Bow-ties? Not exactly a revolutionary idea, but this was the business that one young, well-dressed boy decided to pursue. Growing up in Memphis, Moziah Bridges always had a love of fashion. Even at a young age Moziah, or “Mo,” could always be seen in a well-designed suit and bow-tie, a trait that he claims came from his Dad and grandpa, who were very dapper men themselves.

At age nine, Mo decided that he wanted to move beyond just dressing nice. He wanted to create his own fashion, specifically his own bow-ties, an article of clothing that he felt needed “spicing up.” So, with the help of his grandmother, Mo began sewing his own hand made bow-ties. He continued this venture with himself, his grandmother, and mother until the company reached roughly $55,000 in sales. Mo then decided that he wanted to take his business to the next level, so he and his mom went on Shark Tank expecting to raise some capital, but what they actually got was much greater. Mo and his mother were offered a cash deal by some of the sharks, but it was Daymond John’s deal that stood out the most. Daymond told Mo that he would not give the company any money, however he would offer Mo free mentorship to help the company reach new levels. Mo accepted this offer and received more benefits than any amount of capital would have provided.

Daymond helped Mo and his mother better understand the fashion business that they were in, and greatly expanded their capabilities. He helped them find a factory to help create the bowties to fill orders and he assisted Mo’s Bows expansion into Nieman Marcus, a clothing store which he claims is the “gold standard” of luxury clothing. This all happened by the time Mo Turned twelve.

Three years have gone by since this event, and Mo’s Bows is going stronger than ever. Mo recently acquired a contract with the NBA, a deal which will bring the company seven figures of income.

Mo’s Bows certainly has a bright future ahead of it, but Mo knows that all of this success was due to the high-quality mentorship that he has received throughout his young life. Articles in Business Insider and CBS have cited Mo in personal interviews, saying that he is very grateful for all the help that he has received. Whether it was the business guidance from his mother and Daymond, or his grandmother simply teaching him how to sew, this fifteen-year-old recognizes the value in having great mentors who know your field and want to see you grow. I believe that this is an important lesson that any successful entrepreneur has to learn. Mentors are extremely valuable and act as guides for you as you try and turn your idea into reality and perhaps avoid some of the pitfalls that they had to overcome.

Attached below is a link of Mo’s Shark Tank Update where he talks about how much Daymond’s mentorship has allowed his company to flourish.