If you think starting a business is an easy thing, think again. New entrepreneurs are constantly popping up, with a new idea or scheme becoming available almost instantaneously, largely thanks to the internet. Zac Sheaffer of Zamage Clothing, knows that it takes true grit to start a business.
Why and how? Zac is the head of Zamage Clothing, the brick-and-mortar and online store that sells street, hip-hop, and gym inspired clothing. For nearly fifteen years, they have partnered with New Era Cap Co, offering products like New Era MLB, NBA, NFL, & NHL hats. He has advertised on websites like ThisIs50.com as part of a marketing strategy, and has seen clothes from the store on radio presenter and television personality, Charlamagne Tha God, basketball player Mikey Williams, wrestler and musician Lio Rush and music producer DJ Envy.
Zac knows a thing or two about starting a business. Here’s what he has to say about getting started, and some of the highs and lows of building your own business.
Think Long Term
Zac was working jobs as a teenager, and started paying rent for a tiny 500 sq.-foot space to sell out of, just at the age of twenty. He drove to Philadelphia from Lancaster, PA once a week to outfit his store. He did this for four years. That’s key – he didn’t give up. Nor did he give up when it came to New Era Caps Co. He called them every single month for a year, hearing no when asking about a contract. But finally, he got a yes, and the partnership. This long term mentality was especially true during the 2008 recession – which is especially valid right now. Zac says: (When starting) “my business I never looked at any big retailers and thought I would never survive because of them. I always had the David versus Goliath mentality. It made me want to get up, and every time I got in front of my computer it’s like my fighter jet to chisel out a big piece of this market not only for my team, but for the satisfaction of our customers to bring them the best products at the best price.”
Keep Up To Date
Zac says it’s important to love what you do, because when you do it’s your passion. When your business is your passion, keeping up to date and staying with what’s current in terms of product trends and marketing techniques is something that doesn’t even feel like work. And it pays off, as keeping up to date keeps you one step ahead of your competitors, and offers the latest products to your customers. Zac knows that the fashion industry, and business in general, is ever evolving. One of the ways to keep up to date is attending business conventions, which has it’s other perks as well. He says “one great thing about business is that there’s always conventions and give you the opportunity to travel to places like Atlanta, Las Vegas, Arizona, all over the country sometimes even the world and it’s such a great thing because not only are you staying on top of what’s going on but you’re also to able to explore all these places and of course when you go there you have to check out the nightlife and just sometimes sit back and reflect on where you came from where you are and where you are going.”
If you want to keep up with Zac and Zamage clothing, check out the Zamage Instagram account.