Barx Sox

When most people look for enjoyable ways to spend free time, they’re probably not thinking about starting a business. But that’s exactly how friends Bruno Veiga, David Nam and Rashan Gowlikar ended up running Barx Sox, a company that designs and sells dog-themed socks. For humans.

The idea fell into place fairly easily for the small team. “Our commonality is that we love fun socks and to express our creativity,” says David. Since they all own and love dogs, the design concept came naturally, too.

David Nam (left), Bruno Veiga (center) and Roshan Gowlikar (right) // photo Kathy Nguyen
David Nam (left), Bruno Veiga (center) and Roshan Gowlikar (right) // photo Kathy Nguyen

While the team is full of first-time entrepreneurs, the three founders have known each other for many years and have worked on a variety of projects together. They became friends in middle school and spent teenage years roaming the halls of Plano West Senior High School, playing in bands and making YouTube comedy videos. When something new sparked their interest, they found a way to do it together. Barx Sox is just the latest venture in a long history of collaboration.

After graduating college, each of the friends returned to Plano to start careers and re-establish themselves in the community. While they enjoyed new jobs, they quickly felt stuck in the rigid corporate structure. “We wanted to do something a little different,” says Bruno. “We wanted a creative outlet.”

The unique challenges found in entrepreneurship were intriguing, especially when the guys started developing their sock idea. “Having a company that expressed our creativity while giving us an opportunity to hang out together and have fun was really important,” says David.

Barx Sox // photos Esther Huynh
Barx Sox // photos Esther Huynh

Barx Sox sells unisex styles for $12 a pair, with older designs slightly discounted on the website. A starter kit of four pairs – the Paw-er Pack – is also available. The team releases new designs seasonally.

Now in their second full year, the founders look to build on all they’ve learned so far. Since they started the business completely on their own with no previous experience, they focused the first year on building a strong foundation, setting up an online store and doing occasional pop-up shops.

According to Bruno, “This year will be focused on getting the word out and growing.” They hope to participate in more events around the community, develop partnerships with local pet businesses and expand the customer base. More than anything, though, David says they want to build products that make people smile. And what makes people smile more than puppies?

Barx Sox >
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