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When they founded the proudly South African brand, Freedom of Movement (FOM), brothers Léan and Roal Boezaart not only wanted to create a unique and authentic brand, but they also resolved to boost the local economy through job creation and skill empowerment.
FOM, established in 2013, specialises in the development, design and manufacturing of premium leather products, timepieces, clothing and accessories, and enjoys a loyal base of brand followers.
finweek caught up with Léan to find out more about the brand and the brothers’ plans going forward.
What did you do prior to starting your own business?
I qualified as a chartered accountant in 2011 and worked at Deloitte in Cape Town. I play professional golf as well, and played on the Sunshine Tour before starting the business with Roal in 2013. Roal qualified as a civil engineer at Stellenbosch University in 2013.
Where did the idea come from?
While he was studying at Stellenbosch, Roal discovered a real passion for the design of clothing and ended up supplying clothing (mainly hoodies and T-shirts) to some of the university residences in Stellenbosch. Roal then approached myself and our other brother Marcel with the idea of starting his own brand.
Clothing turned out to be very tricky (especially if you want to manufacture in South Africa) and we decided to start with a product that embraced quality and timeless characteristics, and would work well with the establishment of a premium brand.
What motivated you to turn it into a business?
We grew up in a house of four boys and during our upbringing our father always used to emphasise the importance of being your own boss. We all had serious dreams and aspirations to become famous sportsmen and I guess the idea of “creating your own legacy” formed a fire in our make-up. All we needed was a spark.
How did you make your first sale?
We spent the first two months making prototypes in a small room that was provided to us by the LaunchLab, which is a mix-used business incubator at Stellenbosch University. We had one machine and one leather worker by the name of Benjamin.
Benjamin was a true artisan and developed one of our very first products that we named after him – The Benjamin. The first Benjamin briefcase was bought by D’Niel Strauss, who is now, interestingly enough, married to former Miss World Rolene Strauss.
How did you get funding to get started?
We were entirely self-funded. We started FOM with a mere R100 000. We used all of our savings and a little extra from our brother, Marcel, who bought a small equity stake in the business. From there, we grew FOM organically to where it is today.
Where do you manufacture your products?
At our own factory in Stellenbosch. We have also recently partnered with two factories in Cape Town. These manufacturing partners were carefully selected after months of prototyping and sampling because premium manufacturing quality is key, and forms the foundation of our brand.
Tell us more about your production process.
Our methods are based on the traditional principles of leather craftsmanship, utilising the same tools that have been used to create authentic leather goods for decades. This is then blended with our own, more modern techniques to ensure that our production process is not only efficient, but that our products are of the highest quality that can only be achieved by true artisans.
Where do you currently have stores? Any expansion plans?
We have two stores in Stellenbosch, one in Menlo Park in Pretoria, and we have just opened a store in the Mall of Africa in Midrand. We have plans to open three more stores across Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town within the next six to 12 months.
We are also expanding internationally; we are in the process of establishing a footprint in Australia, the EU, US and UK. We are focusing on our online presence in these regions for now, with brick-and-mortar plans in the near future. Freedom of Movement Australia will launch at the end of May and we are very excited about this!
What have been the three biggest difficulties you’ve had to overcome?
Firstly, manufacturing. We started out manufacturing all of the products in our own factory. We continued to increase our production capacity up to a point where skilled resources were difficult to find. We had to establish the perfect balance between in-house manufacturing and outsourcing to ensure that the quality of our products remained superior.
Secondly, similar to any other start-up (especially self-funded start-ups), the initial year or two was tough. We had to be very diligent to manage our working capital appropriately.
And finally, growth. We’ve grown by almost 400% year-on-year and we had to make sure that we could support this growth from a supply chain point of view, and stay true to the foundation of the business while still providing our customers with premium-quality crafted goods.
Biggest lesson learnt?
Keep it simple. We’ve fallen into the trap of overcomplicating things a number of times. A clear vision and strategy are important in making sure that you stay on course and ensuring that the most important things are done first.
How tough is competition in your sector, and what differentiates your product from others?
The fashion retail environment is obviously a very crowded space. Although we do sell products that effectively operate in the retail space, our aim is to promote a specific lifestyle and to encourage our customers/brand followers to get out there, chase their dreams and create their own story.
Our products are specifically made to accompany individuals on this journey – they are not just fashion accessories, but become companions on this journey of exploration. All our products have names (The Bobby, The Russell, The Franklin…etc.) and it is up to the customer to decide which companion works best with their personality and will be most suited for their intended journey.
Another differentiating factor is that our products are crafted in South Africa and we strive to source most of our raw materials locally.
How many people do you currently employ?
FOM employs 20 people in total including an operations manager, 10 artisans and leather workers and six retail and sales assistants.
I handle strategy and business development, Roal is in charge of design and product development and Wesley van der Walt manages finance and operations.
What is the best business advice you’ve ever received?
Follow your gut, stay true to who you are and the rest will follow.
What was unexpected?
The immediate interest in our brand, the effectiveness of social media and how quickly the word spread. We are still blown away by the enthusiasm and love from our brand followers.
How do you stay motivated?
We are both very driven individuals and we have this dream to create our own legacy. We have a long way to go, but a clear vision of where we want to be is what keeps us going.
What are your non-work habits that help you with your work-life balance?
We are both very much sport fanatics and we love the outdoors. Golf would always be on the cards, and a braai with some friends or family. We are both keen travellers and always eager to explore.
What is your three-year goal for your company?
Our goal is for FOM to become a globally recognised, proudly South African lifestyle brand. In three years’ time our aim is to have around 12 unique concept stores in SA, with an expanding footprint (online and physical) in Australia, the EU and the US as we are in the process of tapping into the export market.
This article originally appeared in the 26 May 2016 edition of finweek. Buy and download the magazine here.
