Buff City Soap Names New CEO
Original Article: Memphis Business Journal - October 14, 2019
We are excited to share with you some of the highlights in Memphis Business Journals’ sudsational article by Susan Ellis as she interviews Justin Delaney about his new role as CEO of Buff City Soap:
Buff City Soap has appointed Justin Delaney as its new CEO, effective immediately. Delaney, the founder of the online suit and tuxedo business Menguin, is stepping in to lead the company. Menguin, after five years in operation, was sold to Generation Tux last year in a $25 million deal. With this leadership change, Buff City’s founder, Brad Kellum, will shift his focus to enhancing the company’s product offerings and retail experience.
MBJ: Why did you take this job?
Justin Delaney: I just really believe in the product and the experience [Kellum] has created. I’d like to use an analogy here. It’s sort of like for a lot of entrepreneurs; it’s kind of like they’re in the jungle and they have a machete and they’ve hacking away at branches; they’re eating bugs; they’re sleeping when they can; they just try to move forward at all costs. It’s tough. Typically, you don’t have a lot in terms of resources and you have to make do. I’ve been in that position. I’ve been that person in the jungle with the machete and so I recognize that Brad is, too. I think Buff City is getting to the place where it needs more infrastructure. It’s less about hacking through the jungle and more about building roads, hiring trucks, that sort of thing. So my pitch to [Kellum] was, I can do those things. I can help you build that infrastructure.
MBJ: Why do think Buff City is so successful?
Justin Delaney: I think it has a lot to do with the concept of your product being made in front of you. And, you know, bathing is a universal thing. It’s a highly addressable market, and everyone uses soap. Everyone washes their clothes. It’s a big market, and we’re doing something in a way that resonates well with customers. The other thing that’s happened in the past 20 years is that retail like Walmart wipes out a lot of small businesses. And, then you had the second wave come through in the past 10 years, which was Amazon. Amazon’s competitive advantage is convenience. They wiped out anyone that survived the first wave. So, you have a lot of empty retail space. But, people still love retail therapy, and people want an excuse to go to a store. What’s so great about something like Buff is that you can have this experience. It’s not really a convenience thing; it’s an experience thing.
MBJ: I’ve heard it’s rude to give soap as a gift. It’s like telling someone they’re dirty.
Justin Delaney: If that’s true, then I’m one of the rudest people you’ll ever meet. I think that’s nonsense.
MBJ: What do you hope to achieve with Buff City?
Justin Delaney: It’s really keying in on [Kellum’s] vision of building something that is like Starbucks. The idea of a neighborhood soap shop is a compelling one. My mission is to take the founders’ vision and make that a reality.
MBJ: So, basically a Buff City in every city?
Justin Delaney: Sure, yeah. I mean, absolutely. I would even say that this is a global thing, something that would do just as well in Tokyo as Bartlett, Tennessee.
