Derin Oyekan, Reel Paper Co - Channeling marketing expertise to stand out with sustainability

Written By Tenaj Ferguson

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This week, I spoke to Derin Oyekan, Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Reel, an eco-friendly paper brand. Reel specializes in toilet paper and paper towels made of 100% bamboo. These products are the most sustainable and eco-friendly paper products on the market. 

Reel is more than a paper company, it is on a mission to give American households a way to reduce their carbon footprints and to help others worldwide eliminate the threat of illness posed by a lack of access to toilets while promoting the use of earth-friendly, sustainable paper products. A portion of all their proceeds go to their partner SOIL, nonprofit research and development organization working in Haiti to design, test, and implement sustainable and cost-effective solutions to the sanitation crisis.

This mission is dear to Derin’s heart as he grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where some communities did not have access to toilets. His personal mission statement is “To create digital experiences that have a positive impact on people’s lives”; it is written on a post-it and stuck to his bedroom mirror as a daily reminder. When the opportunity to join Reel showed up through a connection with his Co-founder from a mutual friend, he jumped on it! He is now living in the reality of his daily affirmation and personal mission statement. He proudly states that he lives at the intersection between sustainability and commerce. 

Derin has over 18 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur and highly sought-after growth marketer. His skills and knowledge have contributed to the success of Reel in a short timeframe. He grew up in a household where getting an education was not an option. He went to college and earned a degree in electrical engineering, but he knew that he did not want to be an engineer. He relocated to LA and began his journey in internet marketing. He later went into digital marketing and consulting until he felt the entrepreneurial itch and launched his first company.

“As an entrepreneur, there is always going to be wins and misses, you are not batting home runs all the time”

Derin encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to consider a partnership. According to him, “Entrepreneurship is lonely.” He shares how his network has brought him an abundance of opportunities. Derin stresses that the combination of expertise of his team members is one of the keys to their success so far.  In a little over two years, Reel has recorded several achievements: including launching a second product, launching their products on Amazon, and becoming one of the top 30 paper toilet brands, and getting their products into Target. 

Join in on today’s conversation as we discuss channeling marketing expertise to stand out with sustainability!

In This Episode You Will Learn:

  • The Power of Networking: How it all Began (7:53)

  • The Importance of Partnership in Business (11:08)

  • Managing an International Team (22:37)

  • The Future is Reel (36:54)

  • Identifying and refining your target audience (42:27)

  • Being a lifestyle entrepreneur versus disrupting a sector (49:18)

  • Self-care: Wellness Matters for Entrepreneurs (54:41)

Questions Answered:

  • How do you decide on using bamboo for your products?

  • How did your company thrive during the paper toilet shortage in 2020?

  • What does sustainability look like for your company?

  • How were you able to pitch virtually and get into retail successfully?

  • How do you select people that own the mission to join your team?

  • How did your marketing skills help with promoting your business?

  • How can a business owner secure investors?

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Tenaj Ferguson https://blackonshelf.com
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