VANTA CYCLING
Roles & Responsibilities in Building Vanta Cycling
Product Development & Production
- Sketched design concepts and directional flat lays
- Created and revised tech packs and detailed specification sheets
- Sourced premium fabrics and trims from U.S. and European suppliers
- Contacted, vetted, and toured U.S. factories and production partners
- Managed communication with suppliers and factories regarding minimums, delivery terms, and sampling costs
- Directed prototype sampling rounds and revisions
- Graded sizes and finalized specifications for production alongside
- Approved final samples and signed off on production run
- Placed official production order and managed production timeline
- Performed secondary QC after factory’s initial quality control to ensure final standards
Brand & Creative Direction
- Defined brand identity, tone, positioning, and visual direction
- Designed logo
- Developed brand narrative and messaging focused on timelessness and American manufacturing
- Shot product flat lays, detail shots, and lifestyle/lookbook photography
- Directed on-body photography and styling for launch imagery
- Selected talent and accessory styling (shoes, environment, etc.) to support cohesive visual identity
Digital & Launch
- Built and customized the Shopify website
- Managed domain transfer and website infrastructure
- Wrote product descriptions, policy pages, and brand story copy
- Set up payment gateways, tax settings, and shipping rules
- Organized email subscriber list and launch announcements
- Fully launched brand DTC via e-commerce
Logistics & Fulfillment
- Pack and fulfill all orders in-house
- Manage returns, exchanges, and customer service workflow
Business Formation & Operations
- Formed the LLC and managed state registrations (Delaware & California)
- Set up business bank accounts and financial infrastructure
- Self-funded the brand alongside my wife without outside investors
- Managed bookkeeping and tax compliance (sales tax, FTB filings, etc.)
- Set wholesale pricing, retail pricing, and margin strategy based on COGS
- Established retailer partnership strategy and outreach
- Built process for launch and direct communication strategy
Expansion & Growth
- Created wholesale strategy and secured first two retail stockists
- Established retail partnership process including margin structure, order terms, and fulfillment logistics
- Currently designing and developing the next product in the collection, including material sourcing and pattern refinement
- Building long-term production relationships with U.S. manufacturers for consistent future releases
- Developing long-term brand rollout strategy including seasonal drops, content cadence, and retail expansion plan
- Laying the foundation for photo, film, and media storytelling to extend brand presence beyond product alone