At THM we are celebrating an anniversary and that is why we want to remember our history and share it with you. For this, we interview Martha Nora Salazar, who founded the brand in 1998, and today shares her legacy with her children.
“My dad taught us that life is like a ladder, that you climb step by step, that when you want to run you fall. And that is what I have taught my children, that is what we do today with the company, which continues to grow little by little” says Martha Nora Salazar when talking about the history of THM.
How did it all begin?
It was 23 years ago, in the garage of her house and in the company of Marina, who still works with the brand, when Martha Nora began selling thermal clothing made in her city, Medellín, understanding the need for Colombians to protect themselves from the cold and seeing an opportunity in the little, if not null, offer of the moment. “I have been very cold all my life, it was very hard for me to go to cold climates, even those that were not sooo cold” comments Martha.
The first product of this Colombian venture was thermal underwear, designed to be used as the first layer under clothing or as the only layer to exercise or sleep, it was designed for children and adults; understanding that it was not only required by those who were going to travel to the cold but also by those who work or study in low temperatures.
And at what point was the brand consolidated?
Over time, THM grew, the fairs they went to and the garage sales were no longer enough, so Martha Nora, supported by her family, decided to open the first store in "Santa María de los Ángeles", a neighborhood in Medellin. A short time later, thanks to its success, it opened in Bogotá at the Hacienda Santa Bárbara Shopping Center, a store that remains in force today.
THM today...
THM currently has a store in Medellín, 7 in Bogotá, and two authorized distributors in Pasto and Ipiales. In addition to different digital channels: Online store, Whatsapp, and RappiMall. All this after a long path of innovation and development, and of course, overcoming different challenges that have come with the current situation. How did we do it? Making cool-headed decisions in the moment of chaos to understand what was, and still is, happening; not only at the company level but also at the industry level. As a company, we set ourselves three goals: transparency, action, and collaboration with all our allies so that today we can have a much stronger business model and company than the one we had two years ago.
Today, it is Martha Nora's family who cares for her legacy: "Thm was born from my own individual experience, but it is also thanks to the effort and dedication of my children that it has grown and continues to grow." What began with thermal clothing today has become a consolidated company that, in addition to offering thermal clothing, jackets, overalls, scarves, gloves, socks, blankets, and more... employs more than 60 people, thus contributing to the construction of the country. And of course thanks to you, who have accompanied us every step of the way, who have trusted us again and again, who value the effort behind each one of the people that makes THM continue to grow.