- jjcapparelandco
- 2 min read
Carter Mastovich - Founder
The Humble Beginnings
I started small, real small. High school football games and school events were my marketplace. Armed with just an iron, an ironing board, a printer, and some print press vinyl, I was in business. It was a long process, but I didn't mind. Start to finish, a made shirt would take roughly 3 minutes. If you know me, I am all about efficiency. It wasn’t long until I bet on myself and upgraded to a proper printing press. The result? A process that went from minutes to under a minute. Now, that's efficiency!
As the year progressed, orders began to pour in. Homecoming weekend was a game-changer—70+ shirts sold. But as the school year went on with events lessening and the cold coming, sales dwindled. I worked on school, setting my sights on college. That's where the magic happened. That's where JJC was born.
The Fordham Connection
At Fordham, I met Johann and Joseph, two like-minded individuals who shared my vision. Could I have gone solo? Sure. But life's about more than just profits; it's about building lasting relationships. We jumped in, and despite the ups and downs of freshman year in the Big Apple, JJC was profitable, shattering my high school numbers.
As always, school comes first. Whether that was in sports or now in our business, we focused on school and excelled. Going into the end of the year, JJC took a break focusing on finals and eventual long awaited summer.
The Pivot
Here's where things get interesting. After brainstorming with my dad, it hit me: small businesses want quality company-branded merchandise at a competitive price. I knew we could deliver for those companies. So, we pivoted. Now, we're all about giving small businesses quality, handmade apparel at prices that make sense. We’ll still create personalized merch for events like we have from our inception though too.
The Team and The Future
We've grown, adding two more friends to our core team, each bringing unique skills to the table. We're excited about what's ahead and the lasting relationships we're building with our clients.
The Core Message
Whether it was back in high school or now at Fordham University, one thing remains constant: our commitment to quality.
Quality Threads, Student-Led. That's JJC.