Member Since 2012
Kenai Sports
Hartford, Connecticut Area
After graduating from Babson College in 2008, Charles Bogoian teamed with another graduate, Phil Tepfer, to launch SailProud, a nautical sportswear company focused on transitional clothing able to be worn “both on and off the boat.” Before joining SailProud, Mr. Bogoian worked in the Finance Department for Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines in East Hartford, CT, as well as for the New Business Development Team at Madico, Inc., a window-film manufacturing company in Woburn, MA. Using the experiences of his advisory board as well as his own research, Charles began developing a green logistics network that he felt would be in line with the company’s mission and vision. His efforts were recognized when SailProud was recognized as one of the “Top 10 Greenest Businesses of 2009” by Startup Nation, a well-known entrepreneurial media outlet. Similar to Mr. Tepfer, Charles received numerous awards in 2010, including acceptance into the MassChallenge Incubator Program, as well as also being named one of the “Top 25 US Entrepreneurs Under 25” by Bloomberg BusinessWeek. During 2011, Charles was included in Entrepreneur Magazine’s 100 Brilliant Businesses, and was named one of the “Visionary Entrepreneurs of the Year” by AMD. In November of that year, Charles was recognized by HYPE (Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs) through the Business Launch award, given to one new business in CT that demonstrates strong growth potential and the opportunity to flourish. Recently, Charles’ work at Kenai Sports earned him recognition as one of reSET Social Enterprise’s “Social Entrepreneurs of the Year” within the state of CT. Kenai Sports was simultaneously given the “Technology Trailblazer” distinction by CT Innovations, awarded to one young company throughout CT displaying a unique and innovative business model.
As the demand for eco-friendly products and services—as well as consumers' interest in protecting the planet—grows, more and more businesses are looking to reduce their carbon footprints and adopt more eco-friendly business practices. However, many companies may not know where to start, and certain efforts may come off as disingenuous if not handled properly.
One of your most basic responsibilities as a leader is to provide your team with constructive feedback. Without feedback, employees don’t have a solid direction for moving forward, which can result in repeat mistakes and even low morale.
Every successful entrepreneur has one special "something" that has made a unique, lasting contribution to their achievements, be it a former mentor, a previous role they held or an event that impacted their life. Our lived experiences help define who we are as individuals and hone our perspectives throughout life. As we advance as professionals, these experiences take shape as new traits, resources and accomplishments that help drive our ongoing maturity and achievement.
Chief operating officers (COOs) are important assets to every organization. This critical C-level role oversees the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the business they serve, as well as manages departmental leaders under their areas of purview.
When you are interviewing job applicants, there are certain “soft skills”—that is, non-technical skills that relate more to how you work with others and solve problems—that you should be on the lookout for, as these attributes are not usually spelled out on a candidate’s resume. Here, members from Young Entrepreneur Council share 13 underrated but important soft skills they look for when they are hiring new employees.
As a business leader, you may already possess ideal traits, such as assertiveness, adaptability and conscientiousness. But perhaps you've noticed that you're lacking in other areas in which you could become a better leader. The first step is to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.
As a new small business, engaging your community is crucial to getting your business off the ground. The goal is to nurture lasting relationships that will drive your revenue and increase brand awareness; however, forming genuine connections with members of your community requires strategy and patience.
As an entrepreneur, you're likely to face adversity, rejection and low self-confidence at some point in your journey. These are bound to happen over time, and how you deal with them can define the success of you and your business.
When it comes to small and large businesses, not every encounter has to be about competition. Sometimes, interactions could result in a mutually beneficial partnership. The path to getting there, however, isn’t always so clear.
Thanks to the explosion of tech, there are many new skills a small business owner must learn in order to be successful in the modern world. However, there are also a whole host of necessary basic skills that stand the test of time.
While it's not a common thing, some businesses do explode into popularity overnight. For the companies that do, it can be a completely new landscape to navigate. Suddenly, consumers want your product and they can't get enough of it. Your supply lines and logistics may not be able to handle the traffic at its new demanding level.
Working for a startup is vastly different than working for an established company. Established companies have steady processes and defined operations, while startups often wade through a constant stream of pivots and unknowns.
During downtime, busy entrepreneurs should seek to relax and unwind. However, if you're the kind of driven professional who has a hard time disconnecting from work, you’ll most likely be looking at ways to fill your downtime that are relaxing yet productive.
No business’s recruiting process is the same, largely because of the fact different organizations look for different things in their candidates. Each company has a particular skill or set of abilities it values above others.
One of the most significant elements in helping a business get to know its customers is their data. Over recent years, consumers have started to take notice of how businesses use their data. While many aren't bothered, a few are against a company getting its hands on their information. As a result, they are averse to sharing access to their data.
Competition among companies can be fierce, especially those in the same field with similar messages. With so many other brands out there, it can be difficult to make your story stand out among the crowd. However, you need to identify that “something special” about your business that truly makes it shine. To help you, we asked 10 Young Entrepreneur Council members how to captivate customers through the art of storytelling. Here’s how they recommend crafting a brand story that captures attention and engages your target audience.
The world's most successful entrepreneurs are often fiercely independent and self-reliant. They have the courage to keep going when things get difficult and know how to push themselves to overcome even the most challenging of situations. However, no one becomes a success completely on their own. Entrepreneurs also need a strong support network of peers and mentors who can offer them sage advice and wisdom throughout their journey. Below, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council share the one piece of advice that has stuck with them over the years and helped them get where they are today.
Kenai Sports is a unique and innovative sportswear brand that makes clothing out of trash - yes, trash - pulled from landfills across the country. Every day, we take tons of plastic bottles, cell phone cases, keyboards, and organic waste like coconut shells, corn husks, soybean shells, and more, and turn it into the world's best sportswear, here in North America - building jobs, supporting a weak economy, and strengthening our future. Our customers are college and university athletic programs, corporations, non-profits, and government offices, where we custom design performance sportswear for their teams, clubs, and employees. With product capabilities that range from simple t-shirts to sustainable jerseys, jackets, shorts, vests, and polos, Kenai is a one stop solution for quality, proven performance sportswear.
Apparel & Fashion