Sand Cloud

Sand Cloud leveraged Wayflyer's funding to expand its eco-friendly beach lifestyle brand and make bigger waves in the market.

Challenge

From a cramped San Diego loft to one of Shark Tank's most successful brands, Sand Cloud has always been more than a company – it's a conservation crusader. 10% of each premium, sand-resistant Turkish cotton towel sold goes towards marine conservation.

Despite their innovative product and Shark Tank success, the trio of founders encountered the classic ecommerce snag: rapid sales growth handcuffed by cash tied up in inventory. They needed to seriously ramp up inventory buys to meet demand and expand their product lines, but needed a lot of cash to do. Traditional banking avenues proved inadequate, offering neither the necessary funding amounts nor favorable terms for such an ambitious and environmentally-focused brand.

“In growing an e-commerce business, so much of the cash is tied up in inventory. It's a constant game, it's a constant grind of just, you know, having the cash in the bank.” Stephen Ford, Founder, Sand Cloud

Solution

In navigating these turbulent financial waters, Sand Cloud sought out Wayflyer. Unlike traditional banks, Wayflyer offered a deeper understanding of the e-commerce tide and a more personalized approach to funding.

This partnership provided Sand Cloud with the capital it needed to scale, without diluting equity or relinquishing control, fostering an environment where the brand could thrive and expand its vision beyond just beach towels to a full-fledged beach lifestyle brand.

“One of the things that I love about Wayflyer is it doesn't feel like a big banking relationship; it's personal. They understand e-commerce and how we want to spend the money.”

Results

With a cash injection from Wayflyer, Sand Cloud embarked on a journey of growth and diversification. They broadened their product line, venturing into new territories like eco-friendly mineral SPF, bath towels, and bags and saw their sales soar. They’re currently pulling in $16.1m in annual sales without any of the inventory issues that dogged them in the past.

This partnership enabled Sand Cloud to not just ride the wave but to create it, amplifying their mission to protect marine life and reinforcing their commitment to sustainable products. As they continue to expand, their alliance with Wayflyer remains a cornerstone of their success, a partnership that's not just about finance, but about fostering a shared vision for a sustainable future.

“We're excited because we have all these great ideas and projects that, you know, we want to keep building into, and to have a partner like Wayflyer, they can be there for us and scale and grow with us as we do this is huge.”