We recently connected with Eric Cato and have shared our conversation below.

Eric, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

The name Blazers roots from the word trailblazer. To be a Blazer, you must be a leader, pioneer, 0r innovator. Our slogan is “Make Your Mark” because in life we all have a legacy to leave behind, As Blazers, we aim to inspire you to find that fire & ignite inspiration not only for yourself, but for all those who will follow the trail that you blaze.

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?

My name is Eric Cato. Most people call me E or Cato. I was born & raised in Miami Dade County, Florida. I’m an artist & a business man. Since a kid I’ve been into art, music & fashion. My family & friends influenced me to be creative. According to them I always had the fly fit and the fresh kicks. Miami is one of those places where we dress to impress, that’s the hip hop effect. I tap into all aspects of art as a designer/musician/ I can keep going all day but I’m here to highlight the Blazers brand and my passion for fashion.

In January 2021 Blazers was born. The name comes from the word trailblazer, Leaders, pioneers, innovators. That’s our purpose. We’re here to shake the art world. Contrast is the creative compass, Some of my ideas were so complex that manufacturers had a hard time understanding my vision. So what did I do? After a ton of research I invested into a heat press machine. No more asking or explaining, I took the wheel & literally do the arts & crafts from scratch. In the early stages, I remember wearing Blazers T shirts & people thought the designs were dope. I really started to notice the feedback was when more & more people were asking where I got the clothes from. Those moments, all the compliments & interest added fuel to the fire. That’s when I created a catalog, then built a website.

I view my designs as art pieces. I choose the best materials & produce the products, all in house. It’s a form of expression more than a business, I would do this for free. Everything is made with care and attention to detail. I treat every piece personally. I take initiative as an innovator to combine the artforms and present designs in a dynamic fashion. I want to shock people. Set a spark and make a mark, that’s the formula.

The Blazers brand stands on high quality. We use eco friendly materials to save the earth. We give back, we preserve the planet & impact the world. We’re a growing community of partners & supporters that blaze trails.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

On February 3, 2023 right after we officially launched Blazers, I remember riding around town and giving away over 30 T shirts. Everyone from family & friends to business partners were blessed with those lime green Blazer bags. More than marketing strategy, I wanted real people to have physical products that represent themselves and the Blazers brand. It was risky because we just opened & I gave away most of my stock the same day.

Love works, it ended up benefiting the business due to people noticing locals rep Blazers across the city. I like networking in person and being outside in the streets of Miami making my mark. I could have kept all the products in stock & waited for customers to order. Instead, I took a risk & believed that my effort would pay off and it did. I received more orders since then, most of them referred by those who received Blazers products when I gave them away. I’m grateful to have strong supporters spreading awareness and expanding the brand. I still giveaway stuff till this day that’s the Blazers way.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I think back to having an unexpected order that was a mission. I had a few customers that needed t shirts the next day. One of them was going out of town so I had to rush and order everything asap. I place an order online and the shipping is on time. The next day I track the order, it says delivered. So I go outside, look around, and there’s no package. It was lost. It threw me off but I ended up replacing everything a week later. This was a small setback for my business. but I was seeing red at the moment and thanks to my supporters for being so cool about it. One way or another I knew I had to improve.

So I thought about ways to prevent this from happening again. Having more inventory & keeping products pre made before customers order is the answer. Now, I don’t think about being late or out of stock. Staying ready is the factor that matters. That was a key moment that made me think forward and focus on the future.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://blazersmiami.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blazersmiami/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlazersMiami
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/catohq