Miquel Fluxa from Camper

Camper shoes was one of the first funky brands featured on this blog back in 2008.  When Camper opened its shop in Brussels, I thought that a Funky Brand Interview would be spot on for SCHMOOZY FOX’s blog.

And here it is! I had a chance to talk to Miquel Fluxà from Camper.  A son of Lorenzo Fluxà who founded Camper in 1975, he is responsible for business development and brand extensions at Camper. Educated at ESADE and Stern Business School in New York, where he studied business administration, Miquel thinks that one of his professional strengths is the ability to understand and work with creative people such as designers.

The Mamba shoe

“I am not sure if I can call myself creative, at least in the sense of expressing myself through visual arts. But creativity is a very important element at Camper, and I very much enjoy working with highly creative designers who develop shoe designs, as well as those who have collaborated with us on our Casa Camper hotel chain project.”

Casa Camper in Berlin

SCHMOOZY FOX welcomes Miquel Fluxà to the blog about funky brands! All images in this interview were provided to SCHMOOZY FOX courtesy of Camper.

SCHMOOZY FOX: Miquel, first of all, what makes Camper shoes a funky brand?

Miquel Fluxà: Camper is without any doubt a FUNKY BRAND according to SCHMOOZY FOX’s definition!

We are constantly working on delivering new ideas to the market and we do it with passion and creativity. We think differently and we want to be seen different, although not in a loud, showy way, but with austerity and discretion.

We are serious about what we do, but do not take ourselves too seriously, so we like to add a twist of understated imagination and irony to everything we do. We have a strong core belief that we try to transmit to consumers through product, retail and communication so that they can feel the Camper experience.

SCHMOOZY FOX: And now, could you characterize the Camper brand by only 3 words? What would they be?

Miquel Fluxà: Authentic, thoughtful and imaginative. We are authentic because we have been shoe-makers for over 130 years and we are committed to the long term.

Camper on Madison Avenue in NYC

Quality and craftsmanship remain at the heart of what we do and what we are. We are thoughtful and caring with the people, culture and environment where we work. Camper means “peasant” in Catalan and we have always been connected to the Mediterranean rural world.

And imagination and creativity have always been in the core of the company, applied into every process from the pre-production phase until the recycling, always trying to do things in a different way.

SCHMOOZY FOX: Could one say that these are also the reasons why customers like Camper?

Camper store in London

Miquel Fluxà: Yes, we think so!

We believe that our consumers know Camper values and share them. Our products reflect what we are: our know-how and creativity have always been the common thread of our collections, and we have now taken this to an upper level: Extraordinary Crafts, Creative Quality and Quality Execution, under which we combine our passion and experience with new ideas to create shoes that are useful, innovative and full of personality.

We think that this is something that our consumers take deeply into consideration when they decide to purchase a pair of Camper shoes.

SCHMOOZY FOX: Camper was founded by your father. What made you decide to join forces with your father and continue building Camper as a family business?

Miquel Fluxà: Although Camper as a brand was founded by my father in 1975, the origins of the company go back to 1877, when my great-grandfather founded the first shoe factory in Spain and later  my grandfather continued with the factory. That makes us the fourth generation.

Although there was nothing planned and we had no obligation to continue building Camper, there is an important sentiment of responsibility of continuing the family business.

It also a great luck to work in company like Camper, which is an international company with fantastic people working all over the world, an interesting company with great projects, and based in a fantastic place like Mallorca!

SCHMOOZY FOX: Camper has a worldwide presence. What do you think are the countries where Camper is loved most?

Miquel Fluxà: Considering that the Spanish and European and some Asian countries like Japan and Taiwan consolidations took place in the 80s and 90s respectively, the presence of Camper in these mature markets is broader than in the new ones. However, the last decade has represented the introduction and development of the brand in the United States, Asia, Australia and more recently Russia.

We are confident that Camper lovers can be everywhere in the world. New technologies such as the social media have allowed us to collect information about unexplored markets and we are surprised of the quantity of fans that Camper has in countries where we do not even have a selling structure.

SCHMOOZY FOX: What are the main distribution channels Camper uses?

Miquel Fluxà: Camper is distributed through its own stores that we operate directly, and through multi-brand stores and department stores. The wholesale activity is currently the most important one.

The company was born in 1975 and during the first years the products were marketed only through multi-brand stores. However, we realized that the best way to create a whole Camper experience for our customers was by setting spaces that would allow them to interact with the shoes and the brand.

As a consequence of this reflection, in 1981 we opened our first store in Barcelona, and in 1992 we opened our first store outside Spain in Saint Germain in Paris.

SCHMOOZY FOX: As regards your online shop, what are the challenges and advantages for the consumer to buy a pair of shoes online ? What do you do in order to bring the in-store buying experience to the online world?

Miquel Fluxà: Probably the biggest challenge for us is to enhance consumers’ online purchase experience when they decide to buy shoes through our online shop and, therefore, we focus on three different factors.

First, we provide customers with as much information as possible about the shoes: detailed description, high quality pictures from different angles, quick search menu. Then, we seek excellence in our pre-sale and after sale customer service. Finally, we want the online purchase to be a total Camper experience as it would be to buy in a physical store.

For us the online store is another Camper store, only with a different format and approach to the customer, and we consecrate our efforts to ensure that the customers feel that they are at a Camper store, providing them with the same quality, service and warranties.

SCHMOOZY FOX: Finally, how does Camper plan to continue being a funky brand in the future?

Miquel Fluxà: We will keep on trying to make creative shoes, executed with quality and comfort and maintaining our commitment to sustainability. We will continue increasing our creative network with consolidated and future talents. But above all, we will remain faithful to our origins and values!

SCHMOOZY FOX: Thanks for this interview, and I wish you a lot of success with Camper!

Photo by Theresa Thompson on Flickr

Today, SCHMOOZY FOX’s  Funky Brand Interviews are turning one!

Since last June, we’ve interviewed founders and top managers of some of the funkiest brands out there. In each of these interviews SCHMOOZY FOX has tried to uncover personalities and interests of real people behind brands, as well as learn insights into these innovative companies from a personal perspective of people who work there.

From the Dutch lingerie queen, to a talented photographer who helps people build funky personal brands, to a funky T-shirt brand and a top luxury fashion designer -- all of our interviewees could identify with SCHMOOZY FOX’s concept of funky brands. And this is definitely something to celebrate!

Below is the list of all SCHMOOZY FOX’s Funky Brand Interviews to date, and there will be more funky ones coming soon!

And don’t forget, we’ll continue to celebrate throughout the summer! If you are a funky (or funky-to-be) startup, you can learn how you can benefit from some top-notch brand strategy coaching that we’ve arranged for you FREE of charge! Learn more here.

OUR FUNKY BRAND INTERVIEWS TO DATE

Interview with Rowan Gormley, CEO of Naked Wines

Interview with Marlies Dekkers, the Dutch “lingerie queen”

Interview with artist Thaneeya McArdle

Interview with Kyan Foroughi, CEO of Boticca,com, an online jewellery market place

Interview with James Payne from Baileys Irish Cream

Interview with Tekin Tatar from BeFunky.com

Interview with Wim Somers from Theo

Interview with founders of Lotty Dotty

Interview with Michael Chia, a photographer who helps build funky personal brands

Interview with Martin Bachmann, CEO of Maurice Lacroix watches

Interview with Anders Wall, CEO of Biomega bikes

Interview with fashion designer Tim Van Steenbergen

Today I have some important news for you!

At the end of June, SCHMOOZY FOX will be celebrating one year of its Funky Brand Interviews.  And in this respect, we have some great gifts to offer to those who want to build a funky brand!

If you know talented and passionate entrepreneurs setting up an innovative brand, please spread the news to them!

Our prize

It’s a great way to start building your brand awareness online through SCHMOOZY FOX’s social media channels.  It’s also a fantastic opportunity for ideas-rich and cash-poor start-ups to get smart advice on how to get on the right brand & marketing track right from the start!

Please note that SCHMOOZY FOX’s past and present clients, as well as interviewees, are not eligible for participation!

Please spread the news, and happy schmoozing!

I love Antwerp. It’s a city of great fashion, outstanding design and funky shops. My discovery of funky brands from Antwerp began with an interview with Wim Somers, founder of Theo.

It was at the very end of that interview that Wim mentioned Theo’s collaboration with a talented young Antwerp designer, Tim Van Steenbergen, who worked on Theo’s sunglasses collection.

I noted down Tim’s name with the intention of finding out more details about him later. While I was waiting for my train to Brussels at the Antwerp Central Station, I was browsing through magazines at a press kiosk, and the first article I randomly opened was… an interview with Tim Van Steenbergen!

I don’t quite remember which magazine it was, but here’s my very own interview with Tim.

Tim’s professional credentials are outstanding — the prêt-a-porter collection that bears his name is on the radar screen of many Hollywood celebrities, he’s Creative Director of the successful upmarket fashion label Chine, and he creates costumes for performances at La Scala. Given the wide range of projects Tim Van Steenbergen is involved in, I thought that an interesting topic to talk about would be his personal brand.

Olga from SCHMOOZY FOX and Tim. Image courtesy of Tim Van Steenbergen

SCHMOOZY FOX: Tim, how do you present yourself to someone who has not heard about you and your work?

Tim Van Steenbergen: (smiling) It’s actually a difficult question since I do so many different things! A good way to present myself is to say that I create a universe of style, a way of dressing, based on classic traditions of craftsmanship. Fabrics and their texture play a very important role in this universe. Sometimes I feel that I use fabrics in the same way as a sculptor would use marble, clay or metal to create something from scratch. I remember being fascinated by fabrics when I was only 4 years old!

SCHMOOZY FOX: What makes you passionate about your work?

Tim Van Steenbergen: Emotions! I love the fact that my designs are able to provoke very strong emotions in people who wear them. And it actually doesn’t matter if these emotions are negative or positive — it’s often the controversy that matters. When my designs shake people up, bring exuberance in their lives, and don’t leave them indifferent, I feel like I’ve achieved something very important.

Rihanna in Tim Van Steenbergen. Image provided by Tim Van Steenbergen

I also like to get to know the people who will end up wearing the clothes I make. In this sense, working with the actors at La Scala has been very satisfying as I was making each costume for a particular person. In the theatre environment, I want to understand actors as people, making costumes that fit their personalities, and the roles they play.

Costumes by Tim Van Steenbergen for La Scala

SCHMOOZY FOX: I can see that this can work well in the theater, but in fashion?

Tim Van Steenbergen: In fashion, it is of course rarely possible to create prêt-a-porter collections with every individual customer in mind. I often come across my clothes worn by people on the streets worldwide. It’s rather easy to spot them on celebrities, but what’s more exciting is when “ordinary” people wear them. It makes me want to know more about these people, and their feelings when they wear my designs.

Jennifer Lopez, Misha Barton and Princess Claire of Belgium alike have been spotted wearing Tim Van Steenbergen

SCHMOOZY FOX: I guess that all of the above refers to your label, Tim Van Steenbergen. How does the work at Chine fit into your overall personal brand?

Tim Van Steenbergen: I think it benefits my personal brand. I think it’s important for any designer to demonstrate that he or she can come into another company, with its specific corporate culture and ways of doing things, jump in and deliver good results. This shows that I can successfully collaborate and inspire another brand, and it’s a valuable skill for any designer. The designs I create for Chine are different from the ones I create for my own label. The style of my clothes is architectural, structural, if you will. Chine’s style is fluid, poetic, inspired by the 19th century.

Fluidity of Chine and architecture of Tim Van Steenbergen, created by the same designer

SCHMOOZY FOX: It sounds like you appreciate getting into different roles — maybe that’s why you like your project at La Scala? Perhaps you have the talent for acting too?

Tim Van Steenbergen: (laughing) I’ve never thought of it this way, but yes, I guess you are right! I like having all these different roles and exploring them.

SCHMOOZY FOX: By the way, how do you manage to stay creative when you do so many different things?

Tim Van Steenbergen: I think I am creative BECAUSE I do so much. I manage to separate all the different projects I am working on. Each of them requires different approaches and results in different “end products” . I am pretty good at organizing myself: whenever I need to tap into my creativity and work for Chine, I can do it, and when I am building a new collection for my own label — I can jump into it easily as well!

What breeds my creativity is also doing sports and reading novels. The latter is like entering another universe, and exploring it can be a very special journey that inspires my work.

SCHMOOZY FOX: Could you tell our readers about your plans for the near future? What professional universe would you like to explore?

Tim Van Steenbergen: As already mentioned, I would like to find ways of creating clothes with concrete people in mind. All of my collections are sold through high-end boutiques worldwide. I am thinking of offering them very exclusive limited collections in due course. Boutiques know their clients very well, and there’s certainly scope to make limited collections tailored to these customers, their personalities and lifestyles. And this is certainly a very funky and exciting universe to explore!

SCHMOOZY FOX: Thank you Tim, enjoy this funky journey of creativity!

The MN bike by Biomega

Having talked about square wheels in the previous interview featuring a Swiss watch brand Maurice Lacroix, today our focus is on round wheels — a Danish brand of bikes called Biomega. Launched in 1998 by an industrial designer Jens Martin Skibsted, Biomega is a company that has been building its brand through a rigorous strategy of brand partnerships. Through co-operation with PUMA and such world-famous designers as Marc Newson, Ross Lovegrove and Karim Rachid, as well with its bikes featuring in permanent collections of art museums, the brand of Biomega has occupied a very interesting niche on the bike market: (more…)

A Maurice Lacroix watch with a square wheel

Have you ever thought that wheels can take different shapes than just a circle? According to Wikipedia, a wheel is “a circular device that is capable of rotating on an axle through its centre, facilitating movement or transportation while supporting a load (mass), or performing labour in machines.”

Well, here’s the big news: a Swiss watchmaker Maurice Lacroix has recently revealed a new watch model, Masterpiece Regulateur Roue Carre, which contains a S Q U A R E  W H E E L to display the hours!

Being somewhat of a geek, I found this engineering and design innovation funky enough to trigger my interest in finding out more about the brand. In addition, having already written about Maurice Lacroix’s recent brand endorsement campaign featuring Wikipedia’s founder, Jimmy Wales, I strongly felt that yet another Funky Brand Interview was about to materialize. And here you are, today I am happy to publish my interview with (more…)

Michael Chia

The importance of building one’s personal brand in social media cannot be underestimated. What you say about yourself on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other channels, and how you appear there, can either enhance or diminish your personal message.

The first thing people see when they visit your LinkedIn profile, or Twitter account, is your photo. That’s why you should not underestimate the role of the “right” photo which ideally has to communicate not only your appearance but also your personal value proposition.

I have recently participated in a very fun photo shoot during which Michael Chia, a Singapore-born, Brussels-based photographer, spent about two hours shooting images of me. I liked the results, some of which you can see in this blog post, and so I decided to chat with Michael about his work.

In this interview Michael talks about his profession, which is  essentially capturing people’s personalities through photo portraits. (more…)

LottyDotty founders showing their products. Photo by SchmoozyFox

As mentioned in the article Events as Brands: Paris Fashion Week , I promised to shed more light on some of the brands I discovered during my recent visit to Paris.

Lotty Dotty, a Paris-based start-up that manufactures funky T-shirts, is one of them. Having heard about Lotty Dotty prior to visiting Paris, I noted down the address of its showroom near the Pompidou center in Paris, and got in touch with Lotty Dotty’s co-founder, a Paris-based US born fashion designer Shevanne Helmer.

Shevanne and her business partner Maya Persaud greeted me in a showroom full of colorful T-shirts featuring Lotty Dotty dolls dressed up in fashionable outfits. What’s so special about this new funky-to-be brand and how does it intend to stand out from the crowd? While Lotty Dotty’s founders are working on its brand new web site, here is already a preview of the concept.

SCHMOOZY FOX: What’s the main concept of Lotty Dotty?

Shevanne Helmer: Lotty Dotty has developed a new T-shirt concept that allows one to change the look of one’s t-shirt by using detachable parts. The basis of our t-shirt is the screen printed doll with a sewn on Velcro bathing suit.

EachT-shirt will be sold with detachable mini outfits. This will give our customers the flexiblity to change the doll’s clothes – undress and dress her. Our mini clothing collections are designed by unknown and up-coming designers.

This concept is so new and original that we have acquired a design patent.

LottyDotty mini dresses

SCHMOOZY FOX: How did you come up with this name, and what brand values does Lotty Dotty communicate?

Shevanne Helmer: Maya came up with the name Lotty Dotty. It is a name that invokes souvenirs of our childhood, and it is all about being playful!

We wanted to offer several T-shirts in one. This coincides with our will to do as much as we can to preserve our environment. Our T-shirts are made of organic cotton and bamboo and we try to use recycled materials whenever possible. Our ideals represent an increasingly growing trend for responsible consumerism.

SCHMOOZY FOX: What is your business model?  Will you sell through Lotty Dotty branded boutiques or will you rely on distributors? Are you thinking of going into e-commerce?

Shevanne Helmer: As of today we begin by marketing 2 products: the first is our T-shirts for women and girls and the second is our “mini-clothing” collection. We are also thinking of introducing boys’ and men’s collections in due course.

We aim to sell our tee shirts in specialty and upscale department stores. We will also sell on our web site and are considering possibilities for mass-customization.

Shevanne & Maya, LottyDotty's co-founders

SCHMOOZY FOX: in my previous blog post about Paris Fashion Week I talked about the importance of meta-brands, overarching, superior concepts that add usually positive associations to other brands that want to relate to them. Paris Fashion Week is certainly such a meta-brand. Even though you did not present your new collection in a catwalk show, what benefits did you have from presenting Lotty Dotty in this showroom during the Paris Fashion Week?

Shevanne Helmer: Participating in Paris Fashion Week is very important because it gives a certain legitimacy to one’s company. It announces to the world that they have joined the “elite” corps. A certain glamour seems to rub off on your brand or line. I certainly felt compelled to launch our line at this event because it signaled, “Lotty Dotty is here!”

Aside from this, many buyers and press people from around the world are present in one place for a week. I met buyers almost everyday – they were just walking around the neighbourghood.  In this respect, we found it important to choose a strategic location for our showroom. I was able to lure some of them in and present them our tee shirts.

SCHMOOZY FOX: And finally, what’s the brand vision that you have for Lotty Dotty? Why do you think customers will like it?

Shevanne Helmer: Lotty Dotty is truly a new concept. There is nothing like it! During the 6 months Maya and myself spent trying to figure out how to “dress and undress” the doll, we searched everywhere to find examples of something like this and we did not find anything. As already mentioned, we also patented this concept.

We hope that our customers will also find Lotty Dotty fresh, new and colorful. We also see  the potential   to develop our dolls, add more dolls,  as well as discover new designers!

In this economic climate, where everyone has to downsize, spend less, the idea of having several tee shirts in one can be very appealing.

SCHMOOZY FOX: Thanks, and the best of luck to Lotty Dotty!

A sleevless T-shirt by LottyDotty

Photo courtesy of theo: view from the top floor of theo office to the patio

As I was walking through the windy Antwerp streets yesterday, I quickly gave in to the overpowering atmosphere of design, fashion and great interiors typical of this great city. I was on a mission to meet one of the important players on the Antwerp fashion and style scene, as well as internationally, Wim Somers, founder of a funky eyewear brand, theo. At the end of my journey through Antwerp’s most fashionable streets that are host of great shops and funky cafés, I reached theo’s office building. As I entered it, the exuberance of colors struck me with a good dose of positive energy, that I especially appreciated on a cold and grey day. My funky journey began, and here’s an account of what I discovered by talking with Wim Somers, who had founded theo back in 1988.

SCHMOOZY FOX: Wim, the main reason I am here is that a couple of weeks ago I went to my favorite optician’s store in Brussels, Capelle Opticien, to get a new pair of glasses. After having a little chat with the shop owner, I was recommended this great pair of theo glasses. Its design, a big edgy and unusual, and yet extremely elegant, prompted me to find out more about your company.

The frame came in a bright box, which displayed a very simple yet quite powerful message: theo loves you. Could you tell me the story behind this brand slogan?

Wim Somers: We have been using this slogan for over 20 years now. It began as a memo on an order form and has developed into the slogan of the brand theo. This phrase communicates theo’s core philosophy quite well. Since we distribute our glasses through opticians’ stores, we rarely touch the final consumer.  By stating that theo loves our final consumers, we have a better chance of connecting with them closer, and communicating the fact that we have first and foremost their interests and their tastes in mind when we design our glasses. The phrase theo loves you encapsulates the spirit of the company, which is loving and friendly.

SCHMOOZY FOX: What makes theo so different? How do you make sure you stand out from the crowd?

Wim Somers and Olga Slavkina

Wim Somers: I guess, I can mention strong recognition of our brand, and our distinct style, by the end user. This is our strength and differentiating factor.

SCHMOOZY FOX: And who are your customers? What is the profile of theo’s “typical customer”?

Wim Somers: For theo, the most important characteristics of our customers have to do with their emotional profile. By the way, these days more and more business people talk about emotional marketing, but when we started the company, it wasn’t so common. However, already at that time, we thought of our customers in terms of their emotional profiles, not only gender, age and location. When we started, we served a very narrow avant-garde niche. With time, the niche expanded greatly, and now I can say that our customers are people with personality, those who prefer top-quality design that allows them individual expression of style and personality to the power of “labels”.

Photo courtesy of theo: Flandria model

SCHMOOZY FOX: I have the impression that most of the big eyewear brands are actually brand extensions of big fashion brands. Since theo is purely an eyewear brand, what are the advantages of that?

Wim Somers: Our advantage is that we are very strong at superior design, something that big fashion labels, that usually work through licensing agreements, do not often have.

SCHMOOZY FOX: Do you think of yourself in terms of geographical scope? For instance, do you say that you are an international brand, a Belgian brand, an Antwerp brand?

Wim Somers: Well, I often associate theo with Antwerp, but we’re often approached by opticians from many different countries who have heard of us as an international brand.

Photo courtesy of theo: Andalouse model

SCHMOOZY FOX: theo is for sure an important player on the Antwerp fashion scene. How does actually the image of Antwerp, you can say, the Antwerp brand, help you? Do you think that Antwerp has a strong image internationally?

Photo courtesy by theo: another snapshot of theo's funky office

Wim Somers: An interesting fact is that our end consumers usually know about Antwerp, and the fact that it’s a style, design and fashion city. In fact, the end consumer is much more aware of Antwerp, and the fact that theo comes from Antwerp, than our collaborating opticians! The latter have rarely heart of Martin Margiela or Dries Van Noten, who are  famous fashion designers from Antwerp.

We often tap into the great fashion and style resources that exist in Antwerp. For instance, we have recently collaborated with an Antwerp-based rising star of fashion design, Tim Van Steenbergen, to create a spring-summer 2010 sunglasses collection.

SCHMOOZY FOX: What are the values of theo brand, and how do they correspond to your personal values?

Wim Somers: Positive attitude to life, quirkiness, and fun.

SCHMOOZY FOX: Could you give your personal advice to anyone who wants to build a funky brand?

Be different. Observe. Look at people in the street, see what they like and dislike doing.  I do most of my “customer research” in modern art museums around the world. Just by looking at their visitors, I can definitely get a good feeling forhow popular theo  is in that particular country!

SCHMOOZY FOX: Thanks for this  interview, and stay funky!

Portrait of Tekin Tatar with the "inkify" effect applied

Since SCHMOOZY FOX helps companies with business development and brand building projects aimed at helping them create funky brands, no wonder the site called befunky.com attracted my attention when I was surfing the web.

Befunky.com is a web application that allows create great effects for your photos – in a funky way. Today, SCHMOOZY FOX is happy to publish the first interview of the new year with the founder of befunky.com from Istanbul Tekin Tatar and learn about his plans for this project.

SCHMOOZYFOX: Tekin, in a couple of sentences, what’s befunky.com all about?

Tekin Tatar: BeFunky is an easy-to-use web application that allows anyone to create amazingly rich, professional-quality artwork from digital photos with a single click.

SCHMOOZYFOX: There are other photo editing sites out there, how does befunky.com differ from them?

Tekin Tatar: First of all, we look at photo editing from a different perspective. Our perspective is “One-Click Creative Photo Edting.” At BeFunky.com, anyone can create great-looking artwork from photos simply by uploading images, clicking on the desired photo effect and letting BeFunky take care of the rest. On the other side, traditional photo editing sites or software take a lot of time to achieve the same result and you need photo editing experience/talent to complete all those steps.

Second, some photo effects like cartoonizer, impressionist, oil painting use very sophisticated state-of-the-art image processing and computer vision engine techniques developed entirely by BeFunky. It is nearly impossible to reproduce these effects on other photo editing sites. We are certainly ahead  of them in terms of quality.

SCHMOOZYFOX: Do you earn money based on subscriptions? The free option of your site is nice, but it’s accompanied by banner ads. Do you have to pay to get rid of them?

A befunky.com screenshot

Tekin Tatar: It’s been only 3 months since we started to charge for premium features. We call this service BeFunky Plus. BeFunky Plus service makes it easy for individuals and businesses to benefit from high-end, professional looking photo creativity with minimal impact on their bottom line. The service includes features like higher resolution editing, commercial rights usage, outputs without watermarks, and yes, an ad-free experience.

Yes, we are making money. We are not cash flow positive yet but we know we can be.

SCHMOOZYFOX: And what’s your personal funky story? What prompted you to create this business?

Tekin Tatar: I previously spent 3 years at McCann Relationship Marketing as a business development  director at Istanbul office.

We first started with the idea of drawing people’s cartoons manually and selling them through a website. Think about a street corner artist opening a web based shop. The artist was Mehmet Ozkanoglu – although he was not actually working in the street ! He is one of our co-founders and Creative Director of BeFunky.

An image from the befunky.com site edited using the "old photo" effect

We received positive feedback to this idea and then decided to build this business in a totally automated version. The challenge was, “How can we give the power of the talented person to an ordinary person?” We met with Tolga Birdal, who is our other co-founder and Chief Engineer of BeFunky. Tolga’s engineering talent, Mehmet’s creative vision and my business mind came together to form BeFunky.

BeFunky has achieved tremendous growth very quickly. To date, nearly 100 million digital artwork pieces have been created using the instant online service at BeFunky.com. We attract more than 1 million unique visitors a month.

SCHMOOZYFOX: As someone with passion for funky brands, I want to know what makes your brand funky, apart from its name?

Tekin Tatar: There are a lot of facts but the most important part is this: people love BeFunky, because they feel creative with their photos and have fun with their experience. This in a way goes against conventional wisdom telling us that an individual can’t be creative unless he/she has the talent and experience!

BeFunky shows that this is not true. We are changing the way people perceive photo editing.  We are empowering people to be funky and feel funky – that’s what it means!

SCHMOOZYFOX: Finally, what would be your advice to all entrepreneurs thinking of building funky brands?

Tekin Tatar: Find good people who will be your soul-mates through the journey. Every founder and employee should be passionate about the product. If there is no passion it becomes ordinary. When it is ordinary it is not funky.

Don’t underestimate details. People love details. Every funky brand is obsessively designed to be perfect in detail.

Marketing is not all about spending money on PR or creating campaigns. Marketing starts from the very beginning. Spend time on your logo, colors, mantra etc. Make sure that it sounds fun and/or makes people happy.

SCHMOOZY FOX: thanks for sharing your passions with SCHMOOZY FOX, and I wish you a lot of success with your funky venture in 2010!

Photo of yours truly with befunky.com effects applied. I tried to make it look foxy and I think I have succeeded!