Business View Magazine - November 2016

40 Business View Magazine - November 2016 around it and to create multiple products in multiple categories like we have. And, because we’ve intro- duced a variety of different products, we’re able to en- hance each one of them according to trends, demand, and customer feedback. We’re continually innovating and coming out with new products. We just came out with a resort line of sheets that are second to none. If you have 600-thread-count, Egyptian cotton sheets, they don’t compare to our resort line of bed sheets that we’re now putting in the stores. People are willing to spend a little bit of money on something that’s soft- er than cotton and other luxury fabrics, odor resistant, and a better alternative for the environment.” Today, Cariloha has about 600 employees and Del Sol, some 1,800. The privately owned PW Companies still owns and operates both brands. “We’ve never taken on an investor,” Pedersen states. “We’ve never giv- en up equity. We’re competing head-to-head with all these fast-growing companies out there on the Inc. 500|5000 lists, and we’re doing it without outside capital. We’re reinvesting our earnings and continuing to grow organically.” While the idea of franchising has been explored, Ped- ersen maintains that it’s more lucrative for the PW Companies to own its own stores, while also partner- ing with some independent outlets. “There’s a lot of margin in opening locations when you’re the manu- facturer, and you own the entire supply chain all the way to selling the product,” he says. “We do have some partner stores that are independent operators. They can only sell our products and we can only sell to them in their exclusive territories. We just don’t take a fran-