Q&A With Collin Quinn Low, Founder of WOGO Apparel and Winner of ‘The Big Pitch Ada 2018’
October 18, 2018 by kylernixon
WOGO Apparel is a streetwear clothing brand founded by Collin Quinn Low in 2017. WOGO, which stands for – ‘Widows Orphans Getting Outfitted’, gives 15% of their sales back to support their social enterprise of providing clothing for widows and orphaned children. Collin was the overall winner of the ‘The Big Pitch Ada’ in 2018 and also claimed the People’s Choice Award as well.
Q: How has WOGO grown since participating in ‘The Big Pitch Ada’ in 2018? Tell us about your growth and progress over the year.
C: When I competed in the Big Pitch, WOGO was an online store. Since that time, a lot has changed. Shortly after the competition, we did a several month-long pop-up at The Social Shop on main street, which was great. It provided the opportunity to experience what it is like to own a retail space. I always knew I wanted to own a retail store in downtown Ada. So when I heard about the available space on main street by the college, I got excited and decided that it was the perfect store location for WOGO.
Recently when I looked at our year-to-date sales, our numbers were up by a large percentage from what they were at this time last year. So yeah, we are excited about the progress.
[Editor’s note: WOGO is now located on 806 E Main Street, Suite A, in Ada, Oklahoma.]
Q: How do you believe participating and winning ‘The Big Pitch Ada, 2018’ has impacted your business and your startup journey?
C: I always had a clear vision of what I wanted to do with WOGO; the feedback from the judges encouraged [me to do] that. Some of the feedback made me re-analyze some strategies and see if there were changes I needed to apply. Anytime you get an opportunity to hear from people, their thoughts on your brand and your company, it is an amazing opportunity to improve.
Being awarded the People’s Choice meant a lot because that award is less about the finances or the business operation details, but solely about what the community thought was cool. They saw the passion behind my pitch and that means a lot to me.
Q: What advice would you give the participants this year?
C: The big thing is: try to know your business/product well. Then at that point you don’t have a lot to be nervous about because you are just telling a story that you are passionate about. If your pitch does not sound like you, then that’s not the right pitch. Your pitch should reflect you as a person. It will better resonate with people if your pitch is genuine. Be yourself and share your passion.
Written by
kylernixon
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