Screen Shot: Full Circle Clothing

City Based: Duluth, Minnesota

What inspired the brand name?

Everything comes Full Circle, we took that as an inspiration for the brand and built on it. Our designs are inspired by outdoor adventures and nature. The sun is a happy thing and our goal is to make people happy.

At what moment did you realize you wanted to start a brand?

I've always known I wanted to do something creative, time-consuming and fun. I started with a bunch of different ideas for business but nothing seemed like something I would like. I talked to a couple friends who had the idea to start Full Circle Clothing, they never started it and I liked the name and vibe and I started it January 1st, 2017. I started it because it's struck a chord with me. At the time I was depressed and needed an outlet to stay busy. Seeing someone wear Full Circle and be happy is the best feeling in the world.

What helps you get over creative blocks?

The best one for me is talking. Getting feedback and ideas. The trick is to talk to someone who will totally forget they know you and your brand and give valuable feedback and ideas. This is tricky though. They could give bad ideas or just be wrong. Once you find someone, you'll know. Another thing that helps me is making sure I get good sleep, not be hungover and drink water. It's simple but true. If I don't sleep well, I'm off. I'm sure this is different for everyone but I found what works for me. Also coffee is a must. I use Trello to make sure I have all my ideas and thoughts organized.

What is the biggest mistake you have made?

Listening to everyone. Everyone has different tastes and styles. I tried to start with designs that I thought everyone would like. I realized that's a bad way to go about it. Like I said above, find someone or a group of people to give you honest feedback. That's one of the best ways you'll grow. I'm not saying don't listen to your customers but always be on the lookout for ways to improve. I'm always going to improve, learn and grow. Another big mistake is hiring the wrong designer. I spent $500 on a logo that was terrible and had nothing to do with my brand or my vision or what I wanted. My mistake in that situation was working with someone who didn't understand the vision and it's up to me to make sure all the bases are covered. They were not.

What is the biggest success you have had?

I'm a huge fan of Garyvee. I reached out to someone on his team and they wanted some shirts for their Vaynersports athletes. I couldn't afford the down payment they wanted but they said they loved the designs. So that was huge for me. I reached out to Zumiez, they responded saying they liked my Sun Mountain hat. We weren't able to work together. I had a booth at Soundset Music Festival which was incredibly fun. Lots of success there. Honestly the biggest success for me in just being able to have the brand. I know it sounds corny but it's true. I'm extremely happy with what it is so far and I can't wait to see what's going on in 10-20 years.