From action sports to golf, Electric is a story of entrepreneurship at it's finest. What started back in 2000 as a couple of guys with a vision, has grown into a global brand with a few twists and turns along the way.
In 2000, after cutting their teeth in the eyewear industry while working at the iconic brand, Arnette Optics, a group of guys were ready for their next move. And that was to take what they learned in the entrepreneurial environment that was Arnette and turn a big idea into something special.
That big idea was Electric – an eyewear brand that was everything all other brands weren’t. One that was created “to encapsulate the energy of the generation that was changing things, doing things, and pushing the envelope, whether it be in art, music, or sport.”
And they certainly captured that energy. Within the first 5 years, Electric became a market leader in action sports eyewear across the globe. They eventually grew to roughly 50 employees and went through a few acquisitions. Sounds ideal. But founding partner, and current owner and CEO, Eric Crane, talks in today’s show that it was more or less the opposite. That at those peaks, the company lost the culture it stood for when it was created.
So it was time for a change. Eric decided to purchase the company, bringing it back to an independent brand focused on what they do best. Making unreal eyewear for their customers.
In today’s episode, Eric, and lifelong friend and Director of Golf, Cyle Cadam, join us to talk about Electric’s rich history, the thought process behind bringing the company back to independent ownership, why they are putting a lot of effort into building a golf department, and much more.