Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jamil Rashad. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jamil, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today
When building an established brand it is important to consistently feed your company as if it’s a living being. When I first started my brand I would have hot and cold seasons that hindered my company from growing how it was supposed to grow. There were so many distractions while attending Grambling State University. I found it hard to work on my actual clothing designs along with the back-end work to build an established brand. So I would have put more effort into becoming an official brand and spent more time finding manufactories . I would find myself spending more time making more clothes than I would be marketing my clothes. My reach on social media was limited and hindered my future success. Also listening to those who weren’t like-minded is something I wish I wouldn’t have done. There are plenty of people who will tell you your dream is lame or not going to work. It is important to always trust yourself and give the glory to a higher power.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I want to introduce my upcoming clothing brand “Above Cruel.” Above Cruel is an upcoming streetwear brand where the company and its customers stand above this cruel world. I wanted to make a streetwear brand that could stand out in this cruel world. I’ve been able to bring people together with my passion with fashion by creating club shirts and bundle packages to make group of people feel more unified. Building bonds within my community is my most proud achievement of mine. Being able to do this keeps me going and allows me to express my creativity and help others.
We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.
When I first started making clothes they were all made with my handy dandy cricut and my heat press machine. I was known for my ability to make custom clothing and providing my customers with a unique experience because I didn’t need a manufactor, because I was the manufactor. My company grew to the point where I couldn’t supply my demand so I started seeking help. So I began to seek someone to make my clothes and It taught me multiple lessons and provided plenty of trial and error. After a while I found my current manufactor and we have been conducting business ever since. Building a great relationship with the people who make your clothes is absolutely mandatory. You think it would be obvious but many decide to keep it business only. Nothing is wrong with getting to know your business partners on a more personal level.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Social Media can be your biggest asset to your marketing team because it allows you to reach potential customers that you’d never meet in person. Utilizing this at maximum capacity would provide way more results and could lead to the most business you’ll ever receive. Content that resonates with an audience can be shared easily, leading to organic growth through word-of-mouth. Viral content can exponentially increase a brand’s reach, especially if it’s engaging or emotionally appealing. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter allow brands to run highly targeted advertising campaigns. Brands can segment audiences based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and more, ensuring that ads are shown to people most likely to be interested in their products or services. This precision maximizes ad effectiveness. Through these mechanisms, social media not only enhances brand visibility but also facilitates meaningful interactions, drives sales, and nurtures customer loyalty, all of which contribute to sustained brand growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://abovecruel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abovecruel/
Image Credits
@roycedidit on instagram