By Kelly Clay
Just a few short years ago, Brenthaven was a local manufacturer providing backpacks to the explorers and adventurers of the Pacific Northwest. Today, the Seattle-based maker of luggage and electronics cases is an international corporation designing innovative products for the digital lifestyle.
Like many growing businesses, Brenthaven's path to success has been a winding one. When the company—then known as Brentley Softpacks—launched in 1980, it was a three-person operation that produced rugged, high quality wilderness packs for a small audience of adventure seekers. But times and customer needs change, and Brenthaven had the vision to change with them. Today, the company designs luggage and protective cases for today’s digital entrepreneur. Although Brenthaven’s products and customers may have changed, their mission—protecting what’s inside, no matter what conditions their customers encounter—has never wavered.
The company's growth and longevity owe much to the quality of its products, as well as its ability to evolve with changing customer needs—but its partnership with JPMorgan Chase has been equally critical. The bank's funding and financial guidance gave Brenthaven the capital it needed to grow its brand and acquire new customers.
The relationship began in 2010, when Brenthaven was going through an enormous period of growth—allowing the company to go from local to global. Riq M., a Vice President at JPMorgan Chase in Seattle, worked alongside Brenthaven’s new owner, Scott Armstrong, to add a line of credit and restructure finances. This new financial partnership allowed Brenthaven to expand their inventory levels to the point that would allow their products to be distributed through every Apple store across the globe. In fact, this partnership provided Brenthaven the inventory they needed to further expand their relationship with Apple into schools—they now supply laptop cases and protective backpacks for students.
Brenthaven may have started small, but its commitment to quality and willingness to adapt to a changing market—as well as its partnership with JPMorgan Chase—have proven yet again that with the right vision and the right support, anything is possible.
For more information, visit: www.brenthaven.com or learn about Seattle and JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Kelly Clay lives in Seattle and is the Editor-in-Chief at WearableWorld and her work on social media and technology trends has been featured on Forbes, VentureBeat, LockerGnome, and TechNewsDaily.
