Grow your network as much as possible and connect with like-minded individuals. Cut out everyone in your life holding you back or providing negativity to your life.
Sean Kelly is the President of Jersey Champs, one of the largest jersey companies in North America.
Where did the idea for Jersey Champs come from?
Jersey Champs was started in my college dorm room at Rutgers University with the goal of changing the jersey industry.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
Everyday is different for me. I have a daily to do list that carries over if the tasks are not completed. New tasks come up on the fly and are added daily. But in general, I will schedule social media posts for the day, answer emails and seek new partnerships with influencers and celebrities.
How do you bring ideas to life?
We have a team of 8 designers that create jersey mock ups and then we produce the jerseys in our factory and ship them to the customers from there.
What’s one trend that excites you?
eSports excites me heavily and I can’t wait to enter into the jersey market for eSports.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I don’t drink or smoke like most kids my age. I value my time heavily and don’t pursue anything that will waste it.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Outsource the tedious work such as product fulfillment, customer service and graphic design as soon as possible. Don’t try to do everything at once!
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Brands have much more long term value then a dropshipping store with the same amount of sales. Good luck selling your dropshipping store in 3 years when Facebook Ads stop providing such cheap conversions. Brands will generate sales without any paid advertising.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Network. Grow your network as much as possible and connect with like-minded individuals. Cut out everyone in your life holding you back or providing negativity to your life.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
Reaching out to influencers via Instagram Direct message has provided us a multitude of photos and provided brand credibility. We have grown Jersey Champs to the point of celebrities knowing about us.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
One of my biggest failures was not preparing for Black Friday adequately in 2017. We did not have enough inventory and failed to meet Christmas deadlines. We lost a ton of money in refunds and chargebacks and it was a mess.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
People like custom items. I make custom jerseys and I have friends who do custom socks and phone cases that are absolutely killing it. Find a market that can offer personalized items that not many other people are selling. Create a new industry if possible.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Instagram shoutouts. These always provide a great ROI and a number of followers if executed correctly.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Google Trends always keeps me updated on what’s trending. Watch Count shows the top watched products on eBay. Unicorn Smasher provides the monthly revenue of Amazon products.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
“Crushing It” by Gary Vaynerchuk. I had zero focus on building my personal brand out before reading this book. Now I devote a fair share of time towards growing it.
What is your favorite quote?
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” Colin Powell
Key learnings:
- Grow your Instagram
- Outsource all the tedious tasks to focus on the important parts of the business such as marketing and partnerships
- Utilize influencer marketing
- Stay on top of trends
- Build your network
Connect:
Sean kelly on Facebook:
Sean kelly on Facebook(official):
Sean kelly on Linkedin:
Sean kelly on Instagram:
Carlyn runs the day-to-day publishing operation here at ideamensch and interacts with our awesome customers and entrepreneurs. She is likely editing this with a cat on her lap.