Today we’d like to introduce you to Omar and Jennifer Lancaster.
Omar and Jennifer, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When Omar was in the early days of working in the oilfield in Arkansas, it was not uncommon for crews to work jobs with some pretty austere hours. In the middle of the night, when out in the middle of nowhere, we would get to telling stories or generally letting the delirium get the best of us. I jokingly suggested that we should form a band from the crew. There are long night shifts when you are waiting on a decision and the operation turns redundant quickly, so when the boredom takes over, we could also practice our music. I was the crew supervisor, and I have a love for honky tonk music, so I said we should tour as “Omar & The Oilfield Orphans”. Fast forward to 2018 and I had expanded my oilfield experience by working internationally. Again we would be away with very short notice, for unknown periods of time after breaking plans or promises to family and friends for the countless number of birthday and special events to hit the road…
So the idea for “Oilfield Orphans” seemed very authentic and the readiest to be turned into something. I was given a tally book by a fishing hand I worked within the early days, and I carried that tally book across 21 countries, through deserts, offshore, and all points in between. We wanted to present something to families and the oilfield community globally that had a different feel to it. Our goal is to showcase this family brand through the lasting nature of our handcrafted tally books. Here we are now a little over a year on.
Has it been a smooth road?
We made the decision early on to build the business at a slow pace since we are just two individuals with a family to support and so much to learn about E-commerce and the retail industry. The challenge has been understanding social media marketing and its mysterious, ever-changing “algorithms.” The time required to create appealing and engaging content is definitely more than we realized at the onset. Learning the ropes takes time and focus, but we believe we are on the right track to continue building the community!
Tell us about your company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
Our company specializes in handcrafting quality leather tally books that are durable and make the cut. Our brand is known for being focused on the oil and gas community worldwide. I have worked with so many great people across so many places; now, seeing our tally books in the field around the globe is a point of excitement for us.
To set us apart from other oilfield apparel brands, we are building a clean, modern oilfield look that the whole family can comfortably wear. We see our brand as one they can all relate to and wear when Mom or Dad heads out the door for the next hitch. That contemporary vibe is what we believe appeals to families and will set us apart from others.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Right now, technology is a significant driver of expansion and disruption in the retail industry and the global connectivity of consumers will only continue to impact the E-commerce experience. From utilizing social media platforms to connect organically with our customers to SEO for exposure and advertising, alongside the expanding digital payment options for consumers to provide a seamless shopping experience, we believe our contemporary brand is positioned to grow worldwide. We currently have customers throughout the domestic US, Canada, England, Scotland, Holland and Australia and hope to see that “country count” continue ticking up!
There is also a growing demand for quality handcrafted custom products among increasingly diverse populations. This trend creates room for a variety of niche markets such as ours to provide products showcasing the incredible “industry pride” felt among oil & gas workers and their families worldwide. Our leather items are handmade and can be personalized to be as unique as its owner!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.oilfieldorphans.com
- Phone: (501) 628-8793
- Email: oilfieldorphans@gmail.com
- Instagram: @oilfield_orphans_
- Facebook: @OilfieldOrphans
Image Credit:
Mo Reese
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