I caught up with Jon Penn, one of the co-founders of the newly launched startup – Goodfibres which launched last year August. Goodfibres is an ethical fashion brand that provides a platform for artists and up and coming artists to upload and submit graphic designs.

In the full interview below, Jon talks me through his journey so far running the company, how the idea for Goodfibres came about and what Goodfibres is all about.

Who are you?

Goodfibres is an ethical fashion brand that provides a platform for artists and up and coming artists to upload and submit graphic designs. Once the designs have been uploaded other artists within the Goodfibres community will rate the designs and will give feedback as to how the design could be improved if at all. Every week we look at the most popular designs and then turn them into funky t-shirts paying the artist a 10% royalty on every sale.

How did you start?

I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and find myself consistently evaluating companies that I admire and wondering how they can be done differently and better. I find that I have to reign myself in at times as I continuously come up with new business ideas that I want to pursue. Due to the routine constraints of life, I try to put the blinders on and think about the big picture; you need to focus on one big goal at a time. I originally started out in the tech sector working for the big banks and realised very quickly that it just wasn’t for me. My business partner Damon Bonser has a similar mindset- he has a creative spirit and likes to do things in a manner that blazes new trails rather than following existing ones.

It was about a year ago that we were looking online for a site that offered a good selection of t-shirts that had great designs and something a little different from the high street. During our research we came across a few sites in the US but found that although they had some good designs the quality was quite poor and you had to pay a lot to get them shipped over.

It was at this point we thought there might be an opportunity but rather than build the traditional model of employing in-house designers we thought it would be a great idea to build an online community of artists. One thing we noticed whilst building Spinning Hat, our product design company, was we were finding that there are so many talented artists out there but many of them were never really taught on how to promote themselves in a big way so we thought by building a platform we could do this for them.

Before setting up Goodfibres Damon and I were already successfully selling products to the same demographic through Spinning Hat. Fashion apparel and Funky T-Shirts are always popular items for this target audience and are often sold into existing retailers that Spinning Hat supplies. The plan was to create a complimentary brand able to draft on Spinning Hat’s success whilst also helping us to enter new markets and leverage additional retail accounts. The plan was to create a sexy retail product that had a bigger purpose and story beyond the actual tangible item.

What do you offer?

Goodfibres designs are curated and created by artists, so by wearing a Goodfibres t-shirt you’re actually wearing a piece of original artwork. Goodfibres works hard to champion the contributing artists, so in addition to placing their names on every creation, the designer keeps the rights to their artwork, and receives 10% of the proceeds on every sale.

Breaking Through

When we saw the competition begin to adopt attributes that we were using to differentiate ourselves I knew they were keeping their eyes on us and that we were on the right track. We will continue to be agile and to focus on serving our customer base. If we do this we will just go from strength to strength.

Setbacks

The two biggest challenges with Goodfibres from day one was going to be how do you grow an online community from scratch and the second challenge was how are we going to find artists to submit artwork for the initial collection when we didn’t have a brand/site just an idea. We also needed to make sure as part of the launch we had a great collection of cool t-shirts to sell so we could drive sales from day one.

I think a lot of the success of this was probably due to the fact that we have already built a successful business so when we started to actively contact the artists they could see that we had potential to take the idea forward and implement it.

After a few months of contacting various artists we soon found ourselves getting inundated with artists contacting us and expressing their interest and wanting to be involved. After a few months we had close to 300 submissions of artwork for t-shirts which was really amazing. We then spent the next few weeks going through all the artwork to filter it down to a collection of 45 T-Shirts that were designed by a mixture of artists from all over the world and had different artistic styles as we didn’t want to create a genre that stopped certain artists from submitting their artwork.

Once we had built this collection of artists we then started to actively contact other artists offline and online and were introduced to friends of friends and it kind of snow balled from there. Within a few weeks of launching we had over 1,500+ artists sign up which was really amazing.

Pointers for others?

• -Check what is already in the market place?
• -Identify who is going to buy your product?
• -Is the product design realistic?
• -Can you achieve the right price point with the chosen design?
• -Is the volume you are expecting to achieve worth the effort of even designing the product?
• -Surround yourself with talented people as you cant do it all on your own.

Future

I would like to think that in 5 years from now Spinning Hat is a well established, recognised high street brand with its products being sold all over the world. Within that time we should have built an experienced, talented design team that could allow us to move into other industries or areas within design. As long as I am surrounded by talented and creative individuals who continue to challenge me, I will be happy. Goodfibres will continue to grow and will service more and more people but at the end of the day the game will still be the same. If it continues to be fun I won’t need an exit plan.

It’s not every day you get Oprah talking about your company especially when it is been listed as one of the five things to have in 2011, that’s what happened to Rochelle Behrens’s start-up “The-shirt” and since then she hasn’t looked back.

Rochelle Brehrens is the founder of The-shirt. All I can say is that ladies you don’t have to feel so self-conscious or restricted again.

This is the Interview.

Hi Rochelle, thanks for joining us on YHP, how are you doing?

Hi, very well, thank you for having me.

Can you quickly give us some background information about yourself before we move on?

I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, double majoring in Art History and Political Science. Having developed a strong interest in politics (I interned for The White House during a semester in college) I moved to Washington, DC to begin my career.

When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I come from a family of entrepreneurs, individuals who work for themselves, set their own schedules, and who all started something from nothing. I don’t think I set out in life to be an entrepreneur – it’s simply what I understand.

Tell us about The Shirt and how the idea came about?

Working in politics – particularly in Washington, DC – as a young professional female, I had to make my clothing choices for work very carefully. The line between youthful and inappropriate can be blurred quite easily. Button down shirts became my work ‘uniform’ and I filled my closet with them. They’re professional, polished and go the distance from day to evening. The only problem is they never fit right, particularly across the bust. My shirt would gape open between the buttons at the chest, and the more I paid attention, the more I realized this was a rampant problem affecting a lot of other professional women I saw.

The issue is that the one piece in my wardrobe I was selecting to project professionalism, was doing just the opposite as I flashed my colleagues (inadvertently, of course.) Tired of safety pinning my shirt closed as has become my routine, I had had enough. The technology I developed to close the gape is now patented!

What makes The Shirt different any other shirt company out there?

In my experience, if I wanted a shirt to fit across the bust, I had to go up a size, meaning it was blousy and big elsewhere. If it fit along the body and shoulders, it pulled and gaped at the chest. I wanted to create a shirt that simply fit – everywhere. The Shirt comes in regular sizing. If you wear a medium then you’ll wear a medium in The Shirt.

I remember feeling self conscious in meetings that my bra was showing. Women feel like their movement is restricted – they can’t raise their arms or arch their back for fear their shirt will gape open. The Shirt helps women perform better because the focus is no longer on manipulating their clothes to fit and stay closed.

How have you funded the company so far?

The Shirt has been self funded from the start. We have been diligent about growing the business from sales.

What would you say was probably the most difficult part of starting the business?

Sourcing materials and finding the right manufacturing. Fabric makes a garment and so finding the perfect fabric – one that wears well and that washes well is not a simple task. Also, locating good manufacturing that still will enable us to meet our goal of keeping The Shirt’s price point is a constant effort.

How do you balance social & work life?

My life is The Shirt so at this point, there are few boundaries. I try to entertain a lot. My guests are accustomed to having dinner near boxes of samples, garment racks and fabric swatches.

What effect has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey show as one of ‘five things to have in 2011′ had on your business?

The mention by Oprah Winfrey put The Shirt on the map, giving us immeasurable exposure. It is now up to us to continue to turn that opportunity into an even more thriving business. Ms. Winfrey’s audience is dedicated and trusts her. It’s an incredible relationship she has built over her career. We are obviously so lucky to have been a part of her final season.

What’s the toughest feedback you’ve ever received and how did you learn from it?

I love speaking with customers. Most of the time it’s positive. I mean really positive. Customers really identify with the brand and fortunately, with me, so their letters, comments and words of encouragement really help me stay focused. Occasionally a customer is not satisfied for various reasons, and just as there is an open forum for compliments, there is equally opportunity for customers to give critical feedback. Long ago I decided to not take it personally – afteralll The Shirt has become an extension of me to a degree – and have really used those comments to better the product.

Tell us some of the key lessons you’ve learnt so far on your journey as an entrepreneur?

Self promotion – something I have a hard time doing! – is very important. Use opportunities to talk about your product. There is always someone with a good idea or a person you should meet. At the same time, make good, intuited decisions about your business. It is up to you as an entrepreneur to sort through all the options and decide what is best for your business. Trust yourself. We will all make mistakes, but some of them could have been averted had I just listened to my gut.

Afterall, I know my business best. There isn’t a job you can’t do. Everyday, there is something absolutely new that I need to be an expert on. To be honest, a lot of being an entrepreneur is making things up as you go and sometimes those serendipitous outcomes are really good. Think big. This was instilled in me from my parents. Entrepreneurs get told ‘no’ a lot, but if you believe in your business, are committed to it, and have an idea of where you want to take it, you’ll bulldoze over those ‘no’s’ and just seek out the ‘yes’s’

Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 years?

At The Shirt, we’re committed to innovating and creating products that inspire confidence in women of all ages. We will soon be expanding our categories of shirts, adding new styles, colors, patterns and fabrics. Our goal is to be the “go-to” shirt company for all needs – work, play, weekend, fashion, while still ensuring our fit is fabulous. We also plan to expand our retail reach and add new doors so women all over the world will have access to The Shirt!

What advices can you give to entrepreneurs out there looking to get involved in this industry?

Make sure you have a clear vision for what you want to accomplish. The fashion industry is not easy to break into. Buyers, editors and consumers are very sophisticated, so offering something different, with a clearly articulated vision will help you get noticed and stay around.

Thanks for your time Rochelle.

I recently had the opportunity of being introduced to an exciting entrepreneur with so much potential and passion. I really dont want to give too much away before you read the full interview.

The Full interview with the 11 year old Lashai below.

Hello Lashai, how are you doing? Great to have you on YHP today

Hello, I am very well thank you. I am enjoying my dance with the universe and I am so excited about this interview because you have interviewed so many amazing people and being interviewed makes me feel amazing too.

Can you give us some background information about yourself?

I live with my mum Sabrina Ben Salami and my step father Mohamed Ben Salami. I am the eldest of four; my brother (Tray-Sean) is 6, sister (Yasmine) 3 and another brother (Mohamed-Salah) 2. I love people and it gives me so much joy to put a (((SMILE))) on someone’s face. I have a passion for art, science and writing stories.

I missed 12+ of school education as a result of bullying. I am very close to my grandmother (Mary Paul) I am very proud of my grandmother as she is an amazing interior designer and furniture designer/maker: http://www.wowthankyou.co.uk/mary-pauls-creations

I love butterflies, I love learning, I love sharing my knowledge and experiences with others and I dream of becoming financially free during my teens.

I have just won two awards: Live Unltd and Young Citizens Award
Sing-A-Long with a huge (((SMILE))):

“If you want to be somebody, if you want to go somewhere. You better wake up and pay attention”
“I’m ready to be somebody; I’m ready to go somewhere. I’m ready to wake up and pay attention.”

At what age did you start to get involved/interested in business?

My mum started a pilot project called ‘The Mobile Single Parents Project’ when I was 6 years old. I asked her loads of questions as we watched DVDs, audios and studied. I especially enjoyed learning about Physics and the law of attraction and attending events with my mum and brother. When I was 10 years old I launched my first website and I became deeply interested in entrepreneurship.

Briefly tell us about some of the big events you have been to and how they helped you?

Millionaire Bootcamp for women: I was able to interview the speakers and it was an inspirational experience to be with a room filled with motivational women and I learned systems to setup business and made good connections http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ztlaSgRhA6o

British Library Private Reception “Science Fiction But Not As You Know IT”: I love attending private British Library events, because I have an opportunity to learn from key people of influence in different industries.

ClearlySo Tea Q&A: I gained a wealth of support and made priceless connections and valuable leads too. It also gave me a lot of confidence too.

Silver & Gold Club of London: I learned about B.R.I.C. = Brazil, Russia, India and China, these are the countries who have the most physical gold and will become super powers. I learned about gold, silver, palladium and platinum investments.

Robert G. Allen: I gained sponsorship from Dawn Gibbins, Toby Street, Mark Donnan, Robert Allen, and Gesmay Paynter. I learned about the power of my personal life journey and how I can convert my experiences, challenges and achievements into books to inspire youth. I also gained confidence because Robert called me to the stage to speak to his audience. It was so exciting because it gave me a wealth of support from so many amazing people http://www.robertallenseminars.co.uk/?params=http://www.youtube.com/v/xQ5LHusiSBM

At what age did you start your first business, what business was it?

I was 10 years old and asked my mum to help me setup my website to coach youth and I launched a short story competition in my school. My two brothers, I and sister have been featured in newspapers as a result of spotting a problem, coming up with a solution and then simply packaging our idea.

My first business is called ‘My Journey’ and now I am in the process of growing it into: Apps, mentoring programmes, magazines, membership website, books, products, trips, info and much more. I am also planting the seed for ‘Mega Lash-Lash Competitions’ and ‘Fashion Lash-Lash’

You got quite a few things going on at the moment? Let’s talk about you I-Phone Apps, what inspired you to start it, what is the story behind it?

I was inspired by my mum who is the founder of ‘The Lone Parent Expert’ and ‘H.E.L.P!’ = Helping Educate Lone Parents. I saw my mum developing her App idea and I simply asked her to help me create an App. My mum always invites us into her professional life. At first I did not know which App to design, I just knew it’d be awesome to create an App.

During our discussion we both decided to focus upon my personal experience and then I decided to create an App which would help bullies and the victims of bullying. Bullying effects many people at different stages of their life. This could be in school, at work, domestic violence, peer pressure etc so we felt it would be an excellent idea. My App aims to assist the victims and the bully, because I believe if the bully does not get support they will simply continue to victimise others.

What would you say has been the most challenging part of starting a business?

Being the only child at events is sometimes scary, but I feel blessed because I know I am extremely fortunate to be surrounded by successful people and they are always so kind towards me. I find it difficult to speak about my message because I am very shy.

You recently started a fashion line called “fashion Lash-lash”, what is it about?

Fashion Lash-Lash will be designed by youth for youth and our primary product range will be called when I grow up. I am very excited about launching it. I am passionate about designing and I spend a lot of my time designing outfits, and I particularly enjoy designing dresses. Each year there will be a huge competition and 6 designs will be selected to be added to my product range.

So what is your plan for the fashion Lash-Lash?

It is top secret right now, because I am going to design a label which will inspire youth to dream big and a special range which will start from 0-16 I am sooooo excited. I also plan to launch a ‘Fashion Lash-Lash’ App.

‘Mega Lash-Lash Competitions’ will focus upon science, art and short stories to inspire youth to dream big so watch this space.

How have you been able to balance school work and business? It must be so challenging?

Well, i believe that all life experiences teaches one, I have fun learning and I would be lying if I led you into believing that I do it all alone. I am very lucky because I have had a head start on my peers due to making valuable connections. I missed out on a year of schooling as a direct result of being a victim of bullying.

During School holidays I attend events and edit my business plan and during term time I focus on school work or combine the two. Practice makes perfect, I am just having fun learning and during my adulthood I will be ready to play a bigger game (((SMILE))) because I believe there is no such thing as failure only feedback. My mother helps in keeping me up to date with school work.

At the moment, i am focusing on creating products (books, apps, mentoring) to generate residual income these will operate without me. I am just a child and hope to continue learning and I believe that by focusing on financial literacy and products now to lay the foundation, the future is bright. I have huge dreams and I believe in myself and the people helping me.

What else interests you apart from starting a business, what do you do for fun?

I love, love, love science and socialising. I love cooking and eating (((SMILE))), Lego Land, Chessington World of Adventures, Disney Land Paris, France, Theatre, Regents Park, Boating trips, Swimming, Kids Space, Cinema, Restaurants, V.I.P tickets to amazing events, London Eye, Madame Tussades, Sea Life, London Zoo, Thorpe Park, Alton Towers, Science Museum, Natural History Museum, designing dresses, science, studying The Secret – What The Bleep Do you Know – Robert G Allen, singing, dancing, spending quality time with my family (((SMILE))) and cuddling my yummy granny!!

What has been your most memorable moment so far?

OMG I have soooo many to choose from… I have been blessed to meet soo many amazing people. Robert G. Allen said “Lashai will be the bestselling author for 2012” he will also write my book forward yippee-yippee!!. Winning Young Citizen Award and Live Award during the same week OMG!….. (((SMILE))) and gaining a wealth of support via: Mum, Siblings and grandmother, Voice News paper, Red Bridge Recorder, ClearlySo, Froggo (Mark Donnan), Robert G. Allen, Dawn Gibbins, WH Smith Ilford, Live Unltd and Gesmay Paynter. I appreciate all of their amazing support. I also met an amazing gentleman named Junior Ogunyemi and he inspired me. Junior is like a big brother, I hope my brother meets him some day.

What tips can you give to young people out there struggling to achieve their dreams?

JUST DO IT! Find a mentor; gain advice, support and contacts… do whatever it takes, follow your heart. Learn to live an ecological life and have passion and purpose at your centre. We all have something special inside of us that can add value to our world.

Love yourself and others, connect with others and always be proud of your natural talent. Follow your dreams and plant seeds and one day your dream will become an oak tree and you will find that the dream will grow you. More importantly remember there is no such thing as failure, never take no for an answer and create huge ripple effects of positivity. Check out www.jjbright.com he’s awesome.

And finally, what should we be expecting from you in the future?

I will continue to dance with the universe and be myself. I have huge dreams and I am currently writing a book called “Kids that dream BIG! – Essential tips on how to move forward”. I dream of: Apps, retreats, products, online membership site, annual awards ceremony, magazines, fashion label, school, social entrepreneur hub, mentoring program and much more. One step at a time. First I will launch my App, book and website then Fashion Lash-Lash and Mega Lash-Lash Competitions (((SMILE))).

Great speaking to you Lashai, before you leave is there any sites where people can get hold of you or find out more?

Thank you sooo much for giving me this opportunity to share the beginning of my journey, I look forward to experiencing the rest of the process.

Website: www.lashaibensalmi.co.uk
LinkedIn Profile: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/lashai-ben-salmi/28/584/843
Twitter: @lashaibensalmi (http://twitter.com/#!/lashaibensalmi)
Robert G. Allen: http://www.totalbusinesscart.com/app/?af=1379654
Email: lashaibensalmi@ymail.com

Victoria is a young british designer with a beautiful vintage style of ready to wear clothing, as well as being a highly celebrated fashion show producer.

She’s constantly producing fashion events and clothing and showcasing her garments all around the country.

This collection is a hommage to the 60s and 70s – her passion for classic rock music fuelling the colourful design. She uses vintage materials – and all her garments are handmade with car.

She organises 2 of the biggest fashion shows in the North – The Spring Fashion Show in Manchester and The End of Summer Fashion Show in Leeds, bringing an affordable outlet for talented designers to showcase, as well as holding a fashion market where guests can buy lovely treats.

Hi Victoria, how are you doing today? Thanks for doing this interview with me

It’s fine thanks, thank you for having me.

Can you give me some background information about yourself?

I am a 22 year old creative from Nr Manchester. I use the term creative, because I seem to have so many roles, I can’t narrow it down! I have my own clothing line, producing vintage style clothing from recycled materials, and I organise two fashion shows in the north, as well as lending a hand to many others.

So how did you first get into fashion?

When I was young, I never liked what was in the shops, so I simply taught myself how to sew, so I could create something I really wanted to wear. My love of the 60s and the music really fuels the designs. I guess, I’ve never been really ‘in’ to fashion, I keep an eye the trends, but I don’t follow them much, I’ve had the same style since I was 15, and I like it.

Why did you start The End of Summer Fashion Show? How did it all begin?

It took me by surprise really. I have always been creative, making my own clothes since I was young, and studying art, textiles, graphics etc. But I just did it for myself. When I was travelling in 2009 I met a model, and we realised we lived about 5 mins away from each other in Leeds. She was really interested in what I was making, and suggested we should do a show. Since then it’s just grown, I now have another show The Spring Fashion Show in Manchester as well.

Three attributes a fashion show producer should have?

A good memory, the ability to work well with all kinds of people, and organisation skills. I find all three of these vital!!

What do you think makes your fashion shows different?

For one thing, it’s a lot cheaper to showcase than many shows! So this gives emerging designers, who have just graduated, or people who don’t have a huge marketing panel behind them the ability to get involved. I think this is really special, we get some great testimonials about people involved.

I also love the variety of clothing that we have, there is never a set theme, so the style of clothing really ranges, there’s something for everyone.

On the day of the show your survival kit will definitely include?

A pen and paper, some pins just in case and a big smile. I plan most things in advance, so actually the day of the show can be quite relaxing.

The most memorable moment so far?

There have been some great ones, what I really enjoy is just after the show is finished, seeing everyone faces, backstage and in the crowd, it gives me and everyone involved a real sense of achievement.

Tell us a difficult situation you have faced and how you got out of it

One year, the show venue had some internal miscommunication, so 2 weeks before the show we had to find a new venue! Luckily, my staff and I all pulled together got a new venue close by, and actually it went very well, we still had a big audience and no one would have even noticed!

How do you fund these events?

Upfront, I use my own money…a bit risky I know but you only get out as much as you put in and I’ve put in loads…money, time, effort so my aim is for my shows to be the best they can be and more.

Tell us about your upcoming show on Sept 9th, what should we be expecting? Any suprises?

Ohhh the designers this year come from all walks of life!

Some have been professionally trained like Naomi Ding, or Helen Barran, who has just graduated in Fashion
Studies from the University of Lincoln and is based in Leeds. Her collection is very much based on the Victorian elegance so keep an eye out for her interpretation.

Other designers are much more established within the Leeds fashion crowd such as Pop Boutique which opened it’s 1st store in Leeds back in 1994.

We also have two very exciting ethical brands Jamilia Designs which specialises in mens and womens mohair knitwear and Crystal Padmore who designs using bamboo.

So you see we really do have an eclectic range of designers showcasing this year which is why it’s really interesting to see how the they have developed themselves and put their collections together.

All of the designers are one to watch and we believe in the next few years you’ll see them either on our high streets or in major retail stores!

What would you suggest to those that want to be involved into the business?

Be persevering, sometimes you make wrong choice, but stick at it. Try to network, sometimes knowing the right person can go a long way. I also think it’s good to do your research, find out your niche or your target audience and really learn about it, it will give you an advantage, and maybe help to discover new avenues.

Thanks for your time Victoria.

I recently caught up with Ryan Dickerson. Ryan is the founder of Rylaxing, a company he started after his freshman year in college after finding out that he had recurring back pain due to his sitting positions. Especially since the chair in his dorm room was less than comfortable, severely lacking lumbar support.

Here is the full interview.

Can you briefly give the readers some background information about yourself?

I am a Syracuse University graduate, with a BA in Economics. I started Rylaxing LLC as a sophomore while I was attending Cuse.

Have you always had a passion for business or is it something you picked up in college?

I have always found business interesting, but being in college and seeing the world of possibilities really opened my eyes to the world of entrepreneurship and my place therein

Tell us about Rylaxing and the story behind the idea?

After my freshman year I found that i had recurring back pain due to how and where i was sitting for most of the day. My dorm room came with a bed, chair, and desk; the chair was less than comfortable, severely lacking lumbar support. So, the summer before my sophomore year, I designed and manufactured the first two Rylaxers. I designed them initially with my mom, who is an interior designer. To start, we designed my dorm room in AutoCAD – and after much trial and error found the only way to bring a couch into a dorm room was to make the bed itself into a functional couch. So we did. After using the first two in my own room for a semester, my friends started asking where they could buy one… The lightbulb clicked on in a sense, and from there I have been trying to make the Rylaxer an essential product for socializing and being comfortable anywhere.

What would you say was the most difficult aspect in starting the business and how did you deal with it?

To be completely honest, each individual task was not overwhelmingly difficult, but the broad scope of work required to establish a legitimate LLC, pay taxes, manage a supply chain, establish branding and marketing, building a website… etc etc… the list never ends… I think the work load was the greatest challenge, and just getting used to the nonstop business life style took some adjusting, but at this point i don’t think i could go back. I like how exciting running the business can be, the ups and downs keep it interesting and challenging.

How did you raise finance starting the business?

This was an interesting challenge, my first two years of college, i studied year round, august through may at Syracuse, then i lived and studied in Florence Italy after my freshmen year, and Shanghai China after my sophomore. This allowed me to be a year ahead in terms of credit, so in stead of graduating early, i became a part time student and spread a years worth of classes over two years. This allowed me to take the difference in tuition and apply it towards the business.

Are you working on Rylaxing full-time?

Yes.

Do you have any plans to start stocking the products in shops or is it just going to be available only online?

Absolutely, that is our big project for this upcoming school year. (Syracuse gave 3 of my associates and me full rides for an MBA and Masters in Entrepreneurship.)

How would you describe your journey so far as an entrepreneur?

An adventure! It has been a blast so far, but I am positive it was only the tip of the iceberg.

What would you list as some of your most valuable lessons so far?

Someone told me very early on that i should do all the things i don’t want to do first, get them out of the way, and establish a clear and functional ground work for the company, then have fun with it. So, do the not fun stuff first, pay your taxes, get all of your ducks in a row, then do the fun stuff

How has your market changed in the past few years? How has your business changed to keep pace?

Yes, we started in college, now we are moving into few new markets. Specifically adults who read in bed, pregnancy pillows, and boarding schools. Our branding, product design and marketing strategies have all adjusted with the markets

What are the most crucial things you have done to grow your business?

That’s a tough question; I don’t think one specific thing can be attributed to our growth other than working hard every day regardless of success or failure

Since the birth of your company, what has been your most memorable moment?

The INC magazine photo shoot was a blast, they shot it in my fraternity house, and the whole fraternity got involved. It was a great time

What plans do you have now to expand your business further?

Getting into major retailers is goal one, expanding our product line is a second, and redeveloping our website is the third major goal

What three pieces of advice would you offer entrepreneurs starting out today?

1. Anyone can be an entrepreneur. If you have found a way to improve your own life or solve your own problem, chances are other people may have the same issue, and if your solution is effective, see where you can take the idea.

2. Do your due diligence. In a sense, do your homework, hold yourself to a high standard, and never settle for the minimum. Keep pushing and keep thinking

3. Have fun with anything you do. I work with the people i enjoy working with, people i enjoy spending time with, and so work doesn’t feel like work. Find people who you enjoy working with, make an environment that is true to you and your company, and then run with it

Thanks for your time Ryan

Founded in 2005 by David Schottenstien, aged just 21, Astor & Black has become synonymous with style and quality when it comes to bespoke suits for men. They have also started selling custom clothing for women.

The company has seen it’s clothing worn by a number of elite athletes, celebrities and business professionals. A number of famous people can be seen wearing A&B tailored clothing on their blog. Their site also has a number of testimonials from Forbes wealthiest individuals including Larry Ellison founder of Oracle and a number of sport stars.

David made sure that customer service was one of the most important aspects of the company, offering unparalleled levels of service by coming to your home or office to fit your suit. You can custom design your clothes from the buttons to the stitching, from the cloth to the lining.

Davids idea behind A&B is to democratize the world of bespoke suits by making it more widely available and also more affordable. Well more affordable in comparison to a similar service. They have a much smaller margin in order to charge customer less with the focus of attracting a larger audience and making up for the smaller margin by attracting large volumes of customers.

The organisation works with a number of filed sales agents who fulfill orders received at the companies shops.

David himself is a big fan of the three piece suit. “Watch the movies The Aviator, Seabiscuit, or Public Enemies and tell me those people don’t look incredible,” he adds. Back in 2009 Mr Schottenstein was named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award for South Central Ohio & Kentucky.

David previously started a cigar business which did well for a couple of years before his father found out, forcing him to shut it down. But that didn’t stop him, he then started trading stocks online, again on the sly and again his father found out. But it was to be 3rd time lucky as when he found his love for fashion, while at a Jewish boarding school in Venice, he created A&B a company that his dad could be proud of.

He puts his success down to the hard work and determination of his team and unmatched levels of customer service. This as well as the fact the company offers great stylish and affordable suits. Having a great product makes it easier to sell.

And sell they have, A&B’s revenues in it’s first year reached $1million while 2009 revenues reached $11.3million and 2010 saw the business gross over $20 million.

The young entrepreneur is still a few years shy of 30 and is the owner of a very successful company that has potential to be huge.

Schottenstein believes the biggest obstacle faced by young entrepreneurs is themselves. “People have great ideas all the time but find all the reasons not to do it,” says Schottenstein. “You have to be fearless and do not internalize rejection.”

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From an early age Jessica was drawn into the entrepreneurial world after watching her dad run his plastic surgery practice, she knew that she wanted to start her own company one day.

It dint take long before she started implementing all her ideas, as a young child she was always interested in cosmetics, and makeup application, she was eager to be a part of the beauty industry.

As a teen, she did a lot of freelancing jobs for different people and events in her hometown Greensboro, North Carolina. Now Jessica is the Founder/CEO of True You Cosmetics – a vintage inspired makeup line focusing on women as icons throughout history.

This is the full story.

Hi Jessica, Thanks for taking the time to do this with me, How are you doing?

I’m great, I hope you’re doing well!

Yes I’m fine thank you

Tell us a bit about your background, how did you get involved in the make-up market?

Beauty is very important to me. When I was young I always was intrigued with cosmetics, and makeup application. I started creating cosmetic palette kits when I was a kid and knew that I wanted to be a part of the beauty industry for my professional career. I first started off as a freelance makeup artist when I was a teenager, doing makeup artistry for various people and events in Greensboro, North Carolina where I’m from.

How did you go from doing make-ups to launching your own collection? What inspired you to start “True You Cosmetics”? What is the story behind it?

I always wanted to have my own product line since I was a little girl. I thought it would be a perfect incorporation for my makeup clients as well. True You Cosmetics is a vintage inspired makeup line focusing on women as icons throughout history. All products are filled with antioxidants and in our newer collections all products are mineral based. Our first collection, the Iconic Lip Collection debuted in October 2010.

Talk us through the planning/development process of launching your own product under True You Cosmetics?

It took me a couple of years to plan True You financially, but in high school I created the initial business plan for my company. It’s important to map everything out. I kept that original plan and did a second version to add on to what I already had. The initial planning/development phase focused on sales, our target market and building our social media networks, publicity, marketing, and word of mouth plans.

What would you say was your biggest challenge in setting up the business?

I took a risk starting True You at such a young age. A lot of people ask why, or how? I wanted to start at a young age because I knew it was going to be a process and it would take time for the business to grow.

How have you been able to balance school and running a business so far?

It’s definitely a challenge but the way I get everything done is by waking up very early and going to bed really late. Yea, I may have missed a lot of the college scene type of activities by living my life like this, but my focus is building a strong foundation for my future beauty empire.

What do you love the most about what you do?

Building. I love seeing visions come to reality and progressing from them.

Most importantly, How has the journey been so far since starting the business?

With every business there are ups and downs. True You Cosmetics has gown tremendously since October 2010. We have received great publicity for such a short amount of time, from post from major beauty bloggers, major publications as well as TV Segments. Our customer base has grown a lot, and with such great testimonials we have been receiving youtube vlogger requests to show their users how to actually use the products. Everyday is different and I love seeing the growth.

What is an average workday like for you?

I start off around 5. This is a major time for me because I get out all tasks for the day and respond to all of my business mail. Everyday is different. One day I may have product photoshoot, another day I may focus on future collection. One day may be all about the design of the products. II usually have at least 7 meetings throughout the business week pertaining to True You.

What plans do you have now to expand your business further?

Within the next two years major changes will occur with True You. I start a medical dermatology aesthetic program in the fall and when I am done with school I will be opening up an affordable unisex skincare facial studio/flagship store where True You Cosmetics will be sold and applied. A skincare line will be incorporated with True You Cosmetics as well.

What would you has been the most memorable moment since starting the company?

Each of my products are personally named and influenced after a certain icon or a family member of mine. My grandmother (and best friend), Florence Baker Sample passed away in November 2009, and before she passed she got to try her signature Florence lipstick that I created for her. I never saw her without red lipstick and she was so excited about the launch of my company. Tragically, she died exactly one month later.

What are your 3 tips for running a successful company?

Be brave, don’t take no for an answer, and carry on.

Is the business profitable?

True You has now expanded not only online, but into international retail stores. We also have our direct seller program that will launch in the fall for anyone who would like to make money on the side selling True You Cosmetics.

So what’s next for you?

I graduate from college in May and will be going to dermatology school starting in the fall. As far as True You Cosmetics, we have three collections launching between now and October and will be launching a four step clinical restoring skin care line.

Any tips for female entrepreneurs looking to start-up their business, especially those that are currently in school?

You’re young and smart and some people will see that as a weakness or a strength. Know your brand and believe it. Use your college as a networking base for you business. See college students as your potential consumers. You never know when you may bump into them in the future or you may never know what they can do for you after college.

Thanks for your time Jessica.

http://www.trueyoucosmetics.net/
http://www.twitter.com/trueyoubeauty
http://www.trueyoucosmetics.blogspot.com/

Caroline Rooney has always had a knack for starting businesses, from selling golf balls on a golf course to selling jewelleries as a 6th grade and let’s not forget when she designed tote bags as an alternative to backpacks in high schools.

Starting a business for Caroline has always been a way to show her creativity, especially turning her ideas into reality.

After been inspired by a young program at the United Nations, she decided to create a shirt, something with a really positive message and a clean design and through that after good feedbacks and demands from friends, The Bearon was born, a socially conscious clothing company which has now grown in to a fashion and lifestyle blog.

Caroline has just finished a TEDxUofM event in which she serves as the co-creative director, a way in which she hopes to encourage more young people to be get involved in the start-up community.

This is the full interview.

Hi Caroline, How are you doing?

Of course! Thank you for reaching out!

Can you give us some background information about yourself?

I am currently graduating from the University of Michigan where I study organizational management and history of art. As a freshman I launched The Bearon, a socially conscious clothing company which has now developed in to a fashion and lifestyle blog with an online shop component.

I began working in the fashion industry when I was 15 and in the last 7 years have had the good fortune to work with some incredible designers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and up-and-comers in the creative community. I am a huge advocate for entrepreneurship and want to encourage more young people to get involved with the start up community. I also just wrapped serving as the co-creative director of TEDxUofM – an amazing opportunity to work with some of the most talented up-and-comers in the country.

Tell us about The Bearon, where the idea came from?

I was taking a textiles and design course in high school trying to decide if I wanted to go to art school to study design or to a University of study the business side of the fashion industry. My assignment was to learn how to use a traditional Japanese silk screen process and design a t-shirt to hand screen. I had just returned from a young program at the United Nations and was working on a project to benefit UNICEF so I was inspired to create a shirt with a really positive message and a clean design.

How did you intially market the T-shirts?

When I was in high school, I wore my samples that I created in a textiles class around. My friends were encouraging and all asked to order them. I didn’t act on the positive feedback until college, but when I did, I sold out of my initial order in the first week.

Why did you want to start a business? Were you exposed to entrepreneurship as a child?

I stared a bunch of businesses while I was really young. I would collect golf balls on a golf course and sell them, along with snacks, to golfers along the course. In 6th grade, I got in trouble for selling jewelry that I designed out of my locker. In high school I started a company designing tote bags to give girls a more expressive and fun alternative to backpacks.

I don’t know where it came from, but I’ve always loved the creativity, business savvy, people skills, and street smarts required to run a business and I run off of the high associated with turning your ideas into reality.

What would you say was the most difficult thing you had to do starting it up?

The most difficult part of running a company for me has been balancing my company with my academics. I launched my company during my first year of college and have found myself picking between designing new products and studying for a final, writing blog posts or writing Lots of young entrepreneurs face this, and will agree with me that it is the most difficult part of being a young entrepreneur. But it also teaches you incredible time management and forces you to constantly challenge yourself and focus on your priorities.

Why T-shirts? Why fashion?

I like t-shirts because of their universal appeal. I really happened upon it by mistake but it has been a cool industry to break into. There is a lot of competition and it’s hard to keep your competitive edge, but it teaches you a lot about design and productive because with so much competition, you have to constantly set yourself apart and be willing to change to remain current. As for fashion, I have always been enamored with the industry.

The creativity mixed with business acumen required to work in such a stimulating, constantly changing, and cutting edge industry really appeals to me. I love how fashion effects everyone, and how fashion really goes hand in hand with all elements of design, hospitality, and architecture, to create beauty.

Who are your fashion inspirations?

My nana (Phyllis Rooney), Ellen Barkin, Diane Kruger, Emmanuelle Alt

How have you been able to run a business, while being in education full-time? How are you able to find that balance?

It is extremely difficult. There are times where I held my company back because I put my education first. That was always really important to me. Now as I prepare to graduate, I don’t regret that decision at all.

I have amazing support from my family and friends who help me to fill orders and manage the website when my academic and entrepreneurial responsibilities become overwhelming. This support allowed me to study for 5 months in Sesto-Fiorentino, Italy and to intern with a variety of awesome companies, opportunities that helped me to grow professionally, and to become a better leader and entrepreneur.

Do you believe business has any obligation to make the world a better place?

I don’t know that it is an obligation so much as it is an opportunity. I named my company The Bearon based off of the idea of the “robber barons” of the Industrial Revolution in America. The name “robber barons” came to represent leaders in industry- those individuals on the cutting edge. And those individuals became some of the most noteworthy philanthropists in the world, and their names are synonymous with revolutionizing industry.

For me, The Bearon is about being a leader in industry, leading the back to encourage socially conscious business. It is also about using my business as a platform to promote amazing causes and the work of incredibly talented young people.

How does your business “give back” to the community or to society?

The Bearon donates 10% of annual profits to a variety of wonderful non-profit organizations. Additionally, we try to get involved as much as possible in our community, whether that means sponsoring a charity event, planning an entrepreneurship-related event, or just being involved with young people interested in starting a business.

Currently I am working on a project called The Corner Office Project to encourage more visible female role models, in every industry. I also work with a variety of arts organizationals and Alzheimer’s related causes personally, and through my work with The Bearon.

Where do you find your inspiration for the Bearon?

Everywhere! The subtitle of my blog is “the insatiable aesthete” for a reason. I love to travel and I draw a lot of inspirations from the places I visit, the people I meet, and the designs that are unique to each of those cultures. I read constantly- blogs, newspapers, books, and magazines.

My favorite blogs for inspiration are TheBlondeSalad, The Sartorialist, and GaranceDore. I am also a huge fan of websites like TechCrunch and Cool Hunter which constantly open my eyes to amazing new projects and ideas. I also draw a lot of inspiration from hotels and art museums, both of which really fascinate me, both from a design perspective, but also from the ways in which they interact with people and the communities in which they are embedded.

What do you like the most about running your own business?

Since the beginning it has been important to me to encourage creative young people to be proactive, passionate, and to get their work out there for the world to see. Young people need to have accessible, positive, and successful role models and access to ideas of what they could morph their passions into- whether it’s through entrepreneurship, community involvement, or the arts.

My goal is to give young people a platform to showcase their work, whether that means blogging about a cool new line in Chicago (like The Style Cooperative) or sharing a free download from a young musician (I’m currently obsessed with Kim Grambo and Hoodie Allen). Being able to share these new projects (and the stories of the people running them) is incredibly rewarding and I love keeping up to date with the coolest new things coming out of young creative minds.

What are your hobbies?

I love going to museums and traveling. I spent 5 months living in Italy and now I can hardly sit still! I really enjoy reading and sketching when I have some down time. I also model part time which is a great way to learn even more about the industry and meet really cool, forward-thinking creative people.

What tips can you give female entrepreneurs such as yourself, especially those still in full-time education?

Surround yourself with good people. There are amazing organizations out there dedicated to promoting female entrepreneurs- Get involved! It is important to have great role models who keep you motivated and who you can run ideas by. And never hesitate to reach out. Is there a company you’re interested in or a product you love? Maybe you know of an awesome CEO who you really look up to. Reach out to her! People (especially successful women!) love to help out, answer questions, and act as mentors. They know how important it was early on in THEIR careers, and they are eager to help!

Finally, What can we be expecting from you and The Bearon soon?

Right now I’m working on developing my blog. We just launched a new site in January and I’m really enjoying coming up with new content and ideas to share with my readers.

Thanks for your time Caroline.

Don’t forget to check out the online shop.

Sarah Watkinson-Yull founder of, umm… Yull is a 21 year old unipreneur. Her company Yull sells ladies’ shoes that she designed herself, online and through stockists.

The brand as described on the Yull website:

Sarah says that Yull is ‘style over fashion’, a break from the current trend-following flow of impracticable and ephemeral shoe brands.

Yull is a mix of vibrant colours and playful patterns on classic designs accompanied by very wearable and timeless shoes that are hard to find in the existing market.

The brand is very patriotic and represents ‘Britishness’ incorporating the range with the English season’s needs for fashion footwear in sporting and cultural events.

She studied at the Fashion Retail Academy for a year and also did a course at the London College of Fashion which was, ‘starting a fashion business’. She is currently studying Business Management at Westminster University.

Sarah also studied business and economics at school after persuading the school education board and it only made sense that her two passions, business & fashion, should come together to provide her with a self made career. She also had the experience of seeing her family’s business, trading aroma chemicals, first hand where she could learn about importing and exporting and also dealing with customers and suppliers.

One important factor when starting her business was finding a good supplier, which she did through Alibaba. She had too balance getting good quality and manageable minimum order quantities while also having to suss out if she could trust them.

Having always been an entrepreneur at heart, this step was inevitable and earlier this year she founded Yull, which she fully funded herself. Having had the initial idea a couple years back, she had time to work and save £10,000 stored safely in an ISA where the tax man can’t get too.  Over the two years she also got a lot of advice and ideas from friends, family and the Prince’s trust.

The biggest challenges that Sarah has faced so far has been getting her shoes into retailers shops and also amassing free PR as she has a limited advertising budget. She recently showcased her collection at Oxford fashion week.

Her business is currently based out of her home in Oxfordshire and she has too manage her business and university work at the same time as she has no other employees at the moment.

Sarah carries much the same sentiments as many young entrepreneurs as she say, “If you really want to do something, then you should go for it.”

She is only at the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey but she is already looking to the future hoping to open her own shop and can’t wait till the day she is randomly walking down the street and sees someone wearing Yull shoes. Good luck to her!

I recently had the opportunity of doing an interview with Raymond Lei. Raymond is Founder/CEO of ooshirts, a company he founded in High school when he was only 16, Now at 20 Raymond is currently raking over 3 million in revenue at ooshirts.

Hi Raymond, Thanks for doing this, how are you doing today?

I’m doing well. Thanks for interviewing me.

Can you give us some background information about yourself?

My name is Raymond Lei. I’m 20 years old right now, and run a custom t-shirt business called ooShirts.

Tell us about your company ooshirts.com, You started your company at such a young age, what was your inspiration? Have you always been entrepreneurial?

I was ordering t-shirts for my high school club, the “Tennis Club”, and had a club logo that I wanted to print on a shirt for the club members. When I began looking through companies to print the shirts, however, I found that the shirts were too expensive to print.

The companies I spoke with all said that, in order to fit the club’s budget, I needed to have a “simpler” design. I was unwilling to compromise, partially because I wanted the shirts the way they were, and partially because I thought that t-shirt printing couldn’t be that expensive. I did a lot of research on the t-shirt printing industry, and found that the prices all existing companies were charging had huge markups.

For example, if it cost them $4 to print a shirt, they would sell the shirt at $8 or $9 per shirt. I thought that, considering the volume of t-shirts purchased every year, this was grossly inefficient.
Believing that I could do better, and that many other clubs at my school could be benefited, I started ooShirts.

How were/have you been able to balance being in school full time and running a company?

When selecting courses, I tried to find courses I would enjoy so that running my business was my “work” time and going to school was “leisure”.

I don’t engage in certain forms of leisure other college students enjoy. I think that if people took all the time they spent using Facebook or looking at pictures of cats, they would have a good 500 hours of extra time every year (give or take a couple hundred hours). If you invested this time into learning one thing, you’d be very good at that one thing.

From your experience would you say it is better to start a business at a young age compared to starting after finsihing school? How has being a student helped you on your entrepreneurial journey?

Of course, it depends on the business. If it’s a business that has strict hours (a restaurant, for example), then it wouldn’t be wise. But in my case, and for anyone else with an online business, it’s ideal since the hours are flexible and the workload (in the beginning, at least) is not demanding.

What is the best part about running your own company?

You control all aspects of your work.

What are the main advantages that set you apart from the competition?

We sell the exact same product at half the price of our competitors.

How many employees do you currently have?

Three full-time employees.

What do you think has been your key to success with ooShirts so far?

Not becoming too greedy. Our prices are so much lower than our competitors that we can raise prices, and still have a lot of our customers. But our “unnecessarily” low prices is what causes customers to tell their family and friends.

How have sales grown in the last few years?

Similiar to the growth of a bacterial cell in a culture broth will unlimited nutrients.

What are the most crucial things you have done to grow your business?

If you have a good product, the product will market itself. The customers we’ve served know that our product simply has better value, especially when they receive their shirts and find the quality is no different from the quality they’d buy at a retail store, and so we’ve been getting a lot of new customers through word-of-mouth.

What plans do you have now to expand your business further?

We’ll stick to our principle of having the better product at the lower price, and continue to grow.

What is an average workday like for you?

There’s such a diverse and dynamic range of tasks. The only answers I’d be able to give are very general – “marketing”, “operations”, etc.

How did you find your partners and how did you make sure they deliver good quality?

This is probably the step that takes the most time. Having good partners is more than about how much money is paid – it involves having a good relationship and a real understanding of each others’ businesses.

What advices could you give to entrepreneurs looking to start their own company?

Two almost contradictory ideas

1. Get rid of your limiting beliefs (for example: that you’re too young to start a business, or that you can’t start a business without 7-digit funding)

2. Understand how difficult it is. In order to succeed you need to do everything right plus get lucky.

Thanks for your time Raymond.

Check out their website: http://www.ooshirts.com/