Vendor Spotlight: Tropii Co.

Name: Trent Keefer and Teddy Anderson
Company: Tropii Co.
Location of Business: Based in Jupiter, FL
Website: www.tropiicompany.com

What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?
Trent – When I was 16, I was hired to work at a large estate. The work was tough, but rewarding, and really taught me the value of a dollar. It also instilled in me a great work ethic and the drive to become independent.

Teddy – I was first employed as a cashier at McDonalds when I was 16. This work taught me to be humble and not think too highly of myself. While working there, I met some amazing people working very hard to make a living for their family. This taught me to celebrate and honor those who work hard for their families.

How was your current business founded?
Our business was actually founded by a good friend of ours who now does missionary work for his church. We took his idea and concept and threw our own ideas and designs into the mix to fill the demand for a newer and more hip product, and thus Tropii Co. was born!

Where do you get your ideas? What is your inspiration?
Our ideas and inspirations come from the things our Florida home is known for, the beautiful ocean, beaches and landscapes, the wildlife that is found around every corner, and the people! We love to throw our ideas out on our social media pages and see what sort of feedback and reactions we get before we release a product or even submit our designs. Being a smaller company allows us to get the buyers’ input on what they like. It’s a huge plus and a great feeling knowing that we get to involve our customers in our designs as well as the things that surround us. A cool example is our Loggerhead design! We had an artist hand draw and paint that design, and once she was finished, we tested the waters with our customers’ input, and they loved it! We were inspired by the wildlife in this area and the turtles at Loggerhead Marinelife Center!

Tell us about your product and what separates it from similar products.
Our Tropii hats are designed right here in the heart of Jupiter, FL. As many know, there’s a huge variety of straw sun hats on the market but with our product, you can be sure it will outlast the competition. Our hats are made with quality straw and come with unique SPF designs under the brim, making sure that every customer is looking stylish while keeping cool under the sun! A Tropii hat is a must accessory for any outdoor event and looks good whether you’re lying on the beach or reeling in a monster!

What do you love about your work?
We absolutely love delivering a product that we know people will love! It’s amazing when one of us walks down the beach or is at a local event, and we see one of our hats on a person. It instills a sense of pride in us and lets us know that the hard work is paying off and people really do love our product! Nothing is better than getting out and talking to the public about what we have to offer. If anything, we are just happy to be out in public building relationships and spreading the word!

What’s the best advice you’ve heard when it comes to chasing your dream?
Trent – My grandpa has always inspired to me to chase my dreams. He told me when I was young that if I wanted something bad enough, the only person standing in my way was me. He also told me to help out all those who need it along the way because you never know when you may be the one in need. It’s true, every word of it. My advice would be the same: Create opportunity for yourself. Make things happen because if you don’t, someone else will.

Teddy – I cannot recall the source, however, the best advice I have ever heard is this: Whatever your goals are, the sky is NOT the limit. There is no limit. Dream so big you will be chasing it your whole life. Even when you hit big landmarks in your life, you will still have a bigger goal ahead of you at all times.