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
