OMJ Weekly

I hope everyone had a great weekend! First off, congratulations to the Chiefs on winning another Super Bowl. While I didn't really care who won, it was a great game. Also, such an awesome season for former Panthers Christian McCaffrey and Steve Wilks, whom I got to know a little bit while they were in Carolina. Even though they didn't win, they can certainly keep their heads held high on a great season.

Secondly, as Valentine's Day is this week, for anyone still looking for a gift idea, I can tell you an incredible and unforgettable gift for the man/woman in your life would be a custom experience or gift card. Give them the gift of choice and an experience they will never forget as they get to come in, have a beverage of their choice and completely design every detail of their piece! Ok, sales pitch over :)

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Things to share this week:

• Events: 2/22: For those in the whiskey club, we are having our Q1 Whiskey Club event with Maker's Mark. Shout out to our buddy Trey for helping connect. For those who have been to other events, you know it's a great time, with some pretty exclusive bottles that are shared. Not a member? You can join [here]. This would also be a great Valentine's gift!
• AI: In last weeks newsletter I mentioned I had been enlisting AI to help me edit my emails. I got a few questions from intrigued friends on how they too could utilize, so thought I would add a little more context. AI is great but still very much limited. It can absolutely write great content but the voice and tone that it writes is still a bit of a mess, so for those wanting to write, you still have to...write. I, personally, give very specific prompts like "check for spelling and grammar only" otherwise, AI will try and streamline what you are trying to say. For instance in last weeks 10 year look back, I referenced in the early days at our first store we would have a staff lunch on Saturdays and could all literally leave for an hour because there was no risk of someone walking in (the joke being we were so slow we wouldn't miss anyone). Well...AI just didn't get it and tried to change what I wrote to be about team bonding haha which was not what I was saying at all.... The point is, create your own voice and let AI do the simple stuff. I can assure you AI will most certainly NOT replace true writers anytime in the near or distant future, it can't even replace amateur ones like me. Need proof, I think all you need to do is watch Aquaman 2 as I cant help but think they likely used AI heavily to write that script ...sorry don't come at me! Also, AI tried to edit this section out all together...(just kidding!)
• Listen: I've been going back to some of the older podcasts we've been featured on recently. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of listening to them right when they come out; it always feels a bit awkward to hear myself. But after some time passes, it starts to feel less like me and more like just some other person (weird, I know). Anyway, I stumbled upon one from Jeff Hamm over at The Best of Charlotte Podcast, and I thought it was worth giving a listen. - Listen [here].
• News: In the world of suiting, Loro Piana is like the Rolls Royce of fabrics. It's renowned as one of the best fabric mills globally, and many clothing brands, including ours, source fabrics from them for the items we create. They also boast standalone stores and epitomize luxury fashion. Every year, they host a competition to discover the finest wool globally. This year's winner set a record for the thinnest fabric ever, almost eight times thinner than a strand of hair. You can read more about it [here].
• Watch: I really enjoyed watching the Tracy Chapman/Luke Combs performance of "Fast Car" at this years Grammy's. Watch [here].
• Read: And on the topic of Tracy Chapman, "Fast Car" has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. I have to admit, though, I had mixed feelings about Luke Combs doing the cover, but hey, it is what it is. A local Charlotte writer, Tommy Tomlinson, penned an incredibly moving piece about his relationship with that song. It was so impactful that it brought Wembley Stadium to silence. You can give it a read [here]

Have a great week everyone!

Best,

Bradley Rhyne, CEO

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A Look Back at 10 Years

Our State Magazine

One of my all-time favorite magazines is Our State Magazine, a North Carolina publication with a massive national following and impeccable quality. It holds a special place in my heart as it was the first publication that truly "wowed" me at a young age. My grandfather, who is a fantastic photographer and taught me a lot about photography, had numerous photos published in Our State dating back to the 90s. As a kid, I thought it was the coolest thing ever to know someone whose work was featured in a magazine read by thousands (this was long before digital photography, making it even more challenging to get published). So, when we launched OMJ over 10 years ago, being featured in Our State as a North Carolina brand naturally became a dream and a major goal.

Fast forward to 2017, and that dream became a reality! Sharing the article below that made my family and especially my grandfather proud takes me back to those early days of dreaming and the planning required to turn that dream into reality. I can still remember sending my first email to Our State's Editor in Chief, Elizabeth Hudson, back in 2013. I poured my heart out about my personal affection for the magazine and the deep family connection I had to it. To my surprise, she graciously responded, and from that moment on, I made it a point to check in with her every quarter, sharing highlights from OMJ. While I'm sure I bombarded her inbox at times, she always was so kind to reply back.?A few years later, we were honored to win the Our State Awards for a collection of Made in NC shirting we had produced. And guess who reached out for a feature? Elizabeth and Our State. Dream accomplished!

At the store, we have a running joke that we at OMJ manifest good things—whether it's packages arriving on time, landing great clients, or achieving other goals and desires. While luck certainly plays a part, I firmly believe that much of our success stems from the effort we put in to maximize opportunities. Merely hoping for something won't cut it; it's the combination of dreaming big and relentlessly pursuing those dreams that brings them to fruition. So, dream big, but don't stop chasing until you make it happen!

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Style Of The Week

Knit Tops

Spring and summer is the perfect time for some custom knit tops. Made from luxurious Italian fabrics in many colors, you'll be sure to stand out and feel good.

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Client Spotlight

Rod looking amazing in a custom red plaid bamboo sport jacket. This year is all about bold colors and individuality.?

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