Archive for Socks

Blog Post 6 – Are you Kidding

In a world full of innovation and entrepreneurs, young business owners are everywhere, though businesses operated by young kids that achieve a certain level of success are a bit fewer and further between. Well, here is a story of one such business, called Are You Kidding:

It all started when two brothers, Brandon and Sebastian Martinez from Miami Florida decided to turn their passion for socks into a business. When they were little, the brothers grew up loving socks and making their own fun designs, so when their mom one day asked them about making their very own sock business, they did not hesitate to get things running! Sebastian immediately started creating design ideas for their socks, and the brothers began planning logistics to get the party started.

With help from their mom Rachel, the Martinez brothers soon began designing and manufacturing their socks through a company in Guatemala. They began shipping products to their house, but soon moved to a warehouse to better accommodate their extensive inventory in 2014. That was when the new sock company Are You Kidding was born.

Are You Kidding stands out in more ways than just one. Besides the fact that it was operated by young kids, the sock company also gives back to the community by donating 30% of each sale of charity stock to various charities they support, such as Special Olympics, Big Brother Big Sister, Make A Wish Foundation, and Live Like Bella.

The brother owned company also established the Kids Helping Kids Initiative which enabled them to partner with schools to provide tools, socks, and hosting fundraisers for charities affiliated with each school.

Are You Kidding had a humble start, making $15,000 in sales the first year, but soon rocketed to $150,000 the next year, $250,000 the following year, and over $500,000 the year after that. With such a study growth rate, the Martinez brothers can look forward to a promising future in the sock industry.

Are you Kidding Socks

In 2014 two brothers started the company Are you kidding. The two brothers were interested in helping others so by starting their own business, they are able to fulfill this goal. Brandon and Sebastian Martinez were fifteen and thirteen years old when they first started their business. The two started designing and drawing their own sock designs at home but have eventually made the upgrade to sell their unique socks on their online store. Their socks feature designs such as race cars, rocket ships and googly eyes. The price of each pair of socks costs ten dollars. In order to stay successful they took roles. Brandon became the director of sales while Sebastian is CEO. They were able to make $15,000 selling their specialty socks in their first year of business. By the second year, they claim that “We have been able to already reach the $15,000 that we made last year and are on track to double and hopefully triple our sales this year.” Instead of just keeping all the profits, they wanted to give back to the community. The company “teamed up with organizations like the American Cancer Society and the Live Like Bella Foundation last year to raise more than $3,000 for cancer awareness. In April, the company partnered with The Hue Studio and donated 25 percent of all proceeds from its “Eye See You” sock sales to Discovery Arts, a charitable organization that brings art programs to children with serious illnesses.” The brand kept growing and partnered with major organizations such as  Live Like Bella, JDRF, Make-A-Wish, Cowboys Who Care and the Special Olympics. 

These two young entrepreneurs inspired me because they were able to make a big impact at such a young age. They had a vision and were able to achieve it so I would describe them at very innovative. They continue to make new designs and always want to improve.

Jenni Lee – Comme Si

Comme Si – Luxury Socks

In business as in fashion, attention to detail separates the good from the great—and if anyone understands the value of sweating the small stuff, it’s Jenni Lee. Jenni Lee is a young entrepreneur who created the company Comme Si, which makes luxury Italian-made socks that are made to feel as good as they look. Lee’s vision for her company was to make socks that would be a functional luxury piece in your wardrobe. She says, “As a woman who cares about every aspect of my wardrobe, I wanted socks to reflect what I look for in other fine accessories – designed well, made well, substantive”. I think this is a great and very innovative idea for an area where there is not much change. Lee says, “For me, this process is about reinvention; taking a common idea or concept, like wearing socks, and finding ways to infuse a fresh perspective through creativity, originality, utility, and nuance.” This shows great entrepreneurial traits and mindset. Wearing luxury socks goes beyond letting your toes live in luxe fabrics. It is for your own personal feeling. It can also be something that you wear to signal your considered aesthetic to others. Socks may be small, but they really do contribute to an outfit’s composition.

Sofi Overton – Wise Pocket

Have you ever found yourself wearing socks or leggings and wishing there were pockets? Sofi Overton, who founded the company Wise Pocket at the age of 11 saw this problem and the need for a solution. Sofi’s inspiration came when she saw her cousin put her phone in her boot because her leggings had no pockets. She got to work and created a sock with a pocket capable of securely holding a phone. Some of Sofi’s inspiration was that “There are lots of active kids like me that need a safe and stylish way to not only store phones but other important items like epi-pens or inhalers!”

I personally think this is a great product because I often find myself wearing clothes without pockets and in need of somewhere to put my phone/wallet. I think that Sofi’s idea is very innovative in a market where you may think there are very limited possibilities for new ideas. The wise sock is the perfect sock for active kids and any demographic with storage needs, because there is always always a safe and secure place to hold your phone, wallet, keys, or whatever else you need close. I would definitely invest in this product!

Are You Kidding

Two brothers, Brandon and Sebastian Martinez, created a company called Are You Kidding Socks. The brothers are from West Kendall, Florida, which is a small town located near Miami. At the time the article was written, Brandon was 13 years old and Sebastian was 11 years old. The idea originated when Sebastian was 5 years old. His mother noticed that he had an adoration for socks and asked him if he wanted to create his own. Sebastian instantly began creating layouts with crayons. Within a year, Sebastian’s layouts were developed onto real socks and the stock started to sell rapidly. Since 2014, the charitable division for Are You Kidding Socks, Are You Kidding Cares, has given away socks to children who are homeless, in foster homes, or impacted by natural disasters. They have also collaborated with many organizations including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), Autism Speaks, Make-a-Wish, and the American Cancer Society. Brandon and Sebastian partnered with Enrique Santos, a Hispanic radio producer and the chairman of iHeartLatino, to start the Are You Kidding podcast, which was the first iHeartRadio podcast to be presented by kids. Its goal was to encourage children to help other children by identifying innovative ways to be charitable. The podcast lasted about one month, running from August 2019 to September 2019. There were some appearances from celebrities and on-air personalities such as John Leguizamo and Elvis Duran. As of the date the article was written, Brandon and Sebastian have sold over 100,000 pairs of socks through their company. They have raised approximately $200,000, which is all devoted to organizations that assist kids in need. The brothers are seeking to grow their company all across the country by teaming up with more organizations. Brandon has said that him and Sebastian want to start an apparel line that includes hats, shirts, and sweaters. These two brothers have proved that you are never too young to start your own company. They can be seen as an inspiration to many people, especially those who are young, who are thinking about starting a company.

https://lmgfl.com/are-you-kidding-socks/

Sofi Overton – Founder of Wise Pocket

New Kids on the Block: Wise Pocket ProductsSofia had first found the inspiration for her company when she had witnessed her older cousin put her phone in her boot because she didn’t have any pockets in her leggings to hold it. Since her cousin was older and was an influence to Sofia, she decided she would follow her footsteps and try it out too. As you would imagine it was very uncomfortable. Ever since that day when Sofia was only 11 years old, she has wanted to make life easier for active kids and better for kids in need.

 

Sofia had made her first prototype by adding a pocket at the top of a sock, one that would be big enough to place a phone in. The idea was working great and her customers were loving the product, but Sofia was not going to stop there. She has also now created leggings of her own that have pockets large enough to hold your smartphone. Her goal for this product was actually not to only hold your smart phone, it can also be for younger children Shark Tank Season 11 Episode 10- Everything about Wise Pocket Socks and  Leggings as seen on Shark Tank! Unknown Facts - TheNewsCrunchto be able to hold their epi-pen or inhalers. In todays day and age where there is a large part of the population that have a multitude of allergies that can be a matter of life or death if they come in contact with their allergen.

 

Sofia’s company also gives back to the many homeless kids in the area. When you purchase a sock from Wise Pocket the give a new pair of socks to a kid in need. As Sofia states in the About section of her companies website, “Wise Pocket Products believes that if you make sure a child has warm feet they will always have a warm heart knowing that their community cares for them. So be WISE like my logo says and buy our products! After all, Warm Feet = Warm Heart!”

Brandon and Sebastian Martinez – Founders of Are You Kidding

“You’re never too old or too young to start a business… you can be 7 or 70.”
– Sebastian Martinez, the 13 year old CEO. 

“If we’re not learning to give back then what are we really doing for the world.”
– Brandon Martinez, the 15 year old Director of Sales 

#KIDSHELPINGKIDS

These young entrepreneurs have been able to live out their passion of designing and selling their own line of fun and funky sock that are able to benefit others throughout the world with the proceeds. Brandon and Sebastian have a “Kids Helping Kids” initiative that they are very passionate because they are able to give back to their community and give other kids a chance at enjoying their lives too.

They have a wide variety of socks for you to choose from, you could choose one of the design that is non-specific to a charity or they also have designs that they have made to reflect a multitude of their charity collections. Also, they have created a way for you to make a custom pair of socks for your own charity or foundation, all you have to do is email them to start the consultation phase. This a fun way of giving to different foundations because you aren’t just giving them a donation, you are also promoting their foundation and spreading what they do by just buying and wearing a pair of socks. In my own personal experience with this company, you feel a sense of connection with them because you both share a passion of helping others in a fun way. 

 

Are you kidding has a wide variety of local and national charities such as Stand Up To Cancer, Make-a-Wish, Amigos for Kids, Autism Speaks and many others. The boys wanted to have a fun and unique way to give back to their community that someone would remember, and I think they have done a great job at that.

Are you Kidding Socks About Us Video

Are You Kidding- Martinez Brothers

In 2014, two brothers, Brandon and Sebastian Martinez, started their family business called Are You Kidding. Brandon was 14 at the time and has been the director of sales. Sebastian was 12 and is the CEO of the company, and their mom is the president. They turned their passion of socks into a company. Sebastian loved socks and was asked by their mom if they wanted to start a business. The two brothers started unique and creative socks to sell. They wanted to stand out from other sock companies and did so by giving back and making a difference. Their socks raise awareness for charities such as Autism Speak, Stand Up To Cancer, JDRF, Make-a-Wish, and more. They also partnered with schools to help other charities. The two brothers have designed socks for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Be a Hero and Save Lives, American Cancer Society, and many more. They have donated over $300,000 to charities and incorporated a new way for their customers to learn more about the charities they donate to. On each tag, the customer can scan the tag and a video will play, giving information about the charity.

They have appeared on Good Morning America’s Shark Tank Your Life: Kid-Preneurs Edition and pitch their company to Daymond John, an inventor on Shark Tank. Since starting their company and making appearances on GMA and podcasts, they have expanded their business. At first, they focused only on socks because that was their passion but they wanted to expand and build their family business. Currently, they sell long sleeves, t-shirts and socks. On their website, they have a charity collection tab with a pair of socks that are hand drawn for each specific charity. They also have fundraisers to sign up for or by socks for. Their plans for the future include finding retail partners and making hats, shoes, and more apparel.

Building a business is a good lesson for kids. It teaches them how to start, run, and grow a business. Running a business is not easy and it takes lots of time and effort to make it run successfully. Businesses should also be about following your passion. Sebastian said it best. “If you don’t start with your passion, you’re never going to continue the business.”

https://areyoukiddingsocks.com/pages/our-story

https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/337852

 

Pocket’s Get Wise – Sofia Overton

In this current age of technology and social-consciousness we see a new demand among children and adults of generation z wanting to make a positive social impact in some way with every purchase they make. Whether it is being environmentally sustainable, supporting a cause, or donating to a mission, every purchase needs to mean something. As a young person, Sofia Overton saw a vacancy in the market, along with a pain people were feeling within her own community. Sofia was only eleven years old when she started her company called Wise Pocket Products.Her goal was to make life a bit easier for active children, just like herself. One day she observed her cousin put her phone into her boot because the  leggings she was wearing were not conducive to storing cell phones. Not having a pocket to put your phone in is always a struggle so she framed this as a problem and grew determined to solve it. Gears began to turn and she soon went to work on a pocket that would be located towards the top part of the sock that was the right size and secure enough to effectively hold any cell phone comfortably. It was then that the Wise Pocket design was conceived and she went to work manufacturing and marketing her product. Though it was the cell phone that Sofia designed the pocket for, she quickly found that since her target market was primarily active kids, that both inhalers and epi-pens could also be safely and securely carried in the Wise Pocket.

She did not stop innovating at the sock-pocket technology, but has also innovated her unique Wise Pocket design into leggings to solve the original problem that her cousin faced.

Though safety, security, and style are the themes of Wise Pocket Products, Sofia has made redemption a major factor of her company. She found that in her school district alone, there are six-hundred and twenty seven homeless children. This saddened her so much that she, once again, innovated a solution to fix this deprivation in her community. For every pair of socks sold, the buyer makes a small positive impact in the life of a child in need. Sofia makes sure that with each purchase of a pair of Wise Pocket Socks that the Wise Movement is serving those suffering homelessness and need across the globe. She truly believes that warm feet equal warm hearts, and every child shall experience that. As a young entrepreneur, Sofia saw a problem, framed it out, implemented redemptive qualities, innovated a solution, marketed the solution, generated revenue, and to this day continues to bring warm feet and warm hearts to children in need. She continues to fight for those suffering homelessness while supporting herself with her own God-given entrepreneurial spirit.

Visit https://wisepocketproducts.com/ for more information!

Sofia Overton – Success In Her Pockets

New Kids on the Block: Wise Pocket Products

At age 11, Sofia Overton started her company Wise Pocket Products because she wanted to help children who are active as well as those who are in need. She realized there was a lack of pocket space when she saw her cousin put her phone in her sock. After trying this for herself, she spotted the inefficiency of this method and wanted to fix this problem. She decided to make socks with pockets in them. After finding success with this product, she has decided to expand her business to sell leggings as well.

Overton, recognizing there are millions of children in need, wanted the core of her business’ mission to help children. For every pair of socks sold by Wise Pocket Products, a pair is donated to children in need. “Wise Pocket Products believes that if you make sure a child has warm feet they will always have a warm heart knowing that their community cares for them.” (Overton)

Overton saw the problems of lack of pocket space and also children who were in need. She fixed both of these issues with one solution. Overton is not only making a profit but is also giving people an opportunity to make a difference in their communities. For these reasons, it is clear to see her entrepreneurial gifts.

To learn more about Wise Pocket Products visit: https://wisepocketproducts.com/