Nick Karnel Williams

This is something I need to address.

We are a Pacific-owned and operated business, and like many others, we’ve faced challenges along the way. Yes, we’ve found success, but what often goes unseen are the costs that come with it.

When we first started and had some money to spend, we gave back in a big way—sponsoring teams, supporting fundraisers, and donating to people we had never even met. We went all in because we believed in uplifting our community. At the time, it felt like the right thing to do—for our people and for brand awareness. But if I’m being real, I wasn’t thinking about marketing; I was thinking about getting our product out there. We gave away so much—whether online, in person, or through TikTok giveaways—that we became the brand people expected to fund their community projects.

And you know what? I loved helping our people. I still do. But here’s what I’ve realised: When it came time for us to seek support for our own youth programmes, that same generosity wasn’t reciprocated. I’ve kept receipts. The expectation can’t be one-sided.

So here’s the new reality: If you’ve never supported our brand—never purchased a product, never given back in any way—we’re no longer considering sponsorship requests. If you’re all about taking without ever giving, we’re not interested. We live this brand every day. We invest in our community, but we’re done with freeloaders who expect us to fund their initiatives when they’ve never spent a cent on ours.

Just the other day, I had someone reach out for a conversation about helping our people and the kids. I respected that—until the conversation ended with, “Uce, can you sponsor my fundraiser?” First of all—nah. We just met. The work we do in the community is real, but we’re not here to be taken advantage of.

The truth is, I now have to be more cautious in my approach. I’ve always been 100% real, but as our brand grows, so does the scrutiny we’re under. If you’ve never supported the brand, don’t expect handouts. Go ask Nike or Adidas and see what they’ll do for you.

At the end of the day, it’s not our job to go broke so others can keep asking for more.