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A MAN has revealed that he quit university to pursue his childhood passion, which he has now turned into a £256,000 a year business.
Justis Pitt-Goodson, 26 started to make his own clothes at just 13-years-old, when one of his teachers gave him a sewing machine.
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He began making bow ties, and even though he now thinks his sewing skills were “awful”, was greatly encouraged by his family and friends.
“That type of encouragement was crucial”, he told CNBC.
Justis continued to sew throughout school, and then when he was in university at Rutgers, New Jersey, developed his business BrownMill clothing, along with his friends Kwaku and Taha.
BrownMill makes bespoke clothing and streetwear and now makes £256,000 a year.
After two years, he decided to quit university and built up his business, whilst working part-time as a copywriter.
Then after he got fired from the job and decided to focus on BrownMill full-time, using his family’s home in New Jersey as the headquarters.
As the business began to grow, Justis and his friends decided to raise funds by offering a subscription service.
They realised that some people were buying 12 items a year from their business, so offered a £150, £400 and £800 yearly subscription to loyal customers.
“A lot of people were into it because, like I said, they were already spending that money with us”, he said.
“And because we had all the money in a lump sum, it allowed us to activate that capital and invest it into machinery and things that were pivotal to our growth.”
In 2021, the three friends opened up BrownMills’ first store, in Newark, New Jersey.
As well as making new items, the business takes old clothes and up-cycles them.
“Whether it be turning shorts into jeans, or jeans into shorts, we love getting funky”, Justis said.
Justis said that every day working in his shop is different, so there is never a dull moment.
How to start your own business
Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis revealed his tips for budding entrepreneurs:
- One of the biggest barriers aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners face is a lack of confidence. You must believe in your idea — even more than that, be the one boring your friends to death about it.
- Never be afraid to make decisions. Once you have an idea, it’s the confidence to make decisions that is crucial to starting and maintaining a business.
- If you don’t take calculated risks, you’re standing still. If a decision turns out to be wrong, identify it quickly and deal with it if you can. Failing that, find someone else who can.
- It’s OK not to get it right the first time. My experience of making bad decisions is what helped develop my confidence, making me who I am today.
- Never underestimate the power of social media, and remember the internet has levelled the playing field for small businesses.
- Don’t forget to dream. A machine can’t do that!
“I’m doing a little bit of everything each day, I’m grateful for it”, he said.
BrownMill’s popularity has continued to grow, and even NBA players have been spotted wearing the brand.
The company sponsors local basketball games and hopes to inspire the younger generation to start their own businesses.
“I think there are a lot of people here in Newark that might have the same aspirations.”
Justis wants his business to continue to grow, but doesn’t want it to grow too big as he doesn’t want it to “lose its coolness.”
“Within five years I’d definitely like to have another store, maybe two. located in growing black communities”, he said.
He added that he thinks it will be feasible for the business to make millions.
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