We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jameel Oliviera. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jameel below.
Hi Jameel, thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
My business was established in 2015 but the focus was reselling retro sneakers. Fast forward to 2020 when the pandemic hit whiIe working from home I decided to pivot the business model. Bklyn Sole went from sneakers to clothing apparel. The sneaker industry was changing I had to compete with sneaker raffles and auto bots taking all the inventory from sites like Footlocker, Champs, and others in seconds. I thought let me create apparel pieces to match well with the sneakers I once sold. I thought this would work because instead of trying to acquire all the hottest sneakers on the market which could be pricey and now I could handpick what color scheme attire wise I wanted to focus on around a sneaker release or specific color way. In general people like to look nice and be comfortable so the problem I was solving was hopefully adding some unique pieces to their current closets. I was excited about the pivot and new direction. BKLYN Sole was created for the individuals that make an impact everywhere their soles take them. Tenacity, creativity, determination, purpose, strength, pride. I wanted to create something that represented the borough that made me. Something that I could carry all over the world and share with others. Spreading love, the Brooklyn way.
Jameel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hello, My Name is Jameel. I am father of two sons Jasai (10 years old) and Jace (8 years old) who I am rising along with my wife Jaime of 11 years to become remarkable adults in this world. I am the owner of Bklyn Sole which is an clothing apparel brand with various products ranging t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, socks, and more. I am also a Elementary School Teacher whom been in this field for 17 years serving underprivileged adolescents in an Abbott school district. I am building from the ground up so if you have seen or followed my journey you can see the growth. I am not a big chain, I pretty much take care of all the day to day business ranging from inventory to shipping to personalized packaging which I take pride in with every little detail included. Personally I am proud of the family I’ve help to create and the village of support that surrounds it. I am makes truly grateful. As an educator I am proud to have seen students overcome different circumstances and obstacles to become upstanding citizens in today’s society. Business wise I am proud of Bklyn Sole and steps taken forward to grow and even though there’s so much to come I’ve enjoyed the process, learning curves, and seeing the highs and lows. We are still standing and taking in the experience one day at a time. Brooklyn is the borough that raised me I wear it on my sleeve. You can spend a day, a year or a lifetime in Brooklyn and it plants an unforgettable seed that makes you a little stronger. Once your soles step foot in Brooklyn you are forever changed for the better. Brooklyn has an essence that is so unique, it’s virtually impossible not to identify its cultural and global impact.BKLYN Sole was created for the individuals that make an impact everywhere their soles take them. Tenacity, creativity, determination, purpose, strength, pride. Even if you’re not from the borough, there’s a little bit of Brooklyn in everyone.While I no longer rest my head in Brooklyn, I wanted to create something that represented the borough that made me. Something that I could carry all over the world and share with others. Spreading love, the Brooklyn way. www.bklynsole.com
“Mentally been many places, but I’m Brooklyn’s own.” – Jay-Z
Have you ever had to pivot?
During the pandemic I changed my business from sneaker reseller to clothing apparel. This was a major pivot for me as the sneaker culture had been going through changes and so was I. The pandemic gave me time reevaluate my approach in how I wanted to change the business model and execute my new plan. At times being lockdown at home may have been frustrating but it was the reset I needed to actually make this pivot and transition. It was definitely a blessing in disguise.
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
One of my favorite sales stories or wins in my eye would have to be the production of my first hooded sweatshirt. This piece was called “sole purpose” it came in unisex adult’s full size and a women’s crop top edition. It sold out pretty fast but the irony of the story was Trayvon Martin. At the time our country was dealing with a lot of cases similar to Trayvon so it weighed on my heart heavy. I couldn’t put on a hoodie without thinking about this young man so I donated 10% of the sales to the Trayvon Martin Foundation.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bklynsole.com
- Instagram: bklyn_sole
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jameel.oliviera.5
Image Credits
Marlon Willaims 007 Studios