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Shep and Ian Murray of Vineyard Vines: How They Quit Their Jobs and Made Millions



Original Content: Business Upside


Shep and Ian Murray are brothers. They were doing hectic desk jobs at corporate offices in Manhattan, New York. Therefore, in 1998, Shep Murray, who was working as a marketing accounts executive, and Ian Murray, who was associated with a humble PR agency, left their jobs within 10 minutes of one another. They brought out their credit cards and borrowed cash advance loans. Many of their acquaintances said to them that it was a silly idea.


However, they did not back out and began Vineyard Vines, a tie maker located on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. The Murray Brothers, as they would prefer to state, were determined to swap their business suits for swimwear through marketing ties so that they wouldn’t need to put them on.

How it all began for Shep and Ian Murray

Initially, they traded their ties individually from their haversacks and sold them to customers on cruisers, seashores, and in pubs. Just in a week in July, they were able to sell around 800 ties. Promptly, they placed a re-order, settled their debt, and shifted to their first office. After 10 years, Shep and Ian had a whole clothing line.

By 2012, there were 18 self-supporting Vineyard Vine sales outlets across the United States. The Vineyard Vines clothing line was now available in around 500 shops. In 2011, the firm had an estimate of approximately $100 million as sales revenue.

In the beginning, Shep and Ian provided four varieties of ties. As exacted by the Murray Brothers, they set up their clothing line business via a viewpoint of “living the good life”. This is echoed in their motto “Every day should feel this good.” Still, Shep and Ian are outright proprietors of Vineyard Vines.

Product line Vineyard Vines focused on

Vineyard Vines concentrated on selling the following products to its customers:

  • High-profile ties

  • Belts

  • Hats

  • Shorts

  • Shirts

  • Swimsuit

  • Bags for men, women, and kids

Over time, the company has developed into a chain of retail outlets and clothing shops throughout the country. The principal emblem of the clothing firm is a smiling whale.

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