We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Devin Duncan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Devin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What can you share with us about the story behind how you found your key vendors?

When I think back on how I started, I realize my only goal was to have a product in my hand. Profit didn’t even cross my mind at first. I bought my first ebook during COVID and that is when I started taking things more seriously, but even then I was still moving fast without understanding the business side. If a tee cost me ten dollars to make, I would be completely fine selling it for eleven just so I could say I made something. I went through phases where inventory sat in bins for months. I had products that didn’t sell, events where no one stopped by my table, and moments where I lost money over and over again. I dealt with low-quality blanks, bad prints, and outsourcing decisions that left me with almost no margin at all. Even when I started caring about profit, the way I was producing things still didn’t make sense financially.

All of this taught me that rushing doesn’t build a brand. It only builds stress. Now that I am stepping into a new season with my fragrance line and preparing the second volume of my book, I am slowing down and giving myself room to grow the right way. I am focused on finding vendors I can trust and build with. I want my products to reflect quality, patience, and real intention. I am learning to create systems that make sense, not just products that exist. Every mistake taught me something, and now I am finally building from a place of clarity instead of survival.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started selling clothes back in 2018, and from day one, it was more than just putting products out. It was about shaping my own image and letting that story be seen by people across Mississippi and eventually beyond. Over the years, the brand became a reflection of my personal growth, my creativity, and the way I express myself through visuals, clothing, and marketing.

I got into my industry because I’ve always loved designing, storytelling, and the idea of building something from the ground up. It started with clothing, but I eventually realized that I do not just sell clothes. I sell brands. I sell identity. I sell images. And now I am turning that same creative energy toward myself as the brand. My goal is to expand all the businesses that can grow from my vision, including fashion, digital design, creative direction, and most recently, fragrance.

Fragrance is a market I have wanted to tap into for years. It is something I personally enjoy, and it feels like a natural next step for me creatively. The process has been a lot more complex than I expected, but I actually love that. In many ways it feels like I am starting over again, just like when I launched my first business right before my freshman year of college. Now I am a senior, and even though I do not know exactly where this new journey will take me, I have learned to trust that my ideas will grow further than I can imagine.

The products and creative work I offer range from apparel to branding services to social media visuals. I help people bring their ideas to life through design, marketing, and creative strategy. Many of my clients come to me because they have a vision but don’t know how to turn it into something real. I help solve that problem through branding, visuals, and products that feel intentional and professional.

What sets me apart is my process and my mindset. People see discipline and structure in the way I work, and I take pride in that. I pray for better discipline and a calmer mindset every day, but from the outside looking in, I know it shows. Sometimes even I am surprised by how quickly I can produce ideas and products. At the same time, I am a perfectionist. I don’t rush my releases. I’ve learned to honor the balance between speed and quality. I am blessed to have talents that allow me to shift between fashion, fragrance, content creation, and digital design, and I do my best to pour that talent into everything I create.

I am most proud of my growth. I have had moments where inventory sat for months, events with no interaction, orders that didn’t sell, profit loss, and lessons that humbled me. But through all of that, I kept building. I kept learning. I kept producing. And now I am entering a new chapter where I am slowing down, building real vendor relationships, and creating things with a level of intention I didn’t have before.

The main thing I want potential clients, supporters, and followers to know is that my work comes from a real place. Nothing is random. Nothing is copied. Everything is built from my story, my imagination, and the drive God gave me. I am evolving, and my brand is evolving with me. And even though I don’t know exactly where this new fragrance journey will lead, I know it is going to open doors I never expected. I am just getting started, again.

How did you build your audience on social media?

It took time for me to understand how to build an audience on social media, but the biggest thing I’ve learned is that you have to be real. I only buy products I can relate to, so when I create content I try to think the same way my customers would. People don’t just want a product, they want a connection. That’s what helped me grow my platform over the years. I showed my journey, the good moments and the frustrating ones, and people supported me because it felt honest.

I always tell people that just as much as you check social media, you should be promoting your business on it. Consistency is everything. If you’re posting the way you’re supposed to, there’s no way every person is going to like or comment on every post. You can’t expect that, and you can’t let it discourage you. Some videos find their audience months later. I’ve had posts do huge numbers a year after I uploaded them. So you can’t get caught up in views, even though I know that sounds corny. Just keep posting and take chances on the algorithm.

Another big lesson is learning how to monetize your interests. There is so much money on social media right now. When you create content around what you truly enjoy, people can feel that, and the income you make can be invested right back into your business. Something I’m working on now is running ads. For a long time my ego didn’t want to accept that, but the way platforms limit organic reach today, ads are almost required. It’s better to learn the system instead of fighting it. And as I continue to build my team, this will only get easier.

I’m also paying more attention to my long term digital footprint. We are in a generation where AI is becoming a part of everything. I’m still adjusting to it, but I know we have to adapt. Instead of trying to resist AI, I’m learning how my business can work with it, benefit from it, and contribute to the future of the digital world. Your content becomes your proof. Your footprint online is part of your brand’s foundation, and it matters more now than ever.

Through everything, I’m always praying for better discipline and a calmer mindset. People see structure in me even when I don’t always feel it, and I surprise myself with how quickly I can produce ideas. But because I’m a perfectionist, I don’t rush to release everything. I’ve been blessed with creativity that works across clothing, fragrance, design, and content, and social media is just another place where I get to express that.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think my reputation has grown because I’m always trying to improve every part of my brand. I focus on better marketing, better quality, expanding my products, and reaching new customers in new ways. But it’s not just the business side. How I carry myself plays a huge role in how people view my brand. That’s something a lot of young business owners don’t think about. Your name, your character, and your decisions follow your company everywhere.

In the past, I’ll be honest, I was a pushover. I accepted collaboration deals that didn’t align with my brand and gave discounts that made no sense. I did it because I didn’t want to disappoint people or because I didn’t yet understand the value of what I was building. It took time for me to realize how much that hurts a brand long term. Now I try my best to stand firm on my company policies no matter how I feel personally. I had to learn that respecting my brand means respecting myself.

Another thing that shaped my reputation is learning how to price correctly. My products aren’t expensive as they are, so I have to protect my margins. When I first started I barely made any profit, so there were definitely people who took advantage of that. As I grew, I had to build better systems and understand my value. That shift helped people take me and my brand more seriously.

We also build our reputation by being present. We show up at events in the community, interact with customers on social media, and let people know that they matter. I always tell my supporters that they contribute to this brand just as much as I do. We pour into our customers and make sure they feel valued and involved.

Overall, my reputation comes from my growth, my discipline, and my willingness to learn from every stage of my journey. I want my brand to feel strong, confident, and evolving, and I work every day to make sure it reflects that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.goatteez.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gtaplstudios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goatteezapparel/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpRCZvypnQM

Image Credits

@digitalmentality @etheraleyee @lanbogatti @sierravcase