A MAN has revealed he dropped out of university to pursue his childhood passion and has since turned it into a business with a turnover of £256,000 a year.
Justis Pitt-Goodson, 26, started making his own clothes at age 13, when one of his teachers gave him a sewing machine.
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He started out making bow ties and although he now thinks his sewing skills were “terrible”, he was hugely encouraged by his family and friends.
“That kind of encouragement was crucial,” he told CNBC.
Justis continued sewing throughout school and while attending Rutgers University in New Jersey, he founded his company BrownMill Clothing with his friends Kwaku and Taha.
BrownMill makes bespoke clothing and streetwear and now earns £256,000 a year.
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After two years he decided to quit his studies and built up his business, while working part-time as a copywriter.
After being laid off, he decided to focus on BrownMill full-time, using his family’s home in New Jersey as his headquarters.
As the business began to grow, Justis and his friends decided to raise money by offering a subscription service.
They realised that some people were buying 12 items a year from their company and so offered annual subscriptions of £150, £400 and £800 to loyal customers.
“A lot of people were involved because, like I said, they were already spending that money with us,” he said.
“And because we had all the money at once, we were able to activate that capital and invest in machinery and other things that were essential to our growth.”
In 2021, the three friends opened BrownMills’ first store in Newark, New Jersey.
In addition to making new items, the company also reuses old clothing.
“Whether it’s turning shorts into jeans, or jeans into shorts, we love to get funky,” Justis says.
Justis says that every day in his shop is different and that is why it is never boring.
How to start your own business?
Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis revealed his tips for budding entrepreneurs:
- One of the biggest barriers that aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners face is a lack of self-confidence. You have to believe in your idea — and more than that, be the one to bore your friends to death with it.
- Never be afraid to make decisions. Once you have an idea, the confidence to make decisions 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 act on it if you can. If you can’t, find someone else who can.
- It’s okay not to get it right the first time. My experience of making bad decisions has helped build my confidence and made me who I am today.
- Never underestimate the power of social media and remember that the internet is an equal opportunity for small businesses.
- Don’t forget to dream. A machine can’t do that!
“I do a little bit of everything every day, and I’m grateful for that,” he said.
BrownMill’s popularity continues 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 who have the same aspirations.”
Justis wants his company to continue to grow, but he doesn’t want it to become too big, because it will lose its ‘coolness’.
“Within five years, I definitely want to open another store, maybe two, in a growing black community,” he said.
He added that he thinks it is feasible for the company to make millions.
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