YHP Interviews the Founder of Vive Designs

Vive Designs provides these services:

BUSINESS CARDS
BUSINESS APPLICATIONS
FLYER DESIGNS
LOGO DESIGNS
WEBSITES

Hello, how are you?

I’m good thank you, how are you doing?

I’m ok, just excited that I’m interviewing another young entrepreneur.

Briefly give us some more information about yourself; you know everyone wants to know who is behind vive designs, so what is your name? How old are you? Where do you live?

Well I’m Tina, from east London, 24 years old, a young educated and dedicated chick!
Graduated in 2006 from Kingston, Bsc (Hons) Computer Information System, I’m also
MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) got the certificate signed by the man himself Bill Gates! I thought I’d slip that in since the exam was 4 hours straight!

Wow, Four hours, I’m definitely not taking that exam then (Laughter!!).

Back to you Tina, sorry.

I have a genuine passion for InformaionTechnology which is evolving our world every day, and I’m also due to take my CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Engineer) exam.

So when did you start vive designs?

Hmmm well Vive Designs is funny as it started by itself or let’s say unintentionally by me. At uni one of my modules was to create a flash website, at the time I wasn’t really that into web design and was more into the Project Management side, I submitted a “Project”, which I will let you judge, you can view it at www.vivedesigns.com/my1stwebsite
http://www.vivedesigns.com/my1stwebsite and I got (D) for dummy for
it (Laughter)!

Tina, I would have to be real with you on this one, I would have given you a D aswell, on a generous day, maybe a D+ (Laughter).

I then had to design a web application for my final year dissertation which I took more seriously. The company I did the project for later on asked me to design a quick site for them, just a page with their name, address a few pictures etc, so I went and bought a book and taught myself Flash MX, so that was that and a few months later, someone else
called me and was interested in a website after seeing that site and that was end of 2007, so my 1st proper website was “www.vivedesigns.com/mcadams”, which is not too bad.
Well, it’s the effort and dedication that matters; you have come a long way from this website.
Since then I haven’t done any major advertising just word of mouth really I been so busy i haven’t had time to really put myself out there and just about made a Facebook group. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=113852005436&ref=mf
I just thank God as he is the one directing Vive Designs, I really never saw this coming God is my project manager.

Why start a business?

Ahhh (deep breath) why start a business?
For me personally it aint really about why start a business its about the individual behind it, im the sort of person if my heart is in something and I start it be sure that I finish it, I know of many people who “Start” a business but within few hours, weeks, months you never hear about it again, and their drive and passion about it has gone. Having your own business has many advantages, you are in 100% control and it’s a massive learning curve, oh and the money is sweet!

Do you feel it is difficult starting up a business?

It is difficult, but im grateful for the people around me who have been an encouragement from the beginning, I think a lot of business starters need that push and positive words to keep them going, they need to hear it to help them pursue their dreams.
Business starters need to get up when they fall as failure is not falling down but staying down… ahhh the things you learn at my church Glory House!

Why the name vive designs?

VIVE Design was made up by me and a friend; there was no real motive behind it to be honest. I had loads of names in mind, Banana designs, Avocado Designs (Laughter)… I look back and can only laugh!
But on a serious note the VIVE stands for VISION, IMAGINATION, VIBRANT, EMPIRE, and it’s definitely expanding into an empire!

Have you encountered any setbacks or negative experience so far and how did you cope with it?

I definitely have and it got harder as VIVE designs started to grow, more than ever from November 2008 it got manic. I got a lot of business come my way not just for web design, but other IT services, anyone who knows me will tell you I hardly slept and Red Bull and I had a serious relationship!
I had to learn to manage my time well, prioritise my work, resolve issues effectively, while balancing new customers and giving them realistic deadlines, I remember buying myself a diary, calendar and other bits to be more organised, (sigh)…it’s not easy.

Can you give you more details about vive designs? What is vive designs made of? What do you do?

Vive Designs provide a whole load of IT services, web design, Business applications, Business IT Infrastructure setup, Technical hardware and software support, the list goes on.

Do you feel that vive designs is different any other related business?

Yes our designs are very different and we often get the WOW response. We are very versatile in our designs and tailor them to the exact requirements of our clients. We also do business cards, logo designs; have a look at www.vivedesigns.com for some of our work.

Who is your Role Model/ Influence?

In terms of business Bill Gates, his ideas got laughed at, he had many knockbacks but look at the man today! I also love the fact he gives so much to charity that is another area which carries a heavy place in my heart.
My family and friends have been there for me and God has truly been my strength as he knew where this was going from the start.

What are the most important lessons you have learnt so far?

You reap what you sow, I honestly work hard I have learnt to be a word of encouragement for others, when clients enquire about a website I also try to encourage them about their own business idea as a few words go a very long way.

What has been the best advices you both been given so far?

Well I appreciate people’s honesty I often hear similar things from people I meet like “You are a positive person”, “You will
make it”, “You’re going places” and it’s just the honest advice good and bad that I hear and learn from.

What are your advices for Aspiring young entrepreneurs looking to web design/development business?

I would say study and work hard at what you do, think about it before you Google it! And if your heart aint in it don’t do it! Lol I feel like a rapper, but I will say it’s about your mind and heart, as I have a genuine passion for this now more than ever.

One of the questions that has been bugging me for quite a while, I need to help me in understanding, do you feel that a university degree is essential in this field of profession?
Especially people that already know how to design and develop?

Nope! It’s all about the passion you have for something, yes I have a degree in IT, but when I did my A’levels I actually struggled with IT and I got better grades in my other subjects but that wasn’t the same story for IT which I got a grade E, which in my books stands for Excellent now!
But my heart was in IT, I share that with you because IT was my weak point but at the same time my passion and i turned it around. People need to know that your grades don’t determine your future; right now I have a verrry good job in IT and run my own business which has taken off beyond what I imagined and I just thank God. 

So what should we expecting next from you and vive designs?

Wow, do you realise what you are asking me? Let just say the sky is not my limit!

Thank you for your time.

Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.
Albert Einstein

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He who has imagination without learning, has wings and no feet.
Joseph Joubert

Youneek Clothing is a fresh, innovative, fashion label breaking the boundaries in urban Apparel.

Youneek Clothing brings quirky, positive, eye catching designs and mottos. Currently consisting of jumpers and t-shirts.

With an ambiguous signature identifying the individual as ‘Unique’ and breaking the norm of being a ‘Neek’, this cutting edge brand definitely sets trends.

Let me not waste any more of your reading time in introducing to you the Founder of Youneek Clothing.

Hello, how are you doing?

I’m all good Joseph! Tired… but that’s a usual thing for me lol

Who said geeks can become fashion icon right?

Well… I said so… lol. I have seen the whole ‘geeky’ trend rising over time within fashion so I guess in some ways a proportion of the youth culture are saying that geeks can become a fashion icon.

Anyways, moving quickly, tell us more about yourself? What’s your name? How old are you? Are you single (Lol, I’m sure the ladies will want to hear that one), Where are you based?

Well my name is Michael Simon the 2nd lol. I’m joking don’t worry about the 2nd bit. I’m 20 years old turning 21 real soon! And yes I’m single yo! I’m originally from South London, but at the moment I live in Middlesex due to university.

So are you still in the university? Because it must be so hard handling education and business together?

Yes I’m still at university; I’m in my 2nd year, got 1 more to go! Can’t wait! And yeh… like its hard handling business and education, but as my parents have said education comes first! You have to be able to multitask and if you have a drive to succeed then you will make it work, which is what I am trying my best to do.

Back to the news grabbing all the headlines for me right now, Youneek Clothing, How did that come about, when did you decide to go into Business, Not to say starting up your own clothing line?

Ok… Well where should I start. Ok, during high school my close friends and I got into customising garments with acrylic paint. So like tees, jeans, joggers. It was just a small thing for our friends and the dance group I was with at the time (yes I’m a dancer!) After a while it got a bit tedious, it was just really long to buy the paint and do designs by hand on the garments, and then to even think about charging people, it just wasn’t feasible. So that faded out nicely, we didn’t really see it as a business venture, but just as a way to express what we both loved doing at the time which was drawing/ ‘graffin’.

College began and I decided to take A Levels in Music Tech, Politics, Business, and Sociology. Let’s just say Business and Sociology was definitely my stronger subjects! After 1st year, I had a complete change of thought, as I initially wanted to be a Lawyer, then a Social worker. I was very indecisive at that time. So I decided to go for the more Business pathway.

Anyways… 2nd year approached and I picked up Graphics and Economics and Accounting to supplement those UCAS points I needed for university, lol, I kept my Business A Level. It was at this time that I started getting back into my ‘customising’ mode within Graphics, I just loved the experimental and visuals. Along with my Business A Level I started to see the link that I could make with the two. I began to feel a real passion to eventually have my own clothing label one day… It was just a random thought at the time; I just didn’t know what to do in order to pursue it. I had thought of loads of different names and everything.

That idea laid low for a while during my college years, until I came to university. Independence kicked in and the 1st year of my Business Management course began. I really wanted to be on the course and was real excited about acquiring knowledge to own a business of my own someday. I started looking into other businesses during my free time, especially clothing labels to see how they operated. The internet was my friend for time! Another one of my good friends introduced me to something called Success University. This was an awesome scheme. A personal development network marketing system which allows you to build a business whilst acquiring knowledge. I won’t go into too much detail about that, but from taking part in SU, reading books, researching and just plugging myself into the ‘business world’ I just started to have that idea of the clothing line flickering in my mind again. I had a conversation with my good friend about some of my ideas and she was like BLAM go for it! So I went back to the drawing board, pondered on my ideas, collated some market research, built a concept and really worked on something substantial for a brand. Got my logo drawn up, a lot of late nights really working ideas. Prayed, and launched into the deep! Was real scary as the name alone is very daring. The research I done on people’s views about the word Neek and Unique varied, but yet I still took the risk of going forth with it. But that’s what being a entrepreneur is partly about, taking risks! This happened over a good couple of months though, it wasn’t until 2nd year of university in like September that I started to bring things together properly. Officially I have only been up and running since February the 2nd, that was when I opened the online shop, and started making my first sales. So I haven’t been going for that long at all!

Wow…Talk about hard work, persistence, determination and focus.

I read about you saying you were a geek or something like that, or were you just speaking about geeks in general, I’m confused now, I can’t really trust my sources?

Lol comedy! Well me in general I can be geeky straight up! Ask my friends they will tell you, I come up with some nonsense sometimes. But in general, like the background for my clothing line lies in the fact that geeks are intelligent individuals. They just have a negative stigma, like they are a loner out casted from society in some ways. Now why does it have to be like that? Being smart isn’t a bad thing right? But for real, in school, boy…I was Captain, Prefect in Primary and High School. Top of classes etc . But I got away with some nonsense I won’t expose myself lol. Let’s just say I was a cool geek!

Of Course, look at the likes of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg…Geek all the way…Lool

Was it hard for you being so focused on education and then going into fashion, everyone would have expected to probably go into something different, create the next iphone or something?

To be honest, I have always been determined to succeed in life. For a while I have lived by my own slogan ‘Passion brings forth success.’ If you have a passion for something, you will stay focused to achieve it and be successful. I don’t think people expected me to go into anything in particular you know. My friends and family just know that I’m highly active so whatever I decide to do as long as it’s sensible they would support. But I would of loved to have created the a new iphone or some kind of gadget, you never know Youneek may bring something in the future!

Yes, that will be cool, you better let me know when you’re in the developing stages or something, and we could become partners or something…Lool
It is very nice to know that family and friends are willing to support, even though sometimes we come up with some unbelievable ideas.

You had a promotion campaign called April fool’s Day Promotion Recently which you gave away a lot of freebies, how did that go? What was its purpose?

Yup, yup! April Fool’s Day! Well.. That promotion was literally that, a promotion. Im still in my infant stages of my company, so im trying to get out there as much as possible. I have had good feedback from customers, but I want to reach a wider audience. The promotion was doing that, an incentive for people to get to know about Youneek, support the brand and get some freebies! We all love freeness! It went ok.. not as great as I expected but its still early days, plenty more to come.

Don’t worry I’m sure the next one will be a bigger success, when everyone reads the interview, you should be expecting a sell-out on your promotional event.

What I want to know is what inspired you to start this business, not to mention the amount of clothing line out there today? Wasn’t there a bit of pressure to succeed?
Definitely a pressure! Some people around me were like go for it. Others were like ‘boy, ain’t too sure you know bruv.’ Inspiration 1st and foremost comes from God. Also I think I definitely inspired myself. If you read into the concept I have developed about Youneek and William Whiz Kid, depending on your imagination, the storyline can seem realistic. It is loosely based on me. As I said earlier I can say that I was a geek. My life has been an inspirational tool for my brand. Growing up, coming to uni, independence and so forth just allowed me to express myself in a different way, which is what my clothing line aims to portray. My teen years of MCing, drawing, dancing. Now it’s still dancing and my business. Plus the fact that there are other successful individuals in the world that started young, made me think why can’t I?

I never knew geeks mc’s as well, talk about a cool geek..Lool..

Also the whole neeky fashion thing has been popping up lately as I said. I just really decided to tap into it, but not how everyone seems to be, I wanted to make a statement and be different. So yeah that’s my inspirations really.

I mean it must be intense, you guys must be really busy, and how do you do it?
Hahha, well… its funny you say guys plural.. It’s actually just me by myself running Youneek at the moment. Although it may seem like I have a whole squad of people on board, it’s really not that type of party lol. So it definitely does get intense, late nights early mornings for lectures. But it’s got to be done. At Christmas I may hire some elves, as I’m figuring it’s going to get hectic but we will see. How do I do it? Well at the moment it’s not that bad. I’m hoping it will do, but in a good way though with regards to orders. At the moment I’m coping with orders, marketing and the other areas fine. Plus I do have awesome friends who are wearing my gear so they are my promotional tools also. Mad love for you guys for real!

How has the ride been so far? Any setbacks so far? How have you dealt with it?

The ride so far has been ok. Early days still only been like 3 months ish… Setbacks hmmm.. A few legal issues but I won’t go into that. It’s being sorted at the moment. I have dealt with any setbacks with acquiring knowledge to overcome. ‘My people perish for lack of knowledge’ so I make sure I get as much as that as I can so I don’t make the same thing occur again.

Do you have any role models/influences?

My family, my minister at church. Other young successful entrepreneurs and individuals who are fulfilling their destiny.

What has been your greatest achievement so far?

Getting this far lol! Serious as my Dad said to me when I was starting up, some businesses don’t even get this far! I have been blessed to even be speaking to you about my business.

What would you say to young entrepreneurs trying to break into the fashion industry, especially in this time of economy downtime?

Research, research, research. Save money! Check out the market. And don’t let anyone tell you it’s not possible, stick to it! I’m still researching; I wouldn’t even say I’m IN the fashion industry myself as yet. The market it so big it will take a while. But definitely keep pushing. And seek legal advice first and foremost definitely something I have learned.

What would you say has kept you going for this long? Who would you say inspires you to keep doing what you’re doing?

God’s strength for real. I would be mash up otherwise, I do a lot. My life is University, Rehearsals, Business, Church and anything else in between. I’m always busy! My family keep me going also. When I see what we have, and how hard my parents have to still work even now for something’s. I would rather work now and relax later.

Is there anyone you listen to or read that you would like everyone out there to look into?

Yes Johnny Cupcakes he is the man! And Robert Kiyosaki I think that’s how you say it lol. Awesome dude, oh and Johnny Whimbrey Success University deep!

I’m sure, everyone is saying, what’s your secret, how have you been going this strong, and yes, I want to know too, so what is it?

I have no secret. If I find one I won’t tell you either lol. Jokes for real I haven’t got a secret. Just researching and gaining knowledge.

So what should be expecting next from you?

More of the range! Summer tees look out for those! More designs, more colours, more sweatshirts, more of everything. But it will take time, definitely be expecting them though. Keep it locked!

Thank you for your Time.

So everyone out there, ‘Just Be…Youneek’

Till next time.

Contact Youneek Clothing:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?sid=c8553f5121fb6dae5fe5cbff665566c6&gid=49787957473&ref=search
http://www.youneekclothing.com/

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