By Exec Edge Editorial Staff
When Bruce Springsteen sang, “From small things mama, big things one day come,” he could have been crooning about Hawkers sunglasses. The eco-friendly shades are now more readily available than ever. That’s thanks to investor Alejandro Betancourt López — just the big thing the little company needed to help itself grow into a major player in the sustainability sector.
“You have to have the right tools, the right timing, the right people, the right support,” he says. “If that’s in the equation, I think you can effectively make something happen and be a good leader. I believe in good leadership, but also I believe in people. If you don’t have the right team, you will not get anywhere.”
Hawkers Launches Eco-Friendly Sunglasses
The eco-friendly sunglasses from Hawkers are getting noticed. As more people seek environmentally friendly products, Hawkers’ stylish specs are gaining increasing attention. One of their newer lines, H20, uses recycled plastics, including plastic waste removed from the oceans. In addition, the packaging on these six new designs uses sustainable or biodegradable materials, including plastic bottles and recyclable paper and cartons.
“Both the frames and the lenses of all six H2O models are made using materials which respect the planet,” the website explains. “From innovative, biodegradable materials to recycled preexisting plastics. The packaging is also 100% sustainable.”
Alejandro Betancourt’s Brand Powered by Social Media
Hawkers sunglasses are impressive in their construction, and are ergonomically designed for comfort. Their frames are made from premium cellulose acetate, are highly durable and nontoxic, and feature stainless steel within them.
So, they’re sturdy, sustainable, and stylish. But how did they break through to the big time? The short answer is Alejandro Betancourt and his social media prowess.
Under Betancourt’s deft leadership, the company launched its products and grew its demand by focusing on influencer media, getting its sunglasses on the people who had substantial followings. Over time, the company made a name for itself as not just an affordable line of sunglasses, but as a cool and trendy option. According to Faultmagazine, Hawkers have been spied shielding the eyes of international celebs like singer Usher, DJ Steve Aoki, and soccer star Leo Messi.
A Winning Brand Built by Alejandro Betancourt
When Betancourt led the company’s first funding as an angel investor, he believed he could use the company’s potential to expand its brand, creating additional fundraising opportunities. He worked to build a robust, strategic business relationship that would ultimately help the company’s founders get the products in front of a large audience of prospective buyers.
Initially, the company’s profits weren’t growing as quickly as its brand recognition was. However, Hawkers sunglasseshad Betancourt behind them with a plan. He used social media to get the attention of an entire generation of buyers. He was an early adopter of advertising heavily on social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
Hawkers offered incentives to influencers and helped them to keep promoting the products and the brand itself. These rewards improved Hawkers’ visibility in front of a much larger audience of prospective customers.
Today, the brand enjoys a global audience that has penetrated North America, Europe, and Asian markets. The latest lineup of eco-friendly sunglasses is a way for the company to continue to meet the needs of its target audience. And with Alejandro Betancourt at the helm, always on the lookout for changing tides, the only way for Hawkers to go is up.
“I believe that you have to understand that the world is changing so fast and with the world of markets, the appetites, the cultures, everything changes and more technology, there is more adaptation needed,” he says. “About 25 years ago, it was normal to receive a fax. The new generations don’t even understand what is a fax machine. So things are changing so fast and the way that people communicate, the way that people like doing things. Something like TikTok changed the world in three years.”
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