Should I Just Quit???

 I started this Blog to detail the daily ups and downs of someone trying to start a business. I wanted it to be a real account of what I experienced without being sugar coated or watered down. I mis-spell words and cuss and sometimes rant just to rant. But the bottom line is this is my experience, so for better or worse I'm gunna tell ya how I see it.

  So with that being said.....I'm getting pretty discouraged right now. Its been a couple weeks since I've opened the YungNSavage Online Store and despite getting nothing but awesome feedback, I haven't sold a single shirt. I really dont know what Im doing wrong tho. I mean if people were telling me that the designs sucked or whatever I would go back to the drawing board and come up with some some new ideas. But that's not the case. Ive promoted on Social Media a lot and I get a decent amount of traffic to the store online, but it still hasn't produced any sales. I don't know what i'm doing wrong really. I put together what I thought were clever and catchy promo stuff like Pics and Videos promoting YnS and still nothing. I thought at least Family and friends would buy a few but I was way wrong. So it looks like I need to make some changes.

  Now the task at hand is finding a way to reach a bigger audience. I looked up the various design compettions online and submitted to a couple I thought seemed legit, Threadless.com posts this TShirt Tuesday challenge and three of my designs have already been selected, but the challenge is getting people to vote on my design. The competition lasts for 10 days, and I think I have 7 left. I got like 50 or 60 votes on all three of my entries but I really don't think its close enough to win anything. The site is cool tho because if you win you get the prize money up front - but my favorite part is - They sell your design on there website and give your a percentage of sales. Which would put a lot of eyes on YungNSavage and I NEED the exposure.

  Even with things starting off at a snail's pace, I'm still going to create new designs, promote as much as I can, and keep researching to be a better entrepreneur. The Next step is to find the best way to spend some advertising money. Should I pay to boost posts on FB or pay for an actual add on another site? Im not sure yet, plus I really don't have much to spend. My other idea is to recruit some of these folks in the music bizz I know and hopefully get them to endorse my shit. I know for sure if I send them some shirts that they would wear em - I just really dont have the funds to send a bunch of merch out right now. I think my best bet is to maybe come up with a design for an Artist or group. Have them endorse and promote it. Then give them a percentage of sales myself. Just a couple thoughts I'm bouncing around in my head but we'll see how things go. I appreciate everyone reading this, feel free to comment below if you have any ideas or suggestions. Real feedback is much needed. Thanks again guys and dont forget to check out the store...who knows you might be customer #1  

Click Here to Visit YungNSavage Clothing

Hurdles...and how I jump em!

  After I got my online store up and running (See It Here!!) through connecting my Printaura and Storenvy accounts, I came up against a couple issues. After promoting my New site on the YungNSavge Facebook page the first day or two I started getting feedback. 

  Most were super positive and talked about the designs and materials, and then I got one from this nice lady telling me something was off with the xl sizes. She said the regular size shirts listed for $25 but if you picked a larger size like 2xl or bigger that it would ring up for waaaay cheaper. Not that it was that hard to fix. I just had to go back to my settings and set the price for each individual size, no biggie and I was super glad she had let me know what was going on. The next issue came to light when someone asked me about Sweaters. At the time I didn't have any Up but with the weather here in Michigan quickly approaching sub zero temperatures, I figured it would be a good idea to get some up. So I went to work transferring some of the original designs to the sweat shirt mock ups online. I picked the colors I would offer and remembered to set the prices for ALL the sizes ;) Just as I got done loading everything up to the page and tried to click the button to link it to my online store -- Nothing happened. I tried to reload the page - restart my laptop - went throught the whole process a dozen times and finally decided it was time to try and reach technical support.

  Initially they replied pretty quick. They said they would look into it and get back with me. I thought fine. It was probably an automated response but I would have to wait and hope it was just a maintenance issue or some other quick fix. Well after a couple days go by I start to grow impatient and write another email. I kinda went off to be honest. I told whoever was reading them that I expected the site to work as advertised and probably two paragraphs later I ended with how disappointed I was with there service. I immediately began to search for other drop shippers. I felt like it was important to be able to update my products and didn't really think anyone was helping fix the issue - well not fast enough anyway. Then I get an email back from the company explaining that they have a small staff working to fix bugs and other issues. The way it was worded made me feel like a dick truthfully. I realized I was being impatient and maybe a little over excited to launch the new shirts. I mean yea they should have everything at 100% all the time....but shit happens, and it taught me a lesson too. I see how the way I communicate with people can be off putting at times, and I need to express more patients in tense situations in order to find the best way to fix them. I was completely satisfied with the way they apologised and explained there position and I will do my best to handle situations in a similar fashion. So thanks Printaura - the issue took a couple more days to fix but as of now everything's up and running smoothly with new designs coming soon. 

  Go check out the store and tell me what you guys really think in the comments. I can always use some real feedback and who knows you might find your new favorite shirt.       https://yungnsavage.storenvy.com/

The Struggle

After deciding that I wanted to put real effort into this T Shirt idea, It was time to do some research.

  I had almost $0 to invest into this company, raising 4 kids leaves my experimental business ventures to a minimum, so I had to find a way to set up an online store and link it with a print-on-demand drop shipping service for free.. There were plenty of websites to choose from. A simple Google search brought me a lot of options so that's when I dug into the review side of things. I read articles, comments, and watched videos of people who had tried different services and I paid close attention to what they were saying about the sizes and feel of the materials, along with who offered the best quality prints on the shirts.

  I realized pretty quick that the range of color, size and print quality could drastically change depending on what company I chose so I wanted to make sure I went with the right people for the job. After I re surfaced from my laptop with soar eyes and a half asleep butt cheek I decided on Printaura to manufacture and ship my designs. They had the best reviews and one of the biggest selection of clothing brands to choose from. they weren't they cheapest to go through but I wanted the "feel" to be right and they had the kind of shirt I knew would be the right fit.

  How did I know - Because I went into my closet and took a couple of my favorite shirts off there hangers and started to look at the tags. 3/4 of em were made by the same company and the prints on my shirts still looked good after years of wearing and washing them. So I knew I wanted to go with the Bella/Canvas brand of shirt for my collection and luckily Printaura offered them with there services.

  They offered a handful of online shops through Printaura that you could link to your account and load directly to your store (which Im having troubles with but ill talk about that later) so I did a little more research and made a Storenvy account to set up my online store. They had a bunch of customizable templates and it was really easy to get the store up and going. Everything linked up and after creating a paypal my store was online and ready to take orders.

  I already had 5 designs I wanted to use so I loaded em up to the site and chose the available colors, sizes, and pricing for each individual shirt idea. That was a lil time consuming but nothing too technical. I got everything ready for the first 5 designs of my shirt collection and they were up 4 sale on my new site.   ------------->    https://yungnsavage.storenvy.com/

  Now it was time to spread the word. I looked up the best way to promote a new clothing line and instantly went to work on some of the ideas. I found a bunch of fashion bloggers I thought might have the same kind of style I was trying to convey with my shirts and started writing emails. I sent a small bio of me and the company with a couple pics of my shirts and links to the store. I also started a new facbook page and invited everyone I could to check out my new line of shirts. 

----------->   https://www.facebook.com/YungNSavageClothing/

  Im still in the begining stages of promotions and Ive only herd back from a few of the fashion bloggers. A couple said they were interested but basically wanted $ to post any reviews or share any links so that's kinda suspended pending better funding. As for now I'm sticking to my grass roots campaign and trying to organically grow the site, but I might have to break down and eventually spend some advertising dollars if want to reach a bigger consumer audience.

  So thats a quick run threw of how I got things set up. I've received a ton of positive feedback on the designs and cant wait to start selling shirts. As for now Im working on more designs and trying to expand my product line for the fast approaching shopping season. Ill have sweaters and hats as well as the T Shirts and maybe posters..but we'll see. Next time Ill go over the issues Im having with the site and some of the better advertising options I'll consider. Thanks for reading - Check out the store and tell me what u think -- 

  

The Idea

  With a little of my background explained in the previous post I would like to go over how I came up with the concept of a Clothing line and how I started to pursue it.
  I've always enjoyed fashion. I've always felt an overwhelming need to not only dress well but to stand out in what I was wearing. Looking back at some of my old pics and seeing what I had on made me realize that this wasn't always a perfect mix. Like any extroverted poor white kid living in the Hood my love for hip hop and rap music was reflected in what I wore. From my super colorful Coogi sweater matched with full denim (pants and jacket) yellow bandana and OG Godfather hat, to my size 50 black dickies with matching black shirt and bandanna folded over one eye (yea). I had no problem standing out.
  Throughout my experimental and sometime extraordinary outfit phase I learned that fashion and comfort barely ever go hand in hand, but I realized like everyone else on some level, when i looked good I felt good - That simple.
  So as time went on and I pursued my music career, it led me to learning and doing a lot of graphic work for stuff like cd covers, posters, flyers, and countless promo for social networking sites. Before long I gained a reputation as the Go To Guy around my city and started really getting into the design side of it. I studied everything myself, I like to say I have my masters in Google and Youtube do to the amount of time Ive spent researching visual effects, but I've never been formally trained.
  More time passed. Jobs came and went. I studied more and made more art. The feedback was extremely positive from people I worked with and I wanted a way to reach more people with what I was creating. All the while fashion was constantly changing around me. From baggy jeans to super tight skinny jeans - rappers wearing gender neutral clothes - man buns - dresses - etc etc etc.....
But the two things that never changed was a good T Shirt and dope sneakers. Everyone can relate to that favorite shirt they have tucked in there room somewhere. The one they put on and instantly feel better. Well I wanted all my T Shirts to be like that. I wanted to go into my closet and have all my favorite super comfortable shirts lined up, be able to grab one at random and know its gonna fit like it always has.
  I would buy shirts at the mall brand new, then go the thrift store to try and find that same brand shirt and see how it held up over the years. That led me to recognizing all these different brands and what ones I really liked. A lot of stores do there own prints but mostly there on low quality cheap shirts so that they can maximize profits. I found shirts I liked but knew they wouldn't last long. Even doing the ol wear it for a lil bit and put it back on the hanger trick only lasted so long. So that's when the idea hit me. I needed to make the designs I liked, the designs i didnt see anywhere else and put them on a Hi Quality material.
  I downloaded blank shirt templates and went to work on designs for prints. I researched and located a Drop shipping printer for the shirts and made an Online store to sell em. I wanted edgy urban designs on colors that were exciting. I wanted to represent the environment so many of us were entrenched in, in a way that was light and comfortable.
  So YungNSavage Clothing was Born -- like 4 days ago ;)
The next blog Ill go over how I actually started the store online - How I picked the drop shipper and printer - and more tales from this New adventure I'm On -- Thanks 4 reading and make sure u visit the store and check it out!!!    ---------->  https://yungnsavage.storenvy.com/
 

Some Background

And it Starts......

 Ok lets get the simple stuff out of the way first. My name is Marc Russell. Im a 30 sumthin single father of four (Yes 4) and I come from Pontiac/Flint Michigan. I was raised between My mom ( I was her only son) and my Dad (he had 3 other kids besides me). My mom was always a hard working independent woman and provided me with everything I needed growing up, My Dad on the other hand struggled with drug addiction and a hand full of other issues throughout my child hood.
  I went to a bunch of different schools growing up, due to the fact that we moved a lot but I feel like staying in Michigan - Ohio - Arizona - South Carolina -and  Florida has expanded my overall understanding of people and how the world works.
  So things were weird growing up. I had material shit at my moms but I would still Love going to my dads on weekends and the summers to hang and see my friends. My mom worked so much that she was gone a lot and that led to me getting into trouble pretty often. Both my parents tried there hardest to keep me on the right path but I think my arrest record wold prove I didn't listen well either.
  So I learned  a lot from both sides really. I learned the value of working hard to achieve your goals ......But I also learned how to Hustle and Survive in a Dangerous place.
  My Older Sister was pretty Gangsta growing up TBH and I'm positive she is the reason I fell in Love with Hip Hop. She always had music playing - From R Kelly to Esham and everything in between. I remember she took me to my first concert at the Phoenix center downtown Pontiac. Dis N Dat was performing. A Girl version of the 69 Boyz and just as Nasty. - It was Loud - It was Lewd - and I was Hooked
  From then on I searched and Listened to every single peace of Rap music I could get my hands on. I taped songs from the radio. I stole my Sisters tapes. I begged every time we went to any flea market for anyone to please please pleeeease buy me one of the hundred of new mixtapes neatly stacked on the tables. I was obsessed so say the least. I related to what I herd and that led to me wanting to make my own music.
  I started like every other rapper. I recorded at friends and then at home. I paid for time in big studios around town and put out a couple cds. I had marginal success too...I started performing. Made a name for myself. Linked up with a few Big Name artists and made some good songs. My criminal ways came back around to bite me in the ass and I started spending more time locked up then on stage though. After awhile of trying to balance the street life I grew accustomed to and the music i loved, I chose to slide to the producing side of things and spend more time at home.
  What I learned on the music entertainment side of things was where I learned how to design. I started making cd covers and promo stuff for my music, People liked what I was doing and I eventually started doing other projects, Flyers, Covers, Shirts, Logos, you name it. I was pretty limited as far as the designs went though because I still have to make what a customer wanted or saw in there mind. That's when I began to experiment with some Tshirt Designs. I was influenced by my background in music but also by my passion for dressing well, and to honest who doesn't have a favorite shirt that just makes em feel good every time they wear it.
  I didn't see any other brand representing what I saw or what I thought was appealing. Not local and not anything of quality. So YungNSavage Tshirts were born. The brainchild of a "Rap Guy" with a sketchy past who cares about his appearance and comfort. I know its complicated - but not really. I've been in enough uncomfortable situations to know what feels good and I want to provide people with an option to have exciting clothes.
  Thats a lil background on me and just a lil on why I wanted to do this. The next post will cover how I came up with my designs - and How I decided what company to print. Thanks for reading hope it wasn't to scattered :)