Mr. Rich Griffis aka “The Bearded Boss”

Substantial Magazine is excited to talk with this issues
Substantial Man.

Rich Griffis
Age: 24 years old
Education: BFA – Graphic Design from ECU
Hometown: Burlington, NC
Marital Status: Single
Rich Griffis — a son; brother; friend; business owner; the Bearded BOSS — All these things, but most importantly, a Man of God.

SM: Tell us a little about the concept behind “being a Bearded Boss” was this just something you came up with or is there a specific meaning behind it?

Rich: The term “Bearded BOSS” was something I randomly coined one day after having a candid conversation with my friends. People know me for my big beard, but I started thinking, I’m more than just a guy with a big beard… I’m a BOSS making BOSS moves. And it fit perfectly in line with everything that I had been working towards over the past few months.

I’ve actually contrived a definition for what I believe it takes to be a Bearded BOSS.

BeardedBOSS (n):

(1) any man making moves, whether it be career-wise; for himself; for his family; a provider

(2) a go-getter; a man who wants the best in life and will work hard to make it happen for himself —NOBODY can stop them;

(3) most importantly, a man whose [beard game] is SECOND-2-NONE

Honestly, any man can be a boss, but it takes a special man to be a Bearded BOSS

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

– Jeremiah 29:11

SM: You recently started STONE HINGE. Tell us a little about the company?

Rich: Stone•Hinge is my new accessory brand that I started 2 days after New Years Day of this year (2014). As of now, our primary products are beaded wrist-wear for both men & women. We believe in the motto less is more so you’ll find that most of our items are very subtle in color and look. Accessories should compliment an outfit, not overpower it.

SM: What inspired you to start STONE HINGE?

Rich: I’ve always been into fashion and style, especially from a men’s perspective. Even as far back as high school, I’ve liked to design my own items. When it came to Stone•Hinge, I knew it would be something that I could easily do solo for a while until I was able to build a solid team. As a man, I like simple accessories and I knew there were other men out there with a similar preference. Although Stone•Hinge is geared towards both men and women, it originally started as an idea targeted to men. There are tons of women accessory lines out there, but few that offer men solid options.

SM: You come from a marketing background, tell us how these skills/experiences helped you launch your company?

Rich: Coming from a marketing background has helped drastically. I’ve had the opportunity to “shadow” my coworkers and learn a few tips and tricks regarding everything from managing social media pages, paid ad promotions, SEO and Google keywords—all marketing lingo that I wasn’t familiar with until recently. I can honestly say that had it not been for me working at my current job, I don’t know if Stone•Hinge would have taken off as fast as it has. Marketing for your business is a full-time gig. You have to put time into promoting your brand or else you will slowly lose engagement from your customers.

SM: What gives you inspiration for your designs as it relates to your jewelry/accessories?

Rich: I’m inspired by pretty much everything around me. My mind constantly flows with ideas for future collections. It’s almost hard to explain—but I’ve always been that way. I can see the way colors and textures interact and instantly be inspired for my next idea. I’m also inspired by popular trends that I see others engaging in. As a fashion head, you have to be in tune with what’s “in.”

SM: Where do you see STONE HINGE in the next five years?

Rich: In the next 5 years, I see Stone•Hinge growing

exponentially. Aside from wrist-wear, I’m planning to expand to

necklaces, clothing, hats… the sky is the limit. I also realize that eventually I will have to grow my team. As I stated before, right now I am a one-man team—pretty much handling everything by myself… finances, social media, emails, scheduling.

SM: If you had access to unlimited resources where do you see the STONE HINGE brand going (feel free to dream huge)?

Rich: Wow, if I had access to unlimited resources, it could definitely take my brand to the next level. One of my dreams has always been to open a physical store. Stone•Hinge having a physical store were customers can walk in and buy our

products would be awesome. There are a few things that I would like to do with my wrist wear that I just haven’t found the appropriate means of doing it just yet, such as custom engraved charms and beads with my logo on them, as well as taking my packaging to the next year. With unlimited

resources, I could really expand the Stone•Hinge brand

internationally— having a location on all continents.

SM: Are there any challenges you have had to overcome as a young minority entrepreneur or do you forsee any in your future?

Rich: I haven’t really seen too many challenges thus far but I’ll be completely honest, I do foresee that as my business expands, I may come against opposition. It’s a sad reality that I think is still an issue these days. As a young black business owner, there are many who are threatened by that in our society. Being a well spoken young man catches some people off guard sometimes. They don’t know how to take me. But I do know that as long as I keep God at the forefront of all that I do, I can’t be store and won’t be stopped—no matter what stereotypes may be thrown my way.

SM: What motivates/inspires Rich Griffis as a person/artisit?

Rich: I consider myself a spiritual man, so the one thing that truly motivates me is my belief that through God, all things are possible. The fact that He has blessed with the abilities to do so much is surreal. I could not have ever imagined that I would where I am today.

SM: What advice would you give to other young people pursuing their entrepreneur spirit?

Rich: Don’t ever give up on your dreams. If there is something that you’ve always wanted to do—do it. Don’t allow others to talk you out of doing something that God has placed in your heart. Too many times we allow the opinions of others dictate our future. Don’t let money play a factor as well. While having a lot of money can make things seem easier, at the end of the day, there are ways around not having a lot of money that you can still go forward with your dreams.

SM: Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about the Bearded Boss?

Rich: I’ve purchased the domain for BearededBoss.com but a site hasn’t been developed for it yet. I’m also working towards developing both a facebook and instagram presence for it, so #staytuned. I’ve already had both men and women hit me up about “BeadedBOSS” shirts so I have a pretty good really, it’s not going to have any problems taking off. I’ve seen the impact of other similar business recently, especially with beards seemingly being popular right now. It’s another one of those projects where the potential is infinite. I’m looking forward to seeing what impact it may have. At the end of the day, the message goes farther than just a man with a beard—I’m looking to show that there are some men who are hard workers and go-getters. I even have people at work calling me the Bearded BOSS.

SM: Why are you substantial?

Rich: I am substantial because I am allowing [God] to use me to make an impact. Never would I have ever imagined that this awkward introverted kid from a small NC town would grow up to be as sought after as he is. Substantial: of considerable importance, size, or worth. Strongly built or made—that definition describes me completely. I may be small physically, but what I bring to the table makes up for it. The things I’ve been through in life have made me strong mentally, physically, and spiritually. I am substantial.

Keep up with Rich Griffis
Facebook (personal) Rich L. Griffis
Facebook (business) www.facebook.com/StoneHingeCo (or search Stone Hinge)
Twitter/Instagram @Iam_RichGriffis
Instagram @StoneHinge_Co