He Wanted a Watch Brand That Felt More Personal, So He Built One

Chris Boudreaux wanted a watch brand that felt less elitist and more connected to its customers, so he built one.

Since relaunching VERO Watch Company in 2021, Chris has focused on durable American field watches built for outdoor adventure and everyday wear, backed by the kind of approachable, easy-to-reach customer experience he wished other watch brands offered.

This week, Chris shares how VERO earned trust selling watches online, why cash flow is the hardest part of the watch business, how a Smokey Bear collaboration sold out and built a waitlist in the thousands, and what's coming with three new watch lines in 2027.

The Interview

The Product and Audience: What is VERO Watch Company and who is it for?

VERO Watch Company makes modern American field watches built for outdoor adventure, durability, and everyday use. Rather than positioning its watches as luxury pieces, the brand focuses on intentional design and practical performance.

Its customers are people who appreciate well-built watches and enjoy hiking, camping, exploring, or simply owning thoughtfully designed products. That outdoor focus also shows up in VERO's partnerships with organizations and brands like the U.S. Forest Service, Smokey Bear, and Realtree.

The Spark: What made Chris say "I need to build this"?

Chris felt disconnected from the watch brands he had purchased from. Coming from retail, he understood that good business relationships often turn into friendships. Customers support a brand, and the brand does its best to provide great products and service in return.

But some larger watch brands felt elitist, while others left him disappointed with their customer experience. He wanted to build something different: a watch company that was approachable, easy to contact, and genuinely helpful when customers needed support. He believed other watch enthusiasts were looking for the same thing.

The Launch: When did VERO launch and how did it build early buzz?

VERO relaunched in 2021, marking the beginning of the brand as customers know it today. For its original Open Water line, the team spent considerable time documenting the design process and developing the creative direction around the world the watches belonged in. Every detail was intentional.

The brand launched exclusively online, using organic social media, coverage from watch websites, and in-person events to introduce its products to customers.

The First 100: How did VERO find its first customers?

VERO combined organic social media storytelling with support from watch reviewers and watch-focused websites. Selling watches online comes with a challenge: customers are often hesitant to spend a significant amount on something they cannot experience in person.

Chris focused on building trust through communication, answering questions, and making customers comfortable with their purchases. Delivering a great product helped turn those first customers into repeat buyers and brand advocates, and as more people had positive experiences, recommendations and word of mouth helped the business grow.

The Advice: What would Chris tell a first-time founder in their first 90 days?

Be very clear about your unique place in the market. Chris believes founders should be able to explain their brand or product in one line. With so much competition, customers need a strong reason to choose one brand over another.

Simply claiming to offer high quality at a great price isn't enough. The strongest new brands have something distinctive about their product or the story behind it. The sooner founders can communicate that difference, the sooner they can figure out whether they have something worth building.

The Reality Check: What is the hardest part of this journey that people don't see on social media?

Cash flow is one of the biggest challenges in the watch business. Producing watches requires significant upfront investment. Brands typically need to make deposits on new products and pay the remaining balance when those products are delivered. Without presales months in advance, that means spending substantial amounts of money on inventory that hasn't been sold yet.

Planning ahead is another challenge. Watch design, prototyping, and production involve long lead times, making it difficult to respond quickly to trends or bring new ideas to market. Founders have to predict what customers will want six to twelve months down the road and hope the time and money invested will pay off when the products finally arrive.

The Milestone: What has been the biggest "we made it" moment so far?

VERO's Smokey Bear watches became one of the brand's biggest milestones. Chris and the team were excited to partner with such an iconic figure, but they weren't sure how customers would respond.

When the first batch sold out and the waitlist quickly grew into the thousands, they realized they had something special. The partnership has continued for several years and played a major role in accelerating the brand's growth.

The AI Trend: How has VERO used AI to help the business grow?

VERO uses AI occasionally, primarily for research and working with numbers. Chris finds it especially useful for organizing large amounts of notes and ideas into more cohesive documents.

However, the team doesn't rely on AI for creative work, marketing concepts, or the brand's visual direction. They prefer to keep designing, developing marketing ideas, and producing photo and video content the old-fashioned way. For VERO, AI is a helpful tool, but the creative side of the brand remains human-led.

The Horizon: What should we be excited to see from VERO next?

VERO has plenty planned for 2027. The brand is preparing to introduce three completely new watch lines, alongside new colors and specifications for its existing collections.

It's also investing in new creative storytelling to make the brand more interesting and engaging to follow. Selling watches remains the goal, but Chris also wants VERO to be a brand that people enjoy keeping up with beyond the products themselves.

The Shop: Where can readers buy VERO?

VERO's website is its primary sales channel: vero-watch.com. The brand also works with online retailers like Uncrate, Windup Watch Shop, and Watches.com, along with select local retail partners. Start with our Preview of the VERO One Moto Solar.

The Connection: Where is the best place to follow along?

Follow @verowatchcompany on Instagram for product updates, brand stories, and new releases. VERO also has a YouTube channel, with more updates available through its website.

The Recommendations: What are Chris's favorite under-the-radar brands?

• CPG: Laoban Dumplings
• Consumer Technology: Pimsleur, a language-learning platform
• Gear: House of Errors