Cape Elizabeth, ME

Rugged Seas

Supporting the men & women of Portland's fishing industry with sustainable, durable products made from recycled fisherman bibs.

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Overview

We met the incredible team at Rugged Seas at Portland's Annual Regatta in August 2021. Rugged Seas was operated out of an OpBox, another one of our partners. Immediately, their unique apparel and compelling mission statement caught our eyes, and business cards were exchanged. Fast forward to October 2021, we launched our first growth initiative. Sawyer Island provides capital and consulting expertise to kickstart the next chapter of the Rugged Seas journey.

Vision

Supporting planet Earth and the Portland fishing community.

We met the fantastic team at Rugged Seas at Portland's Annual Regatta in August 2021. Rugged Seas was operated out of an OpBox, another one of our partners. Immediately, their unique apparel and compelling mission statement caught our eyes, and business cards were exchanged. Fast forward to October 2021, we launched our first growth initiative. Sawyer Island provided capital and experience to kickstart the next chapter of the Rugged Seas journey.

Solution

Scaling along the apparel verticals

When we met the Rugged Seas team, their product line had already started to turn heads. With proof of concept in hand, the solution was to implement scaling initiatives along the two primary apparel verticals, retail, and DTC E-Commerce. For each vertical, we implemented a unique approach while maintaining the integrity of Rugged Seas' powerful brand. In the case of retail, we increased exposure by engaging in multiple in-person events with high foot traffic. We are focused on solidifying the supply chain to serve a growing digital customer base for the E-Commerce vertical. Across all verticals, we carefully deployed existing and invested capital according to a high yield use-of-funds plan.

Approach

An all-in commitment to success

Rugged Seas' is a company to which we have dedicated our entire range of services. In turn, they have, without a doubt, become a longstanding part of the SIC family. In consulting, we evaluated and helped revitalize their operations from top to bottom. We supported growth initiatives with careful oversight and invested capital. Furthermore, we have placed boots on the ground within the Rugged Seas team. Sofia Canning joined Rugged Seas in 2021 to assist with executing day-to-day operations and future growth initiatives.

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