Meet Deirdre Sours: Deirdre Sours, Owner/CEO of Bonito & Co., Medical Grade Compression Garments & Shapewear

We had the good fortune of connecting with Deirdre Sours and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deirdre, what do you attribute your success to?
Consistency! That’s the word that comes to my mind. Of course there are many factors that contribute to making a business and its brand successful, such as having a product that the consumers want = Demand. Then the product has to appeal and speak to the consumers, so they will be willing to buy it = Marketing & Sales. The consumers must be happy and satisfied with the product they purchased = Consumer Satisfaction. The price has to be right for what the consumers are purchasing = Proper Pricing Structure. The products must be available when the consumers needs them = Well Stocked Inventory. It must be easy for the consumers to exchange or return the products if needed = Consumer Friendly Return/Exchange Policy. Now we get to the last one, but probably one of the most important ones, as it really does not exist anymore in today’s world, and that is Customer Service. I am not talking about speaking to a person answering the phones who provides answers like a robot – no, I am taking about a conversation with a human being, who is available, takes their time with the consumers on the phone, and explains to them in detail and most of all with a lot of heart, whatever they need to know. This experience will be etched into the consumers brains, and leave them with a warm association with the brand. Now here is the final trick to the ultimate success of a company and its brand, and that would be consistency. If a company can consistently provide all the key points I mentioned above, it will thrive and be extremely successful.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
In 2015, when I was visiting the Tailoring Facility for Bonito & Co. Medical Grade Post Operative Compression Garments & Shapewear, I fell in love with the brand. I was blown away by the quality of the fabric, craftsmanship, and attention to detail that went into creating the famous Bonito Compression Garments. Right then and there, I knew that the rest of the world needed these garments. Having had Plastic Surgeries myself, I knew that I had never worn a Post-Op Compression Garment of this caliber and high-end quality before. I decided to expand the Founder’s business outside of Brazil, knowing that this investment would fill my need of catering to people in a holistic way – mentally, physically, and emotionally, as there is nothing worse than being in a vulnerable position right after surgery and suffering in an itchy uncomfortable and painful garment. After purchasing the international assets of Bonito & Co. in 2015, my team and I launched the E-Commerce Store online, www.bonitoandcompany.com, and the garments started flying off the shelves like hot cakes. Over the past 5 years, Bonito & Co. has morphed into a globally renowned Brazilian brand specializing in the creation of top of the line, chic, and elegant Medical Grade Post-Operative Compression Garments and Shapewear, not only sought after by retail consumers, but also by Plastic Surgery Practices, Centers, as well as Hospitals all over the world, and many celebrities and fashion and beauty icons. Bonito & Co. has been around for over 3o years, and is the oldest Medical Grade Post Operative Compression Garment Company in the world. In the industry, Bonito & Co. is considered the “Chanel of Compression Garments” for many reasons, but the answer can actually be summed up in one word: QUALITY. We don’t cut corners in any area. Bonito & Co may not be the least expensive, but being able to convalesce comfortably in a deliciously soft medical grade compression garment without any itching, scratching, pinching, and pulling is simply priceless. World famous Plastic Surgeons, such as Dr. Ivo Pitanguy’s Clinic (Dr. Pitanguy is the brainchild of the Brazilian Butt Lift) have been using only Bonito & Co garments for many years. In Brazil, should a patient show up with another garment brand, the Doctor’s office will actually call Bonito to have a garment delivered, as they feel that only a Bonito garment can do their surgery justice. Dr. Pitanguy, like several other Surgeons, has helped in designing some of the most famous Bonito garments. For Bonito, it’s all about the patients, and ensuring they feel great when wearing the garments after their surgeries, and can convalesce properly. The garments are literally handmade (17 pairs of hands work on every garment we sell). We use a unique very high-end fabric blend specially made for us, which results in a very soft and silky feel on your skin, while at the same time providing the proper and lasting compression where it’s needed. In order for our garments to feel as comfortable as they do, we implement many “Unique Design Elements” in our garments, resulting in garments that fit your body like a glove or a second skin. The unique blend of the strong and lasting, yet deliciously soft Bonito fabric, which has the most powerful 4-way stretch factor and the highest compression strength in the industry, is more durable and reliable than any other fabric, and will allow your garment to return to its original size and shape every time after the stress is removed. Bonito garments are never to be machine washed or dried. Placing a dry Bonito garment in the refrigerator for 2o minutes will allow the unique fibers to reconstitute and recompress, ensuring the original compression ratio every time they are worn. I am a stickler for Top Customer Service, which is so very hard to find in today’s word. My team, including myself, spend hours on the phone helping patients who are confused, crying, and in pain after surgery from wearing the mediocre garment given to them by their surgeon. Although I feel horrible for these suffering crying ladies at that moment, I know I have done my part in helping them when I receive texts in the middle of the night at 11 pm, thanking me for their Bonito garments, and for finally being able to get some sleep. Our Patients remember the help we afforded them, because they know we care – and that’s what it’s all about. CARING. In life, great things are never easy – the not so good things come easy, as they don’t require lots of effort, discipline, and persistence. If you want to achieve wonderful and great things in life, lots of effort, elbow grease, discipline, and persistence need to be part of your recipe.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Miami. On the first day, I would drive her around to show her Miami by taking her to Little Havana, where we would have lunch at Versailles, oldest Cuban Restaurant in Miami with the best Cuban food. Then I would drive downtown Miami, so she can experience what it looks like, and then off to Key Biscayne, our beautiful little island with fabulous homes, and dinner at Ceviche Bar by Mixtura. On day two, we would go to South Beach, and spend some time on the beach in the sun and the water. Later we would walk around on South Beach, and end the day by enjoying a fabulous dinner at La Ventana, a Colombian Restaurant with awesome food. Day three would be our shopping day at Dadeland Mall and The Village at Merrick Park, and a wonderful dinner in one of my favorite Restaurant’s called Vialletto by Coral Gables. Day four would we would enjoy the whole day boating with one of my friends, and take a trip down to Bimini, and stay over night. I would finish the week off by taking her to Key West for some Rum Runners, dancing, and a lot of fun.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother and God. My mother always believed in me, and was my biggest supporter. She was very interested in everything I did, and told me I could do anything I wanted, if I put my mind to it. She taught me very early on to be independent and resourceful. Resourcefulness will be in key in today’s world, as when problems mount up, we cannot rely on anybody to take care of these problems for us. We have to be prepared to find solutions ourselves. I came to God in 2006, which has changed my ways tremendously. Faith, trust, and love is what keeps me going every day, regardless of what is happening.

Website: www.bonitoandcompany.com
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