We recently connected with Eli Joseph and have shared our conversation below.

Eli , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I started my business when I was 16, but the idea really came together when I was about 15. I worked on it behind the scenes before officially launching right after I turned 16. The wild part? It blew up within the first month — way more than I ever expected.
One viral post changed everything, but the real game-changer was when I started selling embroidery hoodies a couple months in. That’s when I realized my audience seriously loved the quality and style I was offering.

My whole goal was to create something real — 100% cotton hoodies that actually feel premium. I noticed so many brands claim to sell “high-quality” hoodies but use cheap polyester blends. I wanted to offer something better, something authentic.

I’ve been grinding hard every single day — packing orders, running marketing, and building my brand while keeping up with school. I even started an ambassador program to create a community around Sunset Surf and grow with people who believe in what I’m doing.

On top of that, I’m now in two retail locations: Atlas stores at San Diego Mall UTC and LA Century City. My racks keep selling out multiple times — it’s honestly insane how hard it is to keep my stuff in stock there. The demand is crazy!

At just 16, I threw my first brand event, hosted a big influencer trip, and now I’m planning even bigger ones — one coming up in Miami and another in LA. I’m also planning to create pop-up events to connect with more people and bring the Sunset Surf vibe directly to new places.

To keep up with everything, I’m going to online school so I can juggle my influencer life, travel, and growing my business all at once.

Honestly, it’s been crazy fast, and I’ve had to learn a ton — taxes, legal stuff, finances — all in the first month. But I’m so grateful for the ride.

I knew this was worth it because I’m solving a problem I saw firsthand: people want real, high-quality hoodies that look fresh and feel authentic. That’s what got me excited from day one, and that passion is what keeps me going.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hey! I’m Eli, the 17-year-old founder of Sunset Surf, a lifestyle and apparel brand I started when I was just 16. I got into this world because I wanted to create clothing that feels real and high-quality — something I couldn’t find in a lot of other brands out there.
Most hoodies and streetwear brands claim to be premium, but so many use cheap materials like polyester blends that don’t last or feel good. I wanted to change that by offering 100% cotton, high-quality embroidered hoodies and apparel that people can actually trust to be comfortable, durable, and stylish.

What sets Sunset Surf apart is that everything is built from the ground up with authenticity and passion. I personally handle almost everything — from designing to packing orders, marketing, and even running ambassador programs to build a community around the brand. It’s not just about selling clothes; it’s about creating a lifestyle and a movement that connects with real people.

We’re now in two retail locations, Atlas stores in San Diego Mall UTC and LA Century City, and the demand has been incredible — my racks sell out multiple times, which is honestly insane. On top of that, I throw brand events and influencer trips to bring people together and hype the brand even more. I’m also planning pop-up events to get even closer to the community.

I balance all this with online school, so I can keep up with the business while traveling and managing my brand owner life. It’s a lot, but I’m super proud of how far Sunset Surf has come in such a short time.

What I want people to know about me and my brand is that we’re real, we’re passionate, and we’re focused on quality. I’m not just creating a brand — I’m building a lifestyle people want to be part of. Whether it’s through the hoodies, the events, or the community, Sunset Surf is all about bringing fresh energy and genuine connections to the fashion world.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

When I was around 14 and 15, I started doing social media brand deals for other companies. I made a lot of videos for their marketing — showing off their products and helping them connect with their audience. It was really cool to see how these brands worked with me and how I could use my creativity to help them.
That experience inspired me a lot. I started thinking, if other people my age were creating brands, why couldn’t I do the same? I got really curious about how to start my own clothing brand, so I dove deep — watching tons of YouTube videos, teaching myself everything I could about the business side, marketing, and how to actually make a product.

That’s how I put together the initial capital to start Sunset Surf. I used the money I earned from those brand deals and combined it with all the research I did to figure out how to launch and grow my own brand. It was all about combining creativity, hustle, and learning on the fly.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my brand’s presence on social media mostly by starting an ambassador program and creating a community that people actually wanted to be part of — the Sunset Surf fam. I didn’t just sell hoodies; I marketed the brand as something real and relatable. I’d say, “Hey, I’m 16, and this is the hoodie brand I created.” A lot of people connected with that — they thought it was cool that a young person was building something from scratch, so they wanted to follow my journey and support me.
Being authentic and sharing my story helped me create a loyal audience who wasn’t just buying clothes but also rooting for me as a brand owner. It’s been an amazing year, and I’m so grateful for the community we’ve built.

For anyone just starting out on social media, my biggest advice is to be real and create a space where people feel like they belong. Whether it’s an ambassador program or just sharing your journey honestly, building that connection is what grows your audience the most.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sunsetsurf.store
• Instagram: sunset.surfco
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sunset.surfco

Image Credits

Angela Ross Photography and BH Shootz