Meet Yigit – Alp Efe

We recently connected with Yigit – Alp Efe and have shared our conversation below.

Yigit – Alp, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

Our work ethic comes from a mix of personal drive and the lessons we’ve learned on the way and from those around us. Growing up, we were always taught that nothing worthwhile comes easy, we carried that mindset into everything we do. For us, it’s not just about working hard for hours on end, it’s about knowing what to work on, working smart and the most importantly staying consistent. Whether it’s hitting the gym every day or staying up late to perfect a design, fixing the performance errors on the website end. We know that success is a long game. Plus, we’ve always been motivated by the idea of building something bigger than ourselves—Boys With Broken Hearts isn’t just a brand to us, it’s a reflection of who we are and what we believe in. When you’re passionate about what you’re creating, it doesn’t feel like work; it’s just part of the hustle.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

We’re Alp and Yigit, the founders of Boys With Broken Hearts, a clothing brand that’s all about turning personal stories into something wearable or like we say wearing our stories. What started as a small project between us has grown into a community, a club where people feel they belong to. Both of us always believed in the power of expressing your story through what you wear, and we wanted to create something that resonates with people who have been through their own challenges but wear them with pride.

What excites us the most about Boys With Broken Hearts is how it’s not just about fashion—it’s about creating a culture. We’re focused more on building a real connection with our customers, not just through our clothing but through experiences. Whether it’s our Close Friends list on Instagram or Broadcast channel on Instagram where people who are in the club gets exclusive content, deals, etc. or our members-only events that bring the club together, we’re always finding new ways to keep that sense of belonging alive.

One of the things we’re most proud of is how far we’ve come since starting in 2022. There were moments where we doubted ourselves, but seeing people connect with the brand and feel like they’re part of a club has been one of the biggest driving factor for us if not the biggest.

As for what’s next, we’re excited to launch our newest collection which is going to include zip hoodies, polos and some surprises that we never did before. We’re planning some exclusive events for our club, like members only parties and meetups. We’ve got big plans for the future, and we can’t wait to take the brand to the next level.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back on our journey, we’d say that there were three key areas that had the biggest impact: marketing, communication, and setting clear goals. And a bonus one we can’t leave out is resilience, because without it, the rest doesn’t really work.

Marketing: When we started, we didn’t quite realize how crucial marketing would be. It’s not just about paying tons of money to ads and getting people to see your product. It’s about making them feel something, making them move through your ad. We had to figure out how to create a message that resonated with our audience, and of course that took time. Learning how to run effective campaigns, especially on social media, and knowing who to target made a massive difference. Our advice for anyone starting out: invest lots of time in understanding your audience and play to your strengths.

Communication: Whether it’s communicating with each other as business partners or as brothers or with our customers, team etc. communication is key. Early on, we learned that being clear and open, avoids a lot of problems. If you linger the word around and can’t say what you actually mean, there is never a clear communication there. And if you can’t do this you simply can’t express your brand’s vision clearly and people won’t connect with it because it lacks the most primal quality, the message. And in a partnership, being able to talk through disagreements and staying aligned on the bigger picture is essential. For others, we’d say: practice being a better listener and focus on being true to yourself, it takes you really far.

Setting Goals: We’re big on setting clear and smart goals. You have to know what you’re aiming for, or else you’re just a feather in the wind. At first, our goals started small, like getting our first 100 customers. But as we grew, so did our ambitions. Breaking bigger goals into smaller, achievable steps is a game-changer. For those early in their journey, don’t just set a goal and hope for the best—map out how you’ll get there, one step at a time. It’s not enough to say I want 10.000 customers, that won’t take you anywhere. You need to be able to set your system in place, reverse engineer the goal and figure out the habits that’ll take you there, focus on those.

Resilience as a bonus: Running a business is never a straight line. There are going to be times when things feel like they’re falling apart, crumbling. We’ve had our share of setbacks, but the ability to keep going when things get tough is probably one of the most important qualities anyone can have. Like the saying, If you’re going through hell, keep going or when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Every obstacle is just part of the process, and if you can stay stoic to the problems with a clear mind you’ll be in the best shape to solve them and, you’ll come out stronger.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

Honestly, we’d say it’s each other. We’ve both played such a huge role in pushing one another forward, especially during the tough moments. Whenever one of us felt stuck or unsure, the other is there to give that extra push. It’s been this constant dynamic of challenging and motivating each other to grow, both as individuals and as business partners.

Alp: Yigit has always had this ability to see the bigger picture when I’m too focused on the details. He’s got this way of reminding me why we started, especially when things get overwhelming. There were moments where I’d be second-guessing something, and he’d say, ‘Just go for it. What’s the worst that could happen?’ That kind of support has been everything in our journey.

Yigit: For me, Alp’s always been the one who keeps us grounded and focused. He’s the type to keep pushing, even when things aren’t going perfectly. He’s always thinking a few steps ahead, and that’s kept us moving forward, even when I might’ve felt like taking a break. It’s like, if one of us loses a bit of momentum, the other steps in to pick up the slack. It’s been a team effort from day one.

We push each other to be better, and that’s the real secret behind our progress. It’s not just about holding each other accountable it’s about knowing that no matter what happens, we’ve got each other’s back, and we’re both in this for the long haul. And knowing we’re brothers before anything else. That’s what’s kept us going through all the challenges.

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