MOB Interview: The Co-founders of TieOrDie.com

Last week I had the privilege to sit down with two upbeat guys,  who are doing more for the men’s neck wear business then many of the finer,  upscale men’s clothiers from around the country. How might you ask?

It started up as an office prank and now it is flourishing into a fun daily ritual. It is also enticing the younger generation back into the fold of the time honored tradition of wearing a neck tie to the office.

Full of light hearted humor brought about by the  posting of two daily pictures of themselves, sporting a different tie each day. Jon Fruman and Ryan Brown, co-founders of www.TieOrDie.com are enjoying  great feedback, a daily voting contest and more importantly, interest from guys who normally don’t don neck wear.

For myself, it is very gratifying to see these two young guys chipping away at the last two decades of the unsightly hangover, corporate America introduced with the dumbing down of Casual Fridays.

Here in their words,  is the interview.

Who in the world are you?
Jon Fruman and Ryan Brown, co-founders of www.TieOrDie.com. Just two dudes trying to figure out what we should be wearing.

What in heaven’s name is Tie Or Die?
It’s a one-on-one Who Wore It Best competition amongst two coworker-friends who happen to be both really competitive and total exhibitionists. Each day of October we have to wear a different tie, and the general public votes to decide who “pulled it off” the best that day. There are a few simple ground rules and an interesting punishment for the loser at the end of the month.

And what might that punishment be?
“The Winner will be able to choose a full outfit of attire to be worn by The Loser on the day of The Winner’s choosing. And the Loser has to go tanning wearing only a tie and undies – so that every time he looks at himself naked in the mirror, he may be reminded that he should have tried just a little bit harder.”

Is the loser really going to go through with the punishment?
Keep checking in as we head into the second half of the month. When this is all said and done, you can bet your best Burberry tie that there will be photographic evidence of the loser’s punishment up on the site.

How did you guys come up with this site?
We both work in advertising and the casual setting doesn’t require a tie day-to-day. Ryan claimed he has enough ties to wear a different one each day of the month, but that he never has the opportunity to show them off. Jon challenged him to go through with it, and even opted to go head-to-head with him throughout the month. One day’s hare-brained scheme amongst a few guys turned into a neat little website with a growing fan base – literally overnight. Our friends from work, Mike Park and Mike McAllister, designed and built the site, and they’re the only ones who know which of us is winning the competition.

What are you hoping to get out of this?
Some attention, and maybe some girls. Mostly girls. Hook a brother up!

What’s the best thing about this experience?
Knowing that a ton of people are getting a kick out of it. We like to entertain.

What’s the worst thing?
Trying to pick out an outfit each night or morning that you know is going to be criticized by 500+ people that day.

And have you learned anything through all of this so far?
We’ve learned that – apparently – a great deal of people take interest in some young men attempting to dress like grown men. And that perhaps the best way to survive the critical masses is to keep them amused. Oh yeah, and we also learned from one of the Man Over Board posts that we could be tying our ties better. Good looking out!

What are you guys going to do in November?
Go tie-less.

No, I mean on the website?
Oh, right. We’re not sure yet. Hell, we’re not even sure what we’re going to wear to work tomorrow. But we’ll come up with something worth your while.

Thanks guys, by the way did you know Jon you have ketchup in the middle of your purple paisley?

For a good laugh and to help promote the beautification of today’s youth, don’t forget to click here and cast your vote. TIE or DIE We will surely let you know at the end of the month who the big winner is,  Jon or Ryan. Seems to me, both are already winners!!

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Short URL: http://man-over-board.com/?p=2360

Posted by Glenn on Oct 17 2009 Filed under FASHION, FUNNY, SELF HELP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry