The Black Tux was founded in 2013 by Andrew Blackmon and Patrick Coyne,
longtime friends who, while preparing for Andrew’s wedding in 2011, saw an
opportunity to offer men an alternative to traditional tuxedo and suit
rental outlets. The Black Tux’s formalwear designs are originals, created
in-house from Italian fabrics to ensure the best quality and fit. FashionUnited
recently chatted with Erika Best, the Senior Brand Marketing Manager at The
Black Tux on how she loves the company’s culture and work environment. Best
tells us, at TBT, the people are fun, authentic, and smart, and the startup
really prioritizes ownership and learning.
What does being the Senior Brand Marketing Manager at The Black Tux
entail?
I lead the team that handles all of The Black Tux’s brand marketing,
which is essentially any marketing we do that’s specifically designed to
drive brand awareness, interest, or loyalty. Our approach is very
customer-centric and we have the exciting task of designing the strategy
for each of our major brand marketing campaigns-which are centered around
our customers’ peak celebration moments, including weddings, prom, and the
holidays.
What does a workday look like for you?
Every morning the marketing team has a quick daily standup where we chat
through our accomplishments from the past day, goals for today, and how
we’re feeling (yes, we talk about feelings at work, and I love it!). Right
now, my calendar is filled with a lot of prom and wedding-season related
meetings with members of our creative team. In between, I try to spend as
much time as I can working on long term, big picture projects––creating
resources for the team, doing things to sharpen my brand marketing
expertise and coaching up direct reports.
Did you always want to work in fashion and e-commerce?
I didn’t, but working at The Black Tux has honestly made me appreciate
fashion more. Before this, I never fully realized that being thoughtful
about what you wear can make such an impact on how you feel. It’s all about
picking out things you like and making a deliberate choice about the
articles that go into your outfit each day. I personally feel more
confident and happier when I take the time to do that.
Can you tell us about your professional background, what led you to
work at The Black Tux?
I went to Stanford for my bachelor’s and studied English with a
concentration in creative writing. I never planned to get into marketing or
fashion, but I love hearing people’s stories––how they work, what their
life experience has been like, etc. It took me a little while to realize
that marketing actually lives at the intersection of those interests in
storytelling and psychology.
I’ve also learned that startup culture is all about designing products
that actually make people’s lives better, and marketing has become more
about connecting people to those products. The quality and impact of my
employer’s product are really important to me, and The Black Tux is one of
those companies that has a truly superior product. Plus, it’s a product
that makes people feel like a million bucks on the biggest days in their
lives.
What is your advice for those who would like to work at The Black Tux?
Our CMO, Matt, talks about this kind of “Get Sh*t Done” factor, which is
essentially just being the kind of worker who finds a way.
When I first moved to LA, I basically worked as a glorified courier
making special deliveries to celebrities. I was given a $3,000 watch to
deliver to Channing Tatum, and was told there’d be someone home to receive
it from me. When I got to his house, though, no one answered, I had no cell
service, and he had a 10-foot wall around his property. I didn’t want to
drive all the way back to the office with the job undone, so I went back to
my car to brainstorm. I ended up taking my aux cord (which I used to listen
to music from my iPhone) and tying it around the watch box. I tossed the
watch over the wall, lowered it down as much as I could, and finally let it
go. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but I made it work!
Anyone can learn how to “GSD.” All it takes is practice and the right
attitude. I think if you can get into this concept, you’ll do well here, or
anywhere else you want!
What does it take to become the Senior Brand Marketing Manager at The
Black Tux?
Any role in brand marketing requires a high degree of empathy. You need
to hone your ability to put yourself in other people’s shoes, so you can
speak to them in a way they’ll respond to. Experience in brand and
marketing doesn’t hurt either, but I think the most important thing is to
stay sharp, work hard, and be detail-oriented, and to develop an ability to
thoughtfully navigate unfamiliar situations. The Black Tux holds its
employees to a high standard, but I think if you practice all of the above
you’ll be good to go here, and wherever you go.
What is your must-have fashion item?
Right now, it’s a watch. Fashionable and also very functional in the
workplace. I’m currently rocking a watch from MVMT. I love their modern,
simplistic designs.
Any personal achievements or career milestones you’d like to share with
us?
My parents didn’t go to college. We had money troubles growing up, and I
worked my way through high school as a waitress. I didn’t have any
expectation to get into a school like Stanford. I almost didn’t apply––my
best friend made me do it. I submitted my application literally one minute
before the deadline. When I got to Stanford, I had so much self-doubt. I
failed my first midterm. I thought they must’ve made a mistake.
I wanted to share this for anyone struggling with imposter syndrome. You
don’t have to believe in yourself to succeed, I didn’t. But what if you’re
holding yourself back? I just put in the work and got really lucky. I’m
learning that if you don’t set any limits for yourself, you become
limitless.
This article was created in cooperation with The Black Tux.
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Photos: courtesy of The Black Tux
