Innovation

Fillip Gladkov, a budding entrepreneur and social activist coming out of Santa Monica, CA, is responsible for innovating the pipelines used by clothing businesses in production, operation, marketing and distribution - specifically in the management philosophy side of these work areas. He is keen on sourcing environmentally friendly materials for his clothing lines, dedicating much of his time to researching the microscopic impacts of using different substances in volume. By favouring the integration of invasive, organic matter into his products, Gladkov maintains his values of preserving and rejuvenating life on both land and sea in his conscientious approach to driving sales without harming unsuspecting organisms and habitats.

Not only is his company structured to produce responsibly, but it also disposes appropriately due to the biodegradability and physical toughness of his clothing, providing recyclability and long-term reusability. This means his clothes can be passed on from individual to individual for an extensive period. When the dresses are finally worn and tattered, their base materials can be recycled in production again. While this may be a small step in a tremendous journey towards preserving nature for future generations, his philosophy of founding companies will be a beautiful baseline for future startups.

Inspiration

'Why wouldn't I want to reveal the world's offerings to the world?' This quote from the interview resonated with me deeply, as it reframes the act of venturing into nature. It suggests that one's purpose can become clear after delving into their passions, goals, and how they intertwine with their leisure activities, a journey of self-discovery and personal growth.

He has turned his desire to experience the habitats this world offers into a career path where he can make a living and foster a community of peers who share his values and interests. This idea is unique because many people participating in societal systems see a disparity between their passions and their profession when they don't need to sentence themselves to such a fate.

Fillip also touched upon a quote from Jay Moriarty, a fellow surfer and legend in the community, saying, "When you learn to push the limits, you see that the limits push back." The founder reflects upon this quote as a directive for continuing to build a business that does not drive revenue or conventionally conduct operations.

Overall impact

In the short term, the impacts of T2TR's work are less apparent than they might be in the long term, as the brand's goal is to drive sustainable benefits for the environment instead of short-lived effects. However, it ought to be noted that there are some noticeable short-run influences made by their operations, with the best-case scenario being one in which many citizens in West LA are seen wearing T2TR merchandise, implying a particular uptick in adoption and popularity of the brand's message - or at the very least their aesthetic appeal.

As for the long-term impacts of their work, the founder ensures that every day ends with some PSA to the public about a specific species or habitat in hopes of educating those outside of the space on the importance of environmental awareness. From a business operations standpoint, Gladkov's supply chain and distribution management ensures a direct alignment between his original vision and current day-to-day operations.

Business benefit

Revenue-driving is likely the most challenging aspect of maintaining operations, as many customers and brands in the fashion space are focused on aesthetic appeal and cultural relevance over the nature of messages being conveyed by the brands that they promote. This difficulty in attaining capital detrimentally impacts the company's expansion in all areas, slowing its growth. However, the founder remains diligent and continues to find ways to operate in new markets - related to under-appreciated species and environments - as well as tailor new products for these markets or existing ones and scale the company in general.

Employee well-being and retention are aspects of the business that can be viewed as incredibly rigid and developed, as the nature of internal politics and the interconnectedness of the community are of the utmost priority for Fillip. His devout stance on the idea of family in corporations is the baseline upon which he has developed the rest of his company. The correlation of each employee's values with the others' has created a company culture necessary for the long-term alignment of mission and operations.

Social and environmental benefit

As mentioned above, the SDGs about Life on Land (#15) and Life Below Water (#14) are the primary targets for T2TR's work, as they would like to increase the level of appreciation for natural spaces from the average citizen while also empirically influencing the way businesses handle their impacts responsibly. Through practical and impactful sourcing and distribution, Gladkov has formulated a process by which his company can continue to lead the charge in shifting how profiteering is approached and coincidentally decreasing the damage done to the world.

By scaling through the popular means of clothing, Gladkov aims to reach the ultimate compromise where he can sell appealing wearables while giving the world the space it needs to heal itself and return to its former glory, ultimately hoping to reach a size of impact where it can continue snowballing into greatness. Fillip lives a radically different life than I do, as he is pretty fond of taking road trips every other week with a large group of like-minded peers. In contrast, I like to stay within the city's boundaries where I can entertain myself with whatever mental high I wish. After listening to the little pleasures he takes from different sceneries and environments on the road, I am disappointed in myself for not realising the sheer breadth of uniqueness and beauty in nature earlier in my life.

Interview

Fillip Gladkov, Founder