Guys, do you wear bowties? Why or why not?  Moziah Bridges, as a nine-year-old, created a company geared towards men’s fashion, specifically in creating handcrafted and intentional bowties for males.  From old scrap materials that his grandmother supplied, Mo was able to practice his sewing skills in order to develop his company.   Once his business began to boom and his revenue increased, he began to hire tailors that could tackle the production of the bowties, while Mo focused more heavily on the designs and creativity.

Ultimately, Mo’s Bows gained so much traction, that he appeared on Shark Tank, ultimately gaining visibility and advice for running his business. His company sold nearly one million dollars’ worth of handmade bowties and additional accessories.  Fun Fact, he designed a personal bowtie for President Barack Obama!  Now, his Bowties have reached such a status, that they are now sold in many noteworthy brands such as, Bloomingdale’s.  He has also broadened his PR by creating a line of Bowties for MBA players as well.  This is a prime example of a niche market being explores and doing so in such a strategic and effective way.  Men’s fashion has undoubtably evolved over the years, bowties being a trend that has somewhat faded.  This company has for sure brought them back and style and has done so in such a unique and impressive way.

Mandy Person started a personal training business as a single mother.  She would travel over an hour away, with her son, to client’s houses to train them.  However, as time passed and she was able to acquire additional clients, she was able to save for equipment and build a fully functioning gym in her basement, where she now trains 3-5 clients a day, for one hour each.

Person stands to be an inspiration to mother’s who may be struggling to make ends meet or have dreams they are trying to chase while also raising children.  Being persistent and having the willingness to work hard can really go a long way.  Not only was Mandy able to reach her goal of having a personal training business from within her home, but her dream was something that helps others to better themselves.  She was willing to sacrifice time and energy with her child, in order to travel to another’s home.  In order to save up enough money, to welcome people into her home, to train and assist in them being better versions of themselves.

As I have learned to love the gym and being active in sports, this was extremely inspiring to me.  Working hard comes with a lot of hidden sacrifices, especially for mothers who hold great responsibility.  This example holds great meaning and encouragement to many people who face challenges in starting up a business.