Tech Startup Podcast: John Yeazel of Necks & Balances

This blog post features an interview with Jon Yeazel of Necks And Balances. While not a traditional tech startup, this fashion company is using eCommerce and social media to connect with its target audiences.

Here, we talked about

• Their Kickstarter campaign: completely funded with 36 hours left (currently)
• How John (and his partner) have connected with individual boutiques to feature their new product
• Being close to closing on their Kickstarter funds (they were thousands away with days to go; it was crunch time!)
• Getting recognized as a startup 
• What exactly is this sticky little product they have? And how do you use it?

More about Jon

Jon Yeazel, the founder of a new Chicago startup Necks & Balances is admittedly fastidious about his clothing. There in lies the inspiration for his new product, The Gentleman’s Fashion Anchor.

Jon’s product - the Fashion Anchor - came to him in a moment of inspiration. He was working for a marketing company, and one day he saw employees affixing gift cards to backing paper with a dot with adhesive on both sides. This struck him as a great product to keep unruly shirt collars, ties, shirt cuffs, and pocket squares in place. When the manufacturer of the dot agreed to supply Jon with a custom product, the Fashion Anchor was born.

Jon’s interest in fashion intensified one day in a bookstore at Ferris State. He saw his favorite basketball player Lebron James on the cover of a magazine. That magazine was GQ. “I thought I was picking up a basketball magazine, but instead I was picking up an obsession with men’s style. I haven’t stopped learning about it since.”

A recently completed Kickstarter campaign will supply the funds that Jon needs to launch production of the product and packaging. “Initial response to the Fashion Anchor has been very favorable, and we have a good business model. We are ready to put our plan in action.” Connect with John on LinkedIn.

More about Necks and Balances

Their pitch: the gentlemen's fashion anchor is a double-sided sticky circle that helps keep clothes in place. It works for a variety of items like polos, ties and collared shirts. It's also a highly useful portable hem.

The Necks & Balances video from Kickstarter video [below] explains more about their current product, the gentlemen's fashion anchor. 
 

Connect with them out on Twitter @necksnbalances and Facebook. They have a short 36 hours left and completely funded on Kickstarter so also check them out there.