We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ito Rodriguez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ito below.

Alright, Ito thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Almost every entrepreneur we know has considered donating a portion of their sales to an organization or cause – how did you make the decision of whether to donate? We’d love to hear the backstory if you’re open to sharing the details.

I helped start the Hispanic Alumni Council Scholarship at the University of Memphis. When I started as an undergraduate student at the University of Memphis there were no scholarships for Hispanic students by anyone local. The state funded minority scholarship in place was a specific scholarship as a result of a lawsuit battling desegregation. Hispanics were not a legally defined minority in regards to those funds set aside for that scholarship. Fast forward to a decade later and we started the Hispanic Alumni Scholarship. The political environment from that time has changed. When I started as an undergraduate everyone suggested to find the private funds for the scholarship. Now it is difficult to have a privately funded scholarship for any group due to the attack of the DEI political culture war. State funded schools are having to tip toe around any talk of diversity. As we navigate through this at the end of the day we are hopful the state of TN/Governor will not eliminate privately funded scholarships for minorities all together. Regardless, my motivation for any success in this business is to further fund the scholarship. Happily we are now an endowed scholarship thanks to the contributions of some amazing donors.

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?

I am originally from Humacao, Puerto Rico. Popular artist from the island, Eladio Carrion, speaks of Humacao often as he is from “La H!” At a young age my parents divorced and I moved with my sister and mother to Tennessee. My mother contacted a friend from her hometown of Columbia, Tennessee about a teaching position in east Tennessee. The friend told her she wouldn’t want to move there due to an influx of Hispanics and the increased tension that caused in the town. Needless to say we did not move there. Fate settled us in Hohenwald, Tennessee. Close to Columbia, TN. I definitely felt welcome. My kindergarten teacher, the amazing Mrs. Tiller told my father at my high school graduation, Ito spoke Spanish all the time we would just wait for him to switch so we could understand him. 😀Every summer I spent in Puerto Rico with my father, aunts, uncles, cousin and my sweet Abuela. I thoroughly enjoyed my two worlds. As any Puerto Rican would, I was one day searching for a tshirt that would show off the 787 area code of the island. I could not find any like the vision I had in my head. I realized I was the opposite of the famous Hamilton play by Lin Manuel Miranda. Unlike Hamilton, I was not doing anything like I was running out of time. Covid slowed the world down and I decided I needed to speed up everything I had hoped to do in life. Throughout my time in Puerto Rico I had taken pictures of places that meant so much to me. A chance conversation with a neighbor turned into a tutoring of how to create designs, where to go for them, where to find clothing and accessories. I started with the pictures I had taken over the years. My design ideas are based in a love of my culture, mi isla. (My island) So many cultures have an area code, zip code, location that provides nostalgia. All those things represent a past home, current new home or both. I view the clothing and merchandise industry as an opportunity for artist to have a blank canvas. As an artist you take the blank canvas, create and then place that design on clothing for everyone to judge and see. I am extremely proud of the reaction I have received from all customers. As a fan of the music industry I am still in disbelief that several artist such love my designs such as; Reggaeton pioneer Tito el Bambino, rapper Irania (My vote for top five rapper of all time from the island), multi talented artist, Loupz, who is also music royalty, son of the legendary Vico C. Other artist such as Luisito, Mara Cruz and up and coming musical artist Suart Drezz also wear my designs and love my ideas. I am also proud that when you look at my instagram you see the diversity of my island and diversity of all my customers. It’s difficult for me to brag about what sets me apart, and even more difficult to describe it. I will try to define that as, all my life experiences have driven me to this point. One you leave the island it’s like you took the pill in the Matrix. You are forever changed. Every time I put an idea to design it’s a love letter to my island and the amazing culture we are and show the world. I then get excited to see the design on people in public!

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

The best part of my 787 Mi Isla business is the cost was very low to start. The design idea is my own and the canvas is the merchandise and clothing I put it on. I decide when to further invest into that or not. I am lucky in that I am hopeful that this turns into my primary source of revenue but it does not have to happen overnight.

There is a giant step however that I had to take and I would not have taken it without the insistence of friends providing capital and one friend in particular. Runway 7 is hosting a New York Fashion show on September 4th – 8th. I thought the entry fee was too expensive for me. My good friend and entrepreneur of Rudolph’s BBQ said he would help. He told me I would be crazy not to go. We are all self appointed members of the Artic Squad. We are a group that graduated from the University of Memphis and every year we sprinkle a little sazón on the snowy mountain resorts out west skiing and snowboarding. Like so many other times in my life, it’s an irony we are there but there we are, con sazón! He and other members of the Artic Squad have provided the capital to take this leap and go to New York Fashion Week! Due to this amazing friend who believes in my design ideas I am going to be on a New York Fashion Runway with my designs on September 4 at 11am, at Sony Hall.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I have been amazed by how many famous amazing artist describe their imposter syndrome. I think it’s a new way to say self doubt and I definitely have moments from time to time. Whenever a client or friend state to me that they are proud, they see what I am doing and they love it, those little moments are priceless. I have a super talented mother who can sew and make amazing things and we are both working on the September 4th Fashion Show. Whenever I hear her say phrases like, it’s your vision, or tell me what you are thinking, I love it. I love that we are working on something together and I love that we are able to share these moments. This support is priceless. My resilience has been a group project, my sister gave me the first advice in a positive way about the fashion show, my wife takes amazing photos of our beautiful kids, my father and stepmother help me sell in Puerto Rico. My instagram is full of content from family and friends. All these things attack any self doubt.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.787miIsla.com
• Instagram: @787mi_isla
• Facebook: 787 Mi Isla LLC
• Linkedin: Nestor Rodriguez

Image Credits

Nashaly Zoe
Yarimar Delgado
Kalii Torres
DJ Ema Gucci
Jorge Ortega
Irania
Nachaliz Cotto
Josie Vega
Mara Cruz
Luisito Vigoreaux
Suart Drezz
Tito El Bambino