Eric Bandholz

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the last few years, you probably know that Eric Bandholz is the co-founder and face of the men’s grooming company Beardbrand. As purveyors of some of the finest beard and hair care products on the market today, there’s no question that Bandholz’s business ventures have grown exponentially over the last several years. But what you may not know is that he didn’t always plan on things ending up this way.

“The vision I had for Beardbrand from day one was actually closer in line with what we’re doing with this newest incarnation of Urban Beardsman,” he says.

“I had always had that vision to offer lifestyle products, and it was by listening to our customers that we narrowed our focus onto the grooming aspect and those types of products. This has been a long time coming for me, and it’s cool to see us getting close to that initial vision I had four years ago.”

Bandholz says that as he stands on the threshold of his newest endeavor and is preparing to share with his customers the vision he has had for more than four years, he knows the bar is set high.

“It’s exciting, it’s nerve-racking, after four years of success with Beardbrand the pressure is certainly a bit higher to really make a mark on the industry with this venture,” he says.

“But it’s good pressure because we know it comes from the high expectations of our customers and community members to give them the best products possible.”

He goes on to explain that his collection is a solid reflection of his personal tastes and style, as well as a peek into items and products that have become staples in his daily life.

“I’ve got a pretty understated style. I think I stand out most for my hair and my beard, but my clothes – my jeans and shirts are all – are pretty low-key,” he explains.

“It’s my accessories that are the subtle pieces that stand out, and these products are things that have been ingrained in – and used throughout – my daily life for the last several years. What I really love is having pieces that not everyone else has, and having items that I’ve found that aren’t mass-produced types of things.”

And those items are ones that Bandholz says are more based on instinct than what’s trending.

“I’ve taken elements [of my style] from models, celebrities, and news makers. You just know it when you see it. You feel that connection to the product or the style when you come across it.”

And now as he sees Urban Beardsman moving into a new chapter and offering these types of curated and carefully selected products, he feels that things have come full circle.

“When I was inspired to start Beardbrand, it was always about the community of urban beardsmen and uniting like-minded people who were feeling the societal pressure to not have a beard or to shave off their beard. I wanted to give those men the tools they needed to feel confident about their beards and about themselves,” he explains.

“Initially it started with grooming products, and giving guys the confidence that their beards were well-groomed, clean, neat, and looking their best. But it’s not just about taking care of your beard, it’s about taking care of yourself, becoming the best version of yourself, and presenting yourself to the world in a confident way.”

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