Fords in Four:
Drew Delaney '01
1. What was your inspiration for Jack Jester Socks?
I owned dozens of socks, including boring dress socks, colorful crew socks, and hi-tech athletic socks. However, none combined designs to pair with a suit or jeans and the technology featured in athletic socks. So we started Jack Jester to make stylish, comfortable, sweat-wicking dress/casual socks. We pride ourselves on a dedication to advanced craftsmanship, high-quality yarns, sophisticated designs, and a comfortable, better fit.
2. Where did you get your entrepreneurial spirit?
My entrepreneurial spirit comes from my parents, who both had to make their own path in business and life, with no set playbook or training to show them what was needed to be successful. I really saw this come into play when bootstrapping every aspect of the business, like how to design an e-commerce website, set up product photo shoots, and manage product development from start to finish. This is one of the main reasons it was so meaningful when our website was recognized in the top 10 effective store website designs by customer care company, LINC.
3. What is the most challenging part of your job? The most exciting?
The most challenging part of my job is finding the time to grow a startup business on nights and weekends, while remaining focused on my day job. I currently work for FirstNet, a federal authority building a nationwide, wireless broadband network dedicated for first responders. Both endeavors are challenging in their own ways, for example limited time and resources to grow my own business versus trying to maintain an entrepreneurial environment within the federal government. But with every challenge comes opportunity and excitement. The most exciting part of running a startup is the unexpected, like expanding the focus of Jack Jester socks from a niche, consumer retail product to include an enterprise sales function designing custom socks for fundraising organizations.
4. Note a memorable Haverford experience or faculty member.
It has to be learning to write concise paragraphs from Mr. Duffany in fifth grade English. He really drilled in me early to write a clear opening statement, factual supporting sentences, and strong conclusion. To this day, I lean on those fundamentals every time I sit down in my “day job” to write public policy briefs and position papers for the U.S. Department of Commerce.
