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The Dorm Room Hustle: Owning Fashion Companies in College

Kaitlin Edwardson | March 11, 2020

Topics: anthony moody, art, business, college, community, e.xclusively, erin watton, exclusively, fashion, fashion in richmond va, JMU, john mcgrinder, local business, redeemed generation, renegade sports, richmond va, richmond va clothing brands, richmond va local business, RVA, things to do richmond va, University of Richmond, vcu, virginia clothing brands, virginia fashion

Whether it starts as a side gig or a passionate new business, college students around the country are opening brands of their own before graduation. 

College students are not just students anymore. Many students around the country have jobs on top of their schoolwork to earn extra money. Some work as college tour guides, some work in school offices, and others have off-campus jobs. About 81 percent of undergraduate part-time students and 43 percent of undergraduate full-time students are employed, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

With tuition, books, meal plans, and additional costs, college is expensive. Luckily for Erin Watton, John McGrinder, and Anthony Moody, they work right out of their rooms — running fashion and apparel companies by themselves.

21-year-old Erin Watton, who hails from Milwaukee, WI, is currently a junior at the University of Richmond, and the sole talent behind e.xclusively: a hand-painted apparel company that sells custom painted designs on anything, including denim jackets and handbags for any occasion. 

Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Watton started e.xclusively after spilling ink on her favorite sweatshirt in printmaking class during her freshman year of college. “After covering up the ink with painted stars, I sent a photo to my friends,” Watton said. “They loved the sweatshirt, and begged me to paint theirs. Soon after, I realized I could create a small business out of this painting venture.”

e.xclusively officially started in the summer of 2018. Although Watton was working in retail at the time, she wanted more experience in fashion and marketing. “Because I had no experience of my own to offer in an internship, I created a learning experience for myself,” she said. “I have gained so much experience owning my own business, and I love doing it. If you can do something now and love it, why wait?”

Watton advertises her products through her Instagram, Pinterest, and website. “In the fashion industry, user-generated content and word-of-mouth are how people learn and trust brands,” she said. “For me, when my clients post photos in their custom, hand-painted pieces, their followers trust my business and may even follow along on social media, or purchase a piece themselves.”

With the growth of social media, Watton believes that 2020 is a great time to run a business as a student. New entrepreneurs can decrease their overhead expenses, reach people within their target audience quickly, and gain instant feedback on their products and services as well as content they produce, she said. 

Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Being a student is time-consuming, but Watton has found a balance between classes and work. When she isn’t in class, she is either at a client consultation, sketching and painting designs, posting Instagram content, or updating her website. “When I’m working on e.xclusively, it could be five minutes spent on a social media post or five hours spent painting,” she said. “It definitely depends on my schedule, my orders, and what my goals are at the moment.” 

John McGrinder is another student who runs his own business while managing classes and extracurriculars. Originally from Downingtown, PA, McGrinder is a sophomore at James Madison University, and the mind behind Renegade Sports.

Renegade Sports, a sports-focused apparel company, started in 2016 in McGrinder’s sophomore year of high school. The idea for the company arose from a class project with a friend, and was originally called Seal Team Sports. 

“My friend Evan knew I was involved in graphic design for sports Instagram pages for fun, but he asked me if I wanted to help him with a new project for his class,” McGrinder said. “I absolutely loved working with sports and designing, and it was a fun way to set aside some extra money for school while doing something I loved.”

PHOTO: Renegade Sports on Instagram

Similar to Watton, McGrinder mainly advertises his business through his Instagram. Most of his work is done on his phone or iPad because he makes the designs himself. “I have them with me in case I have an idea for a design while out on the go or at home,” he said. “With big brands like Barstool Sports out there, I always try to get my ideas onto my products and website as fast as possible, to be the first out there with my idea on a certain trend,” he said. 

McGrinder has a busy schedule as a student, but he finds time between classes at JMU and work to make designs. “I really work best when I’m inspired by a new player or trending team,” he said. “Not every day for me is involved with creating a design, but I’m always checking on my site, tracking sales, and keeping my eye on the sports world for new ideas.” 

Running a store in 2020 as a student allows McGrinder to use his brand as a creative outlet. On top of gaining experience, it allowed him to get involved in marketing before learning about it in any of his major-related classes. 

Renegade Sports also helped open doors into the marketing world as this past summer. McGrinder worked with the Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 MVP, Von Miller, in creating some mock-ups for a shirt to commemorate his 100th sack in this past season. “Overall, running Renegade Sports has been so valuable to me in exploring business and marketing, but also in allowing myself to be more creative outside of schoolwork,” he said. 

PHOTO: Renegade Sports on Instagram

Another entrepreneur student, University of Richmond sophomore Anthony Moody, owns and operates his clothing company, Redeemed Generation. Moody started his brand when he was 13, and it has been steadily growing ever since. 

Moody’s day starts and ends with marketing, which he believes is the most important part of the business. “It’s all about connecting with influencers, commenting on posts, interacting with followers, and building the brand,” he said. “It makes a big difference when companies are active on Instagram, and have a page that really showcases the brand — so that’s really crucial for me.”

In addition to running all the marketing for his business on his Instagram and website, Moody also makes and prints everything in his room. “My room is full of presses, dryers, and paint, because I make it all,” he said. “I’m actually looking for a small office where I’ll be able to work. With the way the business has grown in terms of sales and inventory, it’s a lot to keep in my room.”

Photo via Redeemed Generation on Instagram

Moody originally found his love for art in elementary school, but pencils and paper weren’t enough for him. Being a student and a business owner has been a challenge, and the balance has been one of the most difficult things, “It’s worth it,” he said. “It’s my passion, and it’s what I love doing.” 

In addition to Redeemed Generation, Moody also prints clothes for outside groups like dance teams and class reunions. “With all the materials and machines I have in my room, as well as the skills I’ve gained from Redeemed Generation, expanding to print clothes for other people was not that big of a challenge,” he said. 

Redeemed Generation is mainly based out of Moody’s dorm room, because the presses and machines make it hard to travel in terms of production. His ideas and art, on the other hand, are constantly on his mind — regardless of where he is. 

Photo via Redeemed Generation on Instagram

“My brand has become my life,” he said. “A lot of people around me always plan and take on so much, working solely to build their resume. I just make clothes because I love them, and it’s a way for me to express myself.”

Overall, these three students are just a small glimpse into the larger world of student business owners. Students everywhere are starting their own companies on top of their already-stressful college lives. It’s time we give these students the recognition they deserve. While they’re going to class, doing homework, and writing papers, they’re also running the companies of the future. 

Top Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

JMU Rape Victim’s Experience with University Investigation Is the Stuff of Nightmares

Sarafina Sackey | July 18, 2018

Topics: college campus sexual assault, James Madison University, JMU, sexual assault

A sophomore studying social work at James Madison University has called out her school for blatantly mishandling its investigation of a fellow JMU student accused of raping her during a school trip to Ghana last year.

The accuser, who will be referred to by CW, said the assault occurred June 21, 2017, during a study abroad trip while intoxicated at a party. After returning to Harrisonburg and running into her alleged attacker several times throughout the fall semester, CW reported it to the Office of Student Accountability and Restorative Practices (OSARP) in December 2017. On March 28, the OSARP hearing board found the accused “not responsible.”

“James Madison University is aware of social media reports concerning allegations of sexual misconduct against a student employee,” the university said in an official statement. “These serious issues are of course among the most difficult facing universities, and all institutions in our society today. The emotions engendered by these types of allegations are understandable, given their gravity and the impact on all individuals concerned.”

CW and other JMU students took their frustration with the case to social media. “According to [CW], her alleged attacker ignored her when she repeatedly said she didn’t want to have sex,” reported The Breeze, JMU’s student paper. “[CW] complained to the university about her attacker under federal Title IX anti-sex discrimination law in December.”

CW said it took a long time for Title IX to send their statements to OSARP and for OSARP to contact her. She also submitted statements from other student witnesses on the trip, who confirmed she was clearly drunk and later appeared upset and in shock.

“Someone who had been through the process suggested I submit notes from my therapist, like an expert witness,” CW tweeted. “When I ask my counselor at the JMU Counseling Center, she tells me the only information she can give OSARP is my dates of attendance.”

Reflecting on the entire situation, she believes OSARP didn’t want to help her, especially after asking her what she describes as incriminating questions.

“I get asked the question, ‘Do you think your memory loss is from alcohol or trauma?’” she wrote. “Obviously, I don’t have brain scans. Months later, this question still puzzles me. What should I have said?”

She said James Madison’s Student Discipline Office granted her alleged attacker more character witnesses and more time to file his account of the party they attended in West Africa to OSARP.

“My attacker has extra time after his opening statement, and he uses it to say that I was incorrect about the dates on which things happened,” she wrote in a Tweet. “I have my personal diary sitting in front of me. I’m not allowed to respond and correct him.” 

CW said not all her witnesses were contacted.

“Out of the two names I gave, two individuals who were sober on the night of the incident and remembered important details — Title IX only spoke with one of them,” CW tweeted. “My attacker’s witnesses were all able to make statements. Even one that was submitted after the deadline.”

She recalled the accused rapist testifying that she said, “No” during her assault and that his witness said, “He had no reason to believe the assault didn’t occur.” CW’s witness allegedly overheard the suspect say, “I guess I raped her.”

She criticized the school for pressuring her not to speak with journalists about the complaint. JMU’s student paper and Inside Higher Ed both wrote about her ordeal in April.

Since filing the complaint, CW said she has quit her job at the university and dropped a course that she potentially would have shared with her attacker.

“I just want to be physically away from my rapist,” she wrote.

RVA Magazine made several attempts to contact JMU’s Office of Student Accountability last Wednesday, who did not respond to inquiries by press time. 

Braxton Congrove Merges Crafts And Performance To Create Unsettling, Memorable Narratives

Marilyn Drew Necci | August 8, 2014

Topics: Braxton Congrove, Harrisonburg, JMU, performance, sculpture, VMFA fellowship award, VMFA fellowship grant

A huge, brightly colored creature resembling a jellyfish walks up a beach. A large purple monster vomits endless strands of yarn from what seems to be its mouth. An elephantine, faceless being interrogates a statue. These are the sorts of images you will see in Braxton Congrove‘s art, which the artist intends to be “both a performance and a sculpture.”
[Read more…] about Braxton Congrove Merges Crafts And Performance To Create Unsettling, Memorable Narratives

MACRoCk Is Still Awesome, And It’s Happening In Harrisonburg In Three Weeks

Marilyn Drew Necci | March 13, 2014

Topics: Amanda X, Big Ups, Boogarins, Diarrhea Planet, Disco Doom, Ex Hex, Ex-Cult, Grass Is Green, Harrisonburg, Iron Reagan, JMU, LVL UP, MACRoCk, music, music festivals, Ovlov, PC Worship, Skating Polly, The Diamond Center, virginia, Yautja

MACRoCk (The Mid Atlantic College Radio Conference), happens this year on April 4 and 5 in Harrisonburg, VA.
[Read more…] about MACRoCk Is Still Awesome, And It’s Happening In Harrisonburg In Three Weeks

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