Next Stop: The Top

    To get better at basketball and enjoy it again, I needed a better attitude. So I found an app for athletes that had lessons on building a positive mindset. I collected inspiring posts on social media. I read advice from athletes I admired, like LeBron James and Floyd Mayweather.

    I learned a lot: Every failure is a lesson. Getting better at something takes practice. Be patient with yourself. Hard work makes anything possible.

    Then I had an idea: I could put those positive messages on T-shirts. I named my brand The Top, as in “reach for the top.” I got to work right away.

    If I wanted to improve my basketball skills—and start enjoying the game again—I needed an attitude adjustment. So I found an app for athletes that had lessons on developing a positive mindset. I collected inspiring posts on social media. I read advice from athletes I admired, like LeBron James and Floyd Mayweather.

    I learned a lot: Every failure is a lesson. Getting better at something takes practice. Be patient with yourself. Hard work makes anything possible.

    As I gathered these lessons, I had an idea: What if I took the positive messages I learned and put them on T-shirts? I named my brand The Top, because that’s what I wanted to inspire people to reach for, and I got to work immediately.

    I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur. My family is full of them! My great-grandmother owned a hair salon. My grandfather owned restaurants and gas stations. My dad has a business selling houses. I admire how they made money working for themselves.

    But I was so excited about The Top that I rushed things. I came up with a quick design. I got a cheap website to print the shirts. They didn’t turn out great. My first attempt was a failure. I needed help.

    Then I heard about the Industry Club at the Boys & Girls Club. In this program, kids learn about careers. One option is fashion.

    I didn’t see myself as a fashion designer. But I wanted my brand to succeed. I was excited to learn more about running a business.

    Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to be an entrepreneur. My family is full of them! My great-grandmother owned a hair salon, my grandfather owned a few restaurants and gas stations, and my dad has his own business selling houses. I’ve always found the way they made money working for themselves inspiring.

    But I was so excited about The Top that I rushed everything. I came up with a quick design and had shirts printed from a cheap website—and the shirts did not turn out great. Honestly, my first attempt was a failure. I definitely needed some guidance and support.

    Then I heard about the Industry Club at the Boys & Girls Club. It’s a program where kids can learn about careers, and one of the options is fashion.

    I didn’t really consider myself a fashion designer, but I wanted my brand to succeed. I was excited to learn more about how to operate a business.

    In the Industry Club, I got good advice. I learned how important it is to have a clear vision of your brand before you launch it.

    I learned about the world of fashion too. I learned how to sew and choose fabrics. I figured out what design aesthetics I liked most. I learned a lot by watching the people around me, both adults and kids.

    Then I got chosen for the Black Men in Fashion program. Five of us were paired with mentors from the fashion industry.

    We would work with our mentors to design outfits. Those outfits would go to New York Fashion Week—and so would we!

    In the Industry Club, I got some great advice for improving The Top—for example, I learned how important it is to have a clear vision of your brand before you launch it.

    I also got an education in the world of fashion. I learned how to sew and how to select fabrics, and I figured out what design aesthetics appealed to me the most. I picked up a lot just watching the people around me—both the adults and the other kids.

    Then I was chosen to participate in the Black Men in Fashion program. Five of us were paired with mentors from the fashion industry.

    Together with our mentors, we would design a few outfits. Those outfits would go to New York Fashion Week—and so would we!