capital, Nana K and Nana B were drawn to the continuous, equity-free funding model that 8fig offered. Bôhten had worked with capital partners in the past, but needed a new kind of partner that could combine supply chain planning with funding.
I appreciate the way 8fig plans everythink out. When it comes to making a product, there`s a whole cycle, including production, logistics, and marketig
Result
As a result of partnering with 8fig, the Bôhten team has experienced greater operational efficiency and stability, and freed up precious cash flow to focus on brand expansion and scaling. Since starting with 8fig, Bôhten has released products with Anthropologie, Nordstrom, and even partnered with Disney on a product line for the movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Additionally, Bôhten has been able to focus on operational efficiency and scaling more than ever before — and in the last year they’ve grown 20% in just 6 months. As Bôhten continues to scale to new heights (and new silver screens), they know they can count on 8fig to keep their cash flow stable while they grow.
Advice to ECommerce Sellers
“Find out who your customer is because that can be one of the hardest parts of succeeding in eCommerce. Find out who your audience is and really figure out how to speak to them. For example, Tiktok has given a unique opportunity for people to really speak to the audience in a new way. And you’ve seen a lot more brands use platforms like Tiktok or Twitch. It’s all about outside the box thinking and trying new things instead of doing what worked 10 years ago. “
-Nana Boateng Osei
“People shouldn’t go it alone in eCommerce — they should build communities. Community will dictate and tell you how to go about things, and that applies in terms of sales opportunities, it applies when it comes to finance, it applies when it’s eCommerce in general. If you take your time and figure out the lay of the land, you’ll be better for it. And stay resilient. Business is not always rosy. Value the learning lessons, not just the accolades.”
-Nana Kwadwo Osei