For Subscribers

To Survive Rapid Success, Remember to Slow Down

My sunglasses brand was blowing up. I tried to keep up, and moved too fast. It almost sunk us.

By Garrett Leight

Courtesy of Garrett Leight

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In 2010, I realized a dream: I launched my own namesake eyewear and sunglasses brand, Garrett Leight. The business is in my blood. My father, Larry Leight, is the founder of Oliver Peoples, a decades-old eyewear business where I'd spent years working and learning. I created Garrett Leight to capitalize on that expertise but better serve a consumer I identified with, one who was a little younger, with an easygoing West Coast sensibility.

The brand took off fast. Within a few years, we had stores in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Retail was our strength. We literally never had a zero day at our stores. We understood how to create a great customer experience via an educated staff of opticians -- who just happened to have really great style.

Continue reading this article — and all of our other premium content with Entrepreneur+

For just $5, you can get unlimited access to all Entrepreneur’s premium content. You’ll find:

  • Digestible insight on how to be a better entrepreneur and leader
  • Lessons for starting and growing a business from our expert network of CEOs and founders
  • Meaningful content to help you make sharper decisions
  • Business and life hacks to help you stay ahead of the curve

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

This 61-Year-Old Grandma Who Made $35,000 in the Medical Field Now Earns 7 Figures in Retirement
A 'Quiet Promotion' Will Cost You a Lot — Use This Expert's 4-Step Strategy to Avoid It
3 Red Flags on Your LinkedIn Profile That Scare Clients Away
'Everyone Is Freaking Out.' What's Going On With Silicon Valley Bank? Federal Government Takes Control.
Leadership

How to Detect a Liar in Seconds Using Nonverbal Communication

There are many ways to understand if someone is not honest with you. The following signs do not even require words and are all nonverbal queues.

Starting a Business

Daymond John: Money Mastery Playbook for Entrepreneurs

Daymond John reveals the secrets of mastering money and achieving entrepreneurial success at any age!

Celebrity Entrepreneurs

'I Dreaded Falling in Love.' Rupert Murdoch Is Getting Hitched for the Fifth Time.

The 92-year-old media tycoon announces he will wed former San Francisco police chaplain Ann Lesley Smith.

Growing a Business

André Moraes of PepsiCo Foodservice Digital Lab on Helping Restaurants Be Future-Proof

Interview with the head of PepsiCo Foodservice Digital Lab André Moraes about using digital tools effectively, technology being an enabler, and the positive culture at PepsiCo.

Living

Are Co-Working Spaces Worth the Money?

Here's how to determine if a co-working membership is right for you.

Money & Finance

This 61-Year-Old Grandma Who Made $35,000 in the Medical Field Now Earns 7 Figures in Retirement

After working as a certified medical assistant for decades, Sun Yong Kim-Manzolini thought, "There's no way I'm going to do this for the rest of my life."