Create Your Own Success

From time to time we get emails and FB messages from enthusiastic people looking for advice on how to start up a clothing brand similar to Shift'D Union.  Questions like what should they expect, or what suggestions we would give them that would help them get up and running.  Some of these are very difficult questions to answer, and they can't be answered with a short one to two paragraphs.  Not every answer will apply to the same person as they will encounter a completely different set of struggles or unforeseeable circumstances.  So I thought I would lay it out in a blog post using some words I have lived by for many years now.  CREATE YOUR OWN SUCCESS.

 CREATE.  So you have an idea of a clothing brand or company that you feel is going to be something special.  That vision you have is something preventing you from getting sleep at night and seeing all of these brands all over your FB or Instagram feed got you wanting to really push forward with your special idea.  That's awesome and I applaud you for your creativity and drive!  To start with your idea you have to create it.  Do your research, learn about it and ask questions to yourself, to your piers or to professionals.  Make lists of all your ideas and think about the future of the brand.  Creations start with an idea so help it blossom into more by proactively thinking about it and really giving it a lot of thought.  Ask yourself questions like, how am I going to fund this brand?  What are the legalities I need to know to protect myself and the brand?  What type of computer programs and software do I need to learn to execute my designs?  Do I want to be in stores or sell online, or both?  These are just some of the questions that you need to think about when creating.

YOUR.  When starting your own business or brand, 9 times out of 10 it will be just you!  Yeah there are brands out there that have partners who helped them out but in most cases it's started by one person.  Rolling solo is very difficult but it can be done.  Shift'D Union was started by just one person, me, Brandon Bettes.  The brand has no financial partners or extra backing or even some superstar that can boost me to that superstar status right out of the gate.  It's all on one person that has a dream and pushes forward every day, so if this is you, then really prepare yourself knowing that patience is key and to follow your vision that you came up with from the very beginning.

OWN.  When you own a brand or something you created it's a fantastic feeling.  It's a feeling of pride that you created a vision or a dream you had.  It's something so special that nobody can ever take away from you.  I always go back to this part of "OWN" when I feel the struggles and daily grind of trying to build a business.  Remember that you did this for yourself based around your dream.  Let the "own" aspect continue to drive your brand or business.

SUCCESS.  This is a big one here.  Success can mean so many things to different people.  Some people measure success on money, some people measure success on happiness.  What is your definition of success?  I am going to give you a little advice here and maybe this can help you in your decision on whether or not you'd like to start your own "thing".  I know a lot of people get inspired to start their own brand due to Social Media.  They probably follow all of these well know brands that really portray that fame and fortune feeling.  Maybe get to travel the world and shred with the best on the dopest platforms...  Who wouldn't want that right?! 
People, Social Media makes things look bigger than they really are!  Trust me when I say this.  Don't let Social Media trick you into thinking your success can be achieved to those comparable levels of some of these huge brands, especially over night.  It will only make you feel defeated if you measure yourself to them.  If you are creating to make your success equivalent to the big brands out there and you are doing it on your own, be prepared for a long rough road.  Hell, be prepared for a long road regardless.  However, if you are creating for your enjoyment and money and fame are of no concern for you then awesome.  I will say that the second approach will keep you in the game longer and keep you feeling more positive.
You may be asking then what's my (Shift'D Union's) idea of success and what's my approach??  Well, my approach has changed but my idea of success has not.  My idea of success is creativity and happiness.  As long as I can continue to create and release my artistic outlets then I will be happy, therefore I am successful.  Granted, it's nice to have your success come in the form of $ so that you can financially back your dream but starting out this will most likely not happen.  It can take brands up to 10+ years before they start really seeing any positive turnaround.  If that's the case then I've got 7 more years before I can really see my brand bigger than what it is right now.  I laugh at this because Shift'D Union is a baby brand.  It's only been around since the end 2011 and it is most certainly not known to many people.
Who knows what the future holds for me and Shift'D Union, all I know is that I am going to continue to be true to my vision, be smart, be creative, be methodical and patient, and continue to strive for my definition of success.

I hope this helps you out in any way.

Check out my Creation and let me what you think >> www.shiftdunion.com

Brandon      

Shift'D Mittens

We've been a t-shirt and apparel brand now for almost 3 years.  It's been pretty damn fun being creative and producing apparel that relates to the Action sports industry, especially snowboarding.  Being an Action Sports apparel brand is cool and all but we want to move into more.  We really want to design and perfect some really killer gloves for the snow sports.  Since we are always Ripping the Rockies (RTR) we have the perfect lab to make the best gloves.  We also want to provide those $100+ gloves for far less than $100!  So here's a pair of Mittens that we've been designing and testing this Winter.  We want to have an all leather pair of mittens in our line up and we feel that these will fit the bill:

Here's the details on these bad boys:

• 100% all natural Grade 'A' Cowhide leather outshell with dual layers at palm and fingertips for added protection and durability.
• Hipora insert for waterproofing that will block water out but let your hands breathe. 
• 200gm thermolation laminated inside with black micro fleece polyester fabric for the liner.
• Additional 100gm thermolation padding behind the back palm, perfect for intense fist bumps!
• Neoprene cuff with velco strap to provide a secure fit and much needed moisture resistance traditional cuffs can't provide. 

These things are extremely light, tough, and warm! The inside has individual finger compartments so no need to wear glove liners with these.
A pair of gloves like these would easily sell for $100 but we will not be asking this much.  We know that you will like the price we ask when they become available for purchase, on shiftdunion.com .  But for now, the price has yet to be determined.  (Probably somewhere in the $60 range...)

For now we are still trying to decide on a name but we are leaning on Brownies.  If you have a name suggestion leave a comment here on this blog post or tweet us @shiftdunion.  If we love your name suggestion & go with it, you will get a FREE pair!

As always, thanks for checking in with us.  Peace!

We're Hiring!

Is the Action Sports industry and the personal style that comes with it something you are passionate about?  Are you an avid action sports nut (snowboarder, skater, surfer, etc.) who loves to rock out or bump beats and live this lifestyle that so many dream about?  If so then we may have a great opportunity for you, and yes, you can make money here.  Here's the skinny: 

We currently are looking for up to 5 people who want to work with Shift'D Union and be a Shift'D Ambassador.  We are looking for 1 person on the West Coast, 1 in the PNW, 1 In Colorado, 1 in the Midwest, and 1 on the East Coast.  The person from each of these locations must meet the following:

• You must be at least 18 yrs old and have solid knowledge in the action sports industry. (we may consider 16 yrs but you need to really convince us you have what it takes).
• Must be knowledgeable with Social Media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, You Tube) & post regularly.
• Must snowboard and/or skate or some other action sport and be active in it.
• Has a core group of friends that can really help push the brand.
• Retail and sales experience preferred.
• Friendly and outgoing who can talk to anyone at anytime.  Not a douchey sales person, just someone who can speak with confidence and really showcase their knowledge and passion! 

Why you must meet the above criteria??  We are looking for these people to help spread our brand and be a VOICE for us.  We've been around for nearly 3 years now and we are starting to grow into more than just a t-shirt brand.  Our passion is snowboarding in the Winter and biking and skating in the Summer.  We are going to start branding custom gloves for snow sports and possibly board shorts in the Summer but we need help with these efforts.  We need to bring in as many people as possible, people who are willing to purchase from our website and be down for the core of the sports we're involved with.  This is where YOU, our Shift'D Ambassador comes in.
We have currently pulled out of retail stores so that we can keep our prices low and affordable for customers.  We also want to connect with our customers on a more personal level through our packaging and shipments.  Our products sitting on a shelf in a store doesn't do this.  Word of mouth will always be more powerful than anything.

Here's where you get hooked up & make $$$: 

• All Shift'D Ambassadors will get 50% off anything on shiftdunion.com through their own private promo code that is assigned to them.  Our prices are already extremely low so the additional 50% will be lower than what you'd find anywhere else.  It'll basically cover the cost of shipping the goods to you.  
• You will also get a another 15% off discount code that you will be allowed to give out to your homies so they can get a discount when they purchase from our website.
• We can see when your homie discount code is used.  For every purchase that your friends or contacts make using your homie code, you'll get 20% of the sales.  Ex.) If your buddy spends $65, you get $13 of that.
• We pay out via PayPal every month so you'll need to create your own PayPal account.

That's it.  We will help you out in any way we can but this is basically all on you and your drive to make some cash and grow with us.  You rock the gear and talk about it, you'll sell.
Are focus is to not really focus on the big name athletes in the industry.  Our focus is on the core people who live the life, the people like you and me.  We are all in this together so why not unite and take over.  Now's the time to get with this, join Shift'D Union!

If you are down to be a Shift'D Ambassador then please send your Resume or any other info to shiftdunion@gmail.com.  Please be sure to include your Instagram and Twitter handles in your email.
Sell yourself to us so send over anything that you think will help your case and be creative.  Show your personality and just be yourself.

Good luck.