We caught up with the brilliant and insightful John Knight a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

John, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

First off, I think it depends on how you view success. For me, it’s doing something you love in a way that leaves a positive impact on those around you. My personal keys are what I call the three P’s – Passion, Persistence, and Patience. I believe that all three of these qualities allow me to be “successful” in my industry.

John, 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?

I first got into the industry when I landed a job at a leading collegiate headwear company in Norman, Oklahoma. At that time in 2007, my graphic design skills were raw and amateur. I learned all about design, product embellishment, and sourcing materials. However, over the years I began to feel like I was being taking advantage of. It got to the point where I was borderline depressed and resented the company I worked for. I needed to either leave or find something that brought me joy outside of work. In the summer of 2011, I visited a local t-shirt company in Tulsa, Oklahoma before a friend’s wedding. That was my “lightbulb” moment.

I launched MENT Apparel on November 1st of 2012. At first, we were simply a t-shirt company that set up at local art and music festivals to sell our product. Since I still worked full time at my headwear job, I did everything on the side. We decided to outsource the screen printing to cut down on overhead costs and time. In 2015, I was approached by a local brewery about designing and printing their apparel. This relationship blossomed and is the main reason we shifted our business model to include wholesale (B2B). Our reputation grew and we were adding more and more clients to our portfolio, especially breweries. At the beginning of 2017, I left my day job and never looked back.

Today, MENT Apparel is a leading streetwear brand in the Oklahoma City market with roughly 50% of the craft brewing industry as clients. We handle everything from apparel, headwear, and design. Our upcoming storefront is currently being worked on and we hope to have a grand opening this Fall (2022).

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Our initial capital was nothing more than our checking account. My wife and I wanted to keep it as low risk as possible which is another reason we decided to outsource the screen printing. To this day, we have never taken anything from outside investors or any bank loans. Everything this business has paid for has come from us. I believe the patience to grow the business slow and at our own pace is a key to our success.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word of mouth is our best source on growing clientele. We feel our dedication to quality and service sets us apart. Over time, that reputation spreads. I would say 90% of our clients approached us based on something they heard or have seen.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mentapparel.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentapparel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MENTapparel/
• Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/company/ment-apparel-llc
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mentapparel