No crazy rich parents. No warehouse waiting to be filled. No money in your pockets. No business classes. Schoolwork is getting spread across your desk. Yet you have the power to decide, to express how you feel, what you think, your ideas and intentions. But you are the one that has to make the first step. This is reality for one NHS freshman who recently began a clothing brand with his own thoughts and designs. This freshman is Nick Kelsey.
Kelsey’s clothing brand, “Genesis”, is something he’s dreamed of for years.
“I’ve wanted to start this clothing brand for a while,” Kelsey said. “I have a lot of ideas that you can’t really find in other places.”
Experts say the world of business is more accessible today than it’s ever been. Business teacher Lisa Heid believe that more attention has been shifted to the business sphere, and the youth is not excluded from this.
“It’s not uncommon to see younger people have an interest in business,” Heid said.
However, just having ideas isnt enough. According to Forbes magazine, roughly 92% of Americans have had a strong passion for starting a business but have given up before trying to turn that passion into reality.
“Having a plan for your business is important. If you want to own a business, you must have a vision,” Heid said. “A common reason businesses fail is due to a lack of goals.”
Similarly, 2024 studies conducted by Forbes magazine showed that while just over half of small business owners start when they’re 55 or older, only 6% start when they’re 34 and under. Yet Kelsey says he is an outlier to this rule, driven by beliefs he’s held his whole life.
“This brand has helped me be able to spread my faith in Christianity. My faith made these designs possible,” Kelsey said.
It wasn’t just Kelsey’s beliefs that fueled his passion to start his clothing brand, however. His friends, such as freshman Gerry Zink, had to give him a big push as a way to inspire him.
“Nick had talked about the brand for six months before he started it. He was hesitant at first, but I eventually talked him into it,” Zink said.
Ultimately, it was Kelsey’s vision that allowed him to successfully start the company. With the help of streetwear manufacturer TapStitch, Kelsey was ready to get started.
“I drew out the designs I had envisioned and sent them to a manufacturer,” Kelsey said. “Then I had to quality check the clothes before I could sell them. I get a lot of my resources from TapStitch.”
Naturally, Kelsey was hesitant about taking such a big step. Heid points out taking a step this big comes with many risks, especially for a high school student.
“Starting a business takes a lot of time, and balancing that with school work can be tricky,” Heid said.
Early on, a lot of these difficulties might feel overwhelming for a young entrepreneur. But as Kelsey kept going, solutions began to arise as often as the problems.
“Tracking orders and getting them to people on time has been harder than expected, but luckily a call to my manufacturer will usually solve things,” Kelsey said.
Of course, an entrepreneur can’t only focus on the negatives. According to Heid, keeping a positive attitude and understanding that progress isn’t linear is key to success. Kelsey says he opts to look at the progress when it comes to Genesis.
At Kelsey’s age, he feels there’s not much that can stop his goals for expansion within his company. He believes that his faith, paired with his passions for design and creation, are an indication that Genesis is just getting started.
“As happy as I am with the brand right now, I wish to expand even further as I get more orders,” Kelsey said. “The future of Genesis is bright.”
