• Brand Identity and Message. Witty t-shirts just don’t cut it. Why are you doing what you are doing? What’s the message you want people to walk away with. Hanging out at the local bodega isn’t enough. People need a reason to buy into your shit.
• Evaluate the playing field. I don’t think any street wear label does this cause they all seem to do the same thing. If a competitor is doing it…DON’T DO IT. Blaze your own path. Sure some might argue, “we can make money off this trend”. Sure you can but your brand has now got an expiration date and the only respect you are going to get is from some wack mag or website for a hot second. Elevate your game kids
• Make a 5 year plan. Do you think guns, graf and hip-hop slogan t’s are going to be cool in 5 years? Better start planning growth and set goals. Shit, Ralph Lauren started making ties and now look at that dude, mad money and an extensive BRAND.
• Biz-ness Plan. How many street wear labels have a biz-ness plan? I’m going to say…none. This is almost the same as the 5 year plan but the biz plan analyzes competition, size of the market and what the potential of your biz has. This also helps lock down potential investors (if you last more than 2 seasons) and get bank loans if you decide to expand from t’s and New Era hats.
• SAY NO. Some times it’s good to say no. I know plenty of brands that built their strength cause of their ability to say no. You actually look stronger and cooler when you limit your exposure and cut back on pointless collabs. Every move is a chess move, so start thinking like that.
• Surround yourself with leaders not followers. Any successful brand is successful because of the people, period. Trim the fat and bring people in that you know are going to get results. Who gives a f#ck if they are popular with the cool kids or they are at every bar that’s hot. To me, that means they rather party than hustle. The dudes I know that acutally are successful aren’t the most popular with the cool kids but they make 3 times as much in salary. We know how street labels like to front like they have money. The real hustlers don’t show it off, they are to busy moving onto the next thing. So in short, don’t look at the local bar to find your biz partner. Get the dude that works 24 hrs a day and enjoys the hustle. F#ck the cool kids, get the hustle kids

If you read this far that means you are sort of into what I’m saying. If you own or manage a biz read this book, “Winning” by Jack Welch. Ya, it’s some corpo bullshit but it’s a good book if you are serious about your biz. Read it and adjust it to fit your needs.

Here’s a list of things I want you to stop doing cause it lacks credibility, originality and most of all substance. Also I threw in some suggestions to tighten up that game of yours:

• No more graphics referencing the following: Sopranos, Scarface, Biggie, Godfather, Guns, Wu-Tang or catchy hip hop phrases
• Designing just t-shirts doesn’t make you a brand, it makes you a t-shirt label. Expand the offering and bring some thing new that hasn’t been done in your field.
• No more military jackets
• No more references to Nike Dunks or AF1s
• No more limited anything. It’s obviously limited cause it’s not sold in Target
• No more Morrisey references
• Limit the skull graphics. Skulls are cool but let’s see if we can think “outside of the box”. Leave the skulls to skateboarding and heavy metal (throw them a bone..get it?)
• Try to do some thing that Supreme NYC and Stussy hasn’t done in the last 10 years.
• If you are going to sell your t’s for over $40 make sure it’s a custom body and remove the American Apparel label for christs sake. We know those t’s cost $6
• If you get interviewed and they take your picture please don’t hide your face. If you want to hide your face…don’t take the picture cause you look like an idiot. I’m just saying guy, relax
• No more photos where you pose with expensive wines or with “hardcore” poses, it looks ridiculous. Leave those poses to the gang bangers and hip hop acts
• Most of all no more cloning. I can’t tell any of you apart. It all belnds together.

Your’s truly,
A Friend of Ours