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youngmogul

Wharton freshman Jordan Williams co-founded clothing line while still in high school in Atlanta. | Courtesy of Lily McGrevor Photography

At the mere age of 18, Wharton freshman Jordan Williams and Georgetown freshman Brandon Iverson already have experience running multiple businesses together — and a clothing line that promotes entrepreneurship is just their latest.

The pair wanted to not only create an affordable, urban clothing line, but also a movement with a positive message about entrepreneurship. This mission inspired the name of their brand: Young Moguls.

“A young mogul mindset [is] someone that’s really focused on their goals and has the courage to take initiative, get involved and be successful,” Williams said. “We’re trying to not make it just from a business standpoint, but whatever their passion is, whether it’s music or writing, we want them to be try and be a mogul.”

Williams and Iverson founded the brand three years ago for their friends in their hometown of Atlanta. Since then, the business has grown and receives orders from around the world. Today, it’s a registered brand with a trademark, and it receives money from online orders and donations from media outlets like the “Steve Harvey Show.”

“With our clothing line, we’ve been able to inspire so many young entrepreneurs now to start their own companies and know that they can turn their dreams into a reality, and that’s just really gratifying,” Iverson said.

Customers sport the look for a variety of different reasons, including the message, the style and the quality.

“It’s the authenticity of the brand,” Wharton freshman Kemonte Harrington added. “I like the idea that it was founded by a young, black person. I just like the idea of starting a business at a young age and making it prosperous.”

The brand’s aesthetic also appeals to young people, especially casual dressers.

“The brand is like more urban streetwear but also trendy at the same time,” College freshman Josh Tulanda said. “It’s not too out-there, but it’s definitely meant to turn heads.”

Even though they attend different universities, Williams and Iverson set aside time almost every day for Skype meetings. They are working towards building a larger customer base and following on social media as well as closing deals with small boutiques to get their clothes in physical locations.

Their interest in entrepreneurship was sparked at a young age as they attended their parents’ business meetings. At age 10, Williams and Iverson started their first business called Kids Toys Inc., where they sold old toys and games online, navigating the world of e-commerce together. When they were 13, they created Making Money Teens, an educational company with books and CDs geared towards explaining business topics to a younger audience, they said.

While Making Money Teens gave Williams and Iverson the platform to speak on entrepreneurship, they desired a more innovative outlet, which ultimately led them to create a clothing brand.

“We wanted to promote the same message but in a way that was more appealing to people in our generation, and we felt that since fashion is so big, especially in people our age, a clothing line would be a good way to start this movement,” Williams said.

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