Scott had a head full of ideas for AMN — Any Means Necessary — a men’s activewear brand he’d been dreaming up for months. The vision was clear. What wasn’t clear was how to make it real. He’d never started a clothing brand, never spoken to Chinese manufacturers, and never been to China.
Scott needed someone who had done it before. Someone with years in the industry, contacts on the ground, and the ability to take him from concept to factory floor. That’s when he found Epic Sourcing.
Within a week of his first conversation with TK, Scott had a plan, a strategy, and a flight booked to Canton Fair — one of the world’s biggest manufacturing expos. The journey from idea to execution had officially begun.
The biggest learning curve would be the outsourcing. It’s 100% a must. Stick to what you’re good at — have the ideas, but you need people in the business who are going to help you execute them.
Scott — Founder, AMN
Scott’s decision to work with Epic came down to one thing: execution. He had the ideas but needed people who had done it before — who knew the factories, spoke the language, and could navigate the complexity of international sourcing so he didn’t have to figure it out alone. Epic became that partner from day one.
TK advised Scott that Canton Fair was the ideal starting point for a new activewear brand — the same launchpad used by many of today’s most successful labels. Within a week of the conversation, Scott was booked and briefed with a clear plan for who to see and what to look for.
At the Fair, the Epic team helped Scott navigate hundreds of exhibitors to identify the activewear and sportswear manufacturers most suited to AMN’s quality requirements and vision — cutting through the noise of an enormous, overwhelming event.
Following initial meetings at the Fair, the team helped Scott plan return visits to shortlisted factories — going deeper on quality, production capability, and minimum order quantities to find the right long-term manufacturing partners for AMN.
From booking accommodation to on-the-ground guidance, TK and the team supported Scott throughout the entire trip — translating conversations with suppliers, advising on negotiations, and ensuring his first China experience was productive rather than overwhelming.
You started AMN with a head full of ideas but no sourcing experience. What made you reach out to Epic rather than trying to figure it out yourself?
I had all of these ideas in my head, but I just needed someone to help me execute them. The difference with Epic was the human approach — instead of everything over email or text, TK picked up the phone and just had a general conversation with me. He asked how he could help, what steps we could put in place. For me, it was the human touch.
Canton Fair is one of the biggest trade events in the world. What was it like arriving there for the first time?
Very overwhelming. I’d never been to China, never started a clothing brand, never spoken to Chinese manufacturers. It’s such a big place — if you don’t have a set plan or you don’t know what you’re doing or where you’re going, you can just get lost. Having Epic there made all the difference.
You went from first conversation with Epic to booked flights in a week. How did that happen?
TK mentioned that the best way to start would be sourcing from Canton Fair — that’s where a lot of the popular brands today have come from. A week later I was booked to go. If I’d spent too much time thinking about how to do it all myself, I probably would have gone next year and wasted my time there.
What’s your advice to other founders who are sitting on a great idea but don’t know where to start?
Outsourcing is 100% a must. Stick to what you’re good at. Have the ideas, but you do need people in the business who are going to help you execute them. Don’t try to do everything yourself — find people who have done it before, who have many years in the industry, and who are just good at what they do.
Scott arrived at Epic with an idea, no supply chain, and no experience of China or manufacturing. Within a week he was on a plane to Canton Fair — meeting suppliers, visiting factories, and building the foundation of AMN’s product range.
AMN is at the start of its journey, but the groundwork is in place. With Epic’s sourcing expertise behind him, Scott can focus on what he does best — building the brand — while Epic handles the supply chain.
We sat down with Scott to hear about the journey from idea to Canton Fair — and what he'd tell the next founder sitting on a great product concept.
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Tell us about your product idea, your target market, and where you’re at. No jargon, no pressure — just a straight conversation about whether we’re the right fit.
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We identify the right approach for your product category and stage — whether that’s Canton Fair, a supplier vetting report, sample development, or a full end-to-end programme.
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Our on-the-ground team in China and Vietnam handles supplier identification, quality control, and factory relationships — so you can focus on building your brand.
