Meet Daniel Shapiro, CEO/Founder of Fourlaps

Fourlaps is a New York-based brand that creates functional athletic apparel. Founded by Daniel Shapiro, BSBA’98, on the core belief that high-quality, well-designed athletic apparel should also be affordable, Fourlaps is a two-year old startup with Olin and St. Louis DNA. In its latest issue, GQ calls Fourlaps their “favorite new apparel brand.”

See below for special discount offer for Olin community on this new brand.

Daniel sent this update from his office in New York: “Happy Holidays from Fourlaps!  We launched in August and are off to a running start (pardon the pun).

“Men’s Fitness named our Bolt Short one of the best running shorts of 2016 and our Advance Short one of the best training shorts of 2016.  We are excited about launching some exciting new products in 2017 that will transform the way you work out.  Stay tuned…”

Fourlaps Promotion for Olin community: Use code: OLIN20 to receive 20% off your first order at fourlaps.com

Q&A with Daniel Shapiro

Q:Is Fourlaps your first foray into an entrepreneurial venture?

A: It is my first venture.  I had a long and successful career in corporate retail merchandising having worked for Gap, Old Navy, and American Eagle.  Nothing can prepare you for being an entrepreneur.  Nothing.  It’s the most rewarding and challenging experience of my life.

Q: How did you choose your niche of athletic apparel? Some might say this area is quite saturated with brands right now.

A: I chose Men’s Athletic Apparel because I felt that there was a not a brand out there that was independent and combined fashion, function, and affordability.  Fourlaps offers premium apparel at affordable prices.  The styling and color palette is unique and is inspired by old images of Ivy League athletes with a modern twist.

Q: Walk us through the process of launching your brand. How long did it take to go from concept to actually holding those running shorts in your hands?

A: It took two years.  I had planned on it taking one year but things don’t go as planned in startups. I was working with a production consultant in New York who placed me in a factory that turned out to be terrible.  She told me that the factory had made athletic apparel but after many rounds of incorrect and strange samples I decided to take a trip to Shanghai to see for myself.  The factory I was placed in specialized in pajamas and simple woven garments – not at all what I needed. After careful research and pavement pounding, I found a new factory, but when we tried to move all of my raw materials we found out that they had been cut into patterns we hadn’t approved.  After one full year I had to start over—from scratch.  The second time around it took about nine months.  Being an entrepreneur is a lesson in perseverance.

Q: What did you major in at Olin and do you actually use some of the skills from business school as an entrepreneur?

A: I majored in Finance with a second major in History.  I wanted to combine the practical aspect of Finance with History (something I was really interested in).  When you run a fashion business you need right brained and left brained skills.  I think my finance major and business classes gave me the right brained skills that are necessary to be able to properly analyze and make sound business decisions.  Things like analyzing the marketplace (pricing, positioning, etc).  The more creative side is not necessarily learned – its either there or it isn’t.  It’s something I am passionate about and I love working around and with creative people.

Q: Give us a quick resume of your career post-Olin. First job. Switch from finance to retailing.

A: I had five jobs my first five years out of school.   I started in consulting – which wasn’t a good fit for me.  Worked for several startups doing business development and strategy.  The last startup I worked for did a lot of work for retailers and I actually wanted to start a brand then.  I received some advice from a family friend (Stanley Tanger of Tanger Factory Outlets) that I needed to get some experience.  So that is what I did.  I started working for Gap, Inc in 2003 and worked in various merchandising roles at Gap brand and Old Navy.  I left at the end of 2009 to work for American Eagle.  After more than ten years of working in corporate retail merchandising I started Fourlaps.

Q: Have you self-funded or solicited VC investment?

A: Fourlaps is a labor of love and a partnership between my dad and me.

Q: You are CEO and the company’s only employee. Is that difficult?

A: It is challenging but that’s what makes it fun!  I work with different partners including designers, an agent and factory in China.  I worked with a St. Louis company (STL Style) to create the graphic tees, I worked with a creative agency to create the logo and branding.  In the end though, I am the CEO. While I am collaborating with different resources I ultimately need to make the final decision.  At the end of the day, it’s important to do what you are good at and get help from external resources in areas where you aren’t as strong.

Q: Do you plan to be exclusively an e-tailer?

A: That was the original plan.  I am re-thinking that strategy.  I think there is an opportunity to have some strategic retail partners (brick and mortar and online).  The long term goal is to be vertical—that’s the way you deliver best in class product and keep your prices low.

Q: You’ve gotten some good press…do you see a direct effect from media coverage to orders?

A: I have and it’s also opening up doors that may not have opened without getting editorial coverage.  Men’s Fitness named our Bolt Short one of the best running shorts of 2016 and the Advance short one of the best training shorts of 2016.  We have been in Men’s Health and also some great lifestyle blogs.

Q: Where did the name Fourlaps come from?

A: It comes from the four laps that make up a mile.  The mile is your first athletic milestone and you conquer that and move forward.  Athletics is all about progression and challenging yourself.

Q: Advice for other entrepreneurs?

A: Being an entrepreneur is extremely rewarding and challenging.  There are no guarantees of success.  You need to love the everyday challenge, you need to love the unexpected and be able to embrace the unforeseen.  I spend so much of my day doing things that I have never done before.  It’s exciting and uncomfortable at the same time.  I wouldn’t trade the last two plus years for anything in the world.

Photos courtesy of Fourlaps.