We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mark Corey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Mark, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
YoHaTdawg was originally “You On a Hat.”
I went for my first session to meet my new mentor, Mr. Zimmerman, from SCORE. I walked into his office, proud of what I had created. I laid out my branded hats on the table, eager to show him my work. He was silent as he examined them. Then, suddenly, without warning, he asked, “What’s the name of your brand?”
I told him, “You On a Hat.”
He looked at me for a moment and said, “There’s nothing special about the name, or the hats. Young man, you need to go back to the drawing board. Create something unique, something outside the box—something that no one else has. Because this? This isn’t it.”
I was stunned. It felt like a punch to the gut. I literally went into shock. I packed up my hats, my pride deflated, and with my tail between my legs, I walked out of his office.
As I reached the door, I turned to him and, barely able to keep my composure, thanked him for his time. He handed me his business card and said, “If there’s anything I can do to help, don’t hesitate to contact me.”
I walked to my car, the weight of his words hanging heavy on me. As I began to drive home, I couldn’t shake what he’d said. He had offered to help, but all I could hear was, “You’re no good. Get out of my office.”
Days passed, and I couldn’t stop thinking about his words. “Create something unique, something outside the box.”
Months went by, and I even considered names like “A Hat on You.” But after a couple of months, I knew that wasn’t it. Then, one day, I was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, holding a hat in one hand, about to place it on my head. My dog, my best friend, Jerry—“my dawg”—walked up to me. I looked at him and said, “Yo, dog, what’s up?”
As I said that, I glanced at the hat in my hand. That’s when it hit me. It was like a spark ignited in my mind. The heavens opened, and I knew. I said it out loud: “YoHaTdawg.” Yo HaT dawg!
It was like a lightning bolt ran through me. I felt chills down my spine, the kind you get when you know something is right. YoHaTdawg… it was the name. I felt it in my soul. This was it.
God had spoken to me.
Mark, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
About YoHaTdawg: The Hat Brand That’s More Than Just Headwear
My name is YoHaTdawg, and I am the founder and creative force behind YoHaTdawg, a revolutionary hat brand that brings a fresh twist to the world of headwear. The journey to creating YoHaTdawg started long before I ever thought of launching a headwear streetwear brand—it started when I was a young boy. Growing up in a family of three girls, I always felt different. But when I wore hats, I felt like a king.
I still remember my favorite childhood hat—a fireman’s cap. I loved that hat more than anything. It wasn’t just the way it looked, but what it represented. It made me feel powerful, ready to take on the world and put out any fire that came my way. This was my first experience with the joy and confidence that hats brought into my life, and it planted the seed for a lifelong passion.
Years later, my love for hats grew into something more than just a personal style choice. I started experimenting with different types, shapes, and styles. I even began to design my own hats, learning to sew and bringing my visions to life. As my passion for hat styling and design deepened, I knew I had found my calling.
YoHaTdawg was born from a combination of my name (“Yo”), my love for hats, and my deep bond with my dog, Jerry—my best friend, or “my dawg.” Together, we form YoHaTdawg: a brand that’s more than just a product—it’s a story. Each hat we create tells a story of the highs and lows, the obstacles, the struggles, and the triumphs of life. My journey in designing and wearing hats has shown me that, as an artist, my canvas is a hat, and through this medium, I can express my personality and my life experiences.
The Innovation Behind YoHaTdawg
What truly sets YoHaTdawg apart from other hat brands is the combination of creativity, functionality, and style. Traditional hats and beanies have always been popular, but I wanted to create something that not only looked great but also solved a real problem for people. That’s when I started to reimagine the hat as something more than just an accessory.
One of the most striking features of a YoHaTdawg hat is its innovative design. Our hats are more than just stylish—they’re functional too. With a patent-pending design, YoHaTdawg hats allow wearers to change up their style by creating multiple looks with the same hat. Whether you’re dressing casually or going for a more polished look, our hats adapt to your style.
But it doesn’t stop there. YoHaTdawg hats also have a built-in storage compartment, allowing you to carry everything you might normally stash in your pockets, purse, or fanny pack—things like cash, credit cards, medication, snacks, a vape pen, hair ties, lipstick, chapstick, tampon, perfume stick, lighter, condom and even your phone. This means you can leave the extra bags at home and still have everything you need close by, without compromising on style or comfort.
The Problem We Solve
At YoHaTdawg, we’re solving a major problem for hat lovers: the need to purchase multiple hats for different looks and situations. Our innovative designs reduce the number of hats you need while offering you a wider variety of styles. And because we’ve focused on quality and versatility, our hats are not only stylish—they’re practical too. They save you money while elevating your look, making it easier to stay stylish, comfortable, and organized all at once.
Our hats are perfect for those who want to stand out, whether they’re out on the street, at a casual hangout, or at a more formal event. YoHaTdawg is all about breaking the mold of traditional headwear, offering a variety of modern, edgy styles that can easily transition from day to night. We’re here to turn the world of hats upside down—and, literally, our hats can do just that.
What Sets YoHaTdawg Apart
What makes YoHaTdawg so special is that we’re not just creating hats—we’re creating experiences. Our hats are designed for people who don’t want to fit in, but rather stand out. Each hat tells a story, and our customers wear their stories proudly. Whether it’s the bold pairing of colors or the revolutionary design that allows multiple looks in one hat, YoHaTdawg is a statement piece in every sense of the word.
We’ve taken years of experience and a love for style, comfort, and individuality, and channeled it into a product that speaks to the modern wearer. Our mission is not just to create stylish headwear, but to inspire our community to be their best, most authentic selves. YoHaTdawg is a movement, a community, and a platform for self-expression.
What I’m Most Proud Of
What I’m most proud of is how YoHaTdawg has grown into a brand that truly reflects who I am and what I stand for. It’s not just about the hats—it’s about what those hats represent: the freedom to be yourself, to embrace individuality, and to break free from the confines of traditional fashion. The innovation behind our designs, the creative expression, and the way our customers continue to embraced the brand is what drives me every day. Seeing how YoHaTdawg has inspired others to tell their own stories through their hats is what I’m most proud of.
What I Want You to Know
At YoHaTdawg, we’re committed to creating the best version of style in headwear—one that evolves with you, reflects your personality, and adapts to your needs. Our hats aren’t just for fashion—they’re for function, comfort, and most importantly, self-expression. When you wear a YoHaTdawg hat, you’re not just making a style choice; you’re embracing a new way of thinking about fashion, one that prioritizes versatility, comfort, and creativity.
Our pledge is simple: we’re here to redefine what a hat can be and to create products that serve you, reflect your personality, and make you feel empowered. YoHaTdawg isn’t just about the hats—it’s about you. And we’re here to help you express your best self, every day.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
When I started YoHaTdawg, I had a clear vision: to create a headwear streetwear brand that wasn’t just about hats, but about innovation, creativity, and expression. I didn’t want to follow the crowd. I wanted to add something new to the headwear streetwear scene, something that felt authentic, something with a story. But being an unknown artist with a big dream was a tough position to be in.
My journey began like many others: with a dream and a lot of ambition. I applied for three accelerator programs—each one a chance to elevate YoHaTdawg, to get the mentorship, funding, and resources I thought would push me over the edge. The rejection emails were disheartening, but what stung the most was the fact that one of the programs had actually sent me an encouraging message, telling me they saw potential in my work and urging me to apply again. I did. But even after that, I still didn’t get in. It felt like a punch in the gut.
At that moment, I was disappointed, no doubt about it. It felt like the dream was slipping away, like all my efforts had amounted to nothing. I was a small designer in a saturated market, trying to break through with a product no one had heard of. And, without a marketing budget. But then, something kicked in. I wasn’t ready to quit.
Instead of giving in to the setback, I leaned into the resources I had. I tapped into SCORE, a nonprofit that offered mentorship and guidance to small businesses. I joined Co-Founders Lab, a network of entrepreneurs who understood the struggle and could provide practical advice. I attended workshops that helped me build the foundation of a startup—teaching me how to structure my business, manage my finances, and set realistic goals. And, perhaps most importantly, I tapped into the mentor program, where I found guidance from experienced entrepreneurs who helped me refine my vision and stay focused.
But even with this newfound knowledge, nothing could prepare me for the next big leap: opening a storefront.
Melrose Avenue. If you know streetwear, you know Melrose. It’s a legendary location, home to the brands and artists who’ve shaped the culture. So when I found a spot, I jumped on it. I figured that this was it—the moment when my brand would go from unknown to something bigger. I had a plan: Confuse them with my silence, and shock them with my results.
But here’s the thing nobody tells you about opening a store: just because you’ve got a great location doesn’t mean customers will come flooding in. No one knew who YoHaTdawg was. No one was looking for my hats, no one was waiting for the doors to open. It wasn’t like the movies—there wasn’t a crowd of people clamoring to buy the next big thing in headwear streetwear.
For the first few months, it was quiet. So quiet that I started to doubt myself. Was this the right move? Was the dream even possible? I didn’t post every step of my journey on social media, didn’t make a big splash announcing every milestone. I wanted my results to speak for themselves, not the noise around them. But results weren’t coming. Days would pass with little to no sales, and I’d sit there, watching the hours tick by in the stillness of the store, wondering if I was crazy to think this could work.
But here’s the truth: giving up never felt like an option. I still believed in YoHaTdawg. I believed in the brand, my artistry and my innovative one of a kind patent pending interchangeable reversible hat. that allows the user to create multiple styles and different looks all in the same hat I was building and the vision I had for it. So instead of quitting, I decided to pivot.
I started working on a new product—something that could set YoHaTdawgs apart in a way nothing else could. I designed a patent-pending product that would allow the user to create multiple styles and different looks from a single hat. Thats not all though, it allows the user to carry and store your go to items such as cash, cards, keys. medications, daily vitamins, snacks, hair ties, lip stick, perfume stick, condom, chapstick, tampon, lighter, vape pen and even a phone. It was unique. It was bold. And it was something I knew could change the way people thought about hats.
Even though I was still operating with limited resources and a shoestring budget, I knew this new product could be the breakthrough I needed. It wasn’t going to be easy—it wasn’t going to be quick—but it was something I could stand behind.
So, I kept going. The silence of those slow days was still there, but I wasn’t discouraged. I wasn’t done yet. I kept refining the product, working behind the scenes, and preparing for the next move. Every day, I chipped away at the dream, piece by piece, no matter how long it took.
Resilience isn’t always about bouncing back in a grand, dramatic way. Sometimes, it’s about showing up every day when nothing seems to happen. It’s about trusting that the work will pay off, even when you can’t see the results yet. It’s about having a vision and holding onto it—no matter what.
YoHaTdawg may not have exploded the way I hoped it would. There are still days when I sit in the store, watching the world pass by, with no sales and no customers. But I haven’t given up. I can’t. Because YoHaTdawg is a time bomb just minutes away from exploding. I know it. This is my dream. I know that no one else will fight for it like I will.
The journey hasn’t been easy. Far from it. I’ve faced rejection, disappointment, and the kind of isolation that comes from chasing something unknown. But the thing about resilience is that it’s not just about bouncing back after a setback. It’s about finding the strength to keep going, even when it feels like everything is stacked against you. And that’s what I continue to do.
We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.
At YoHaTdawg, every hat tells a story, and that story begins with a journey—one that reflects the highs and lows of life itself. Our streetwear hats aren’t just accessories; they are expressions of the human experience. Through carefully chosen fabrics, textures, colors, and patterns, we illustrate the obstacles, struggles, darkness, and the light that come with life’s journey. It’s not just art; it’s a message, a reflection of what we go through, and how we grow from it.
But this story didn’t begin with a deep understanding of sewing, pattern-making, or manufacturing. It started with a desire to create something personal, something unique. I’ve always wanted to design and sew my own pieces, particularly headwear, but the problem was that I didn’t know how to sew. Still, I was determined to make my dream a reality. So, I did what any curious person would do—I took a class.
My sewing instructor, Gwen, had been a master dressmaker for 35 years. She was a true artisan—an expert in her craft. Gwen had transitioned from designing and sewing custom garments to teaching sewing at different levels. She had a lifetime of knowledge, and I showed up eager to learn. Armed with my sewing machine and tools, I took my first steps into the world of sewing under her guidance.
From the very first time I sat at the machine, I felt a sense of natural ease—it was like a fish to water. Within weeks, I was stitching with confidence, mastering the fundamentals, from safety and pattern making to advanced techniques. The best part? I had Gwen, who not only taught me the technical side of sewing but also nurtured my creative spirit. She made sure I understood that the goal wasn’t to simply mass-produce something but to create something special, something mine.
A Vision Comes to Life
As I learned and grew in skill, I quickly realized that my vision for YoHaTdawg was clear: I wanted to create something deeply personal and handmade. I didn’t want to follow the fast-fashion trend; I wanted to create headwear streetwear that told a story. From the very beginning, we knew we wanted to make every single hat in-house, by hand. This was essential to our vision. We didn’t want to rely on mass production or fast fashion—our goal was to create one-of-one, handmade pieces that would stand out and tell a unique story. Manufacturing everything ourselves gave us the control to ensure quality, creativity, and a connection to every piece we made.I wanted each hat to be an artistic piece, and more importantly, I wanted to ensure it was created with intention—from start to finish.
This is when the decision to manufacture everything in-house took shape. YoHaTdawg hats are crafted by hand, with four key stages that make our process unique.
The Design Phase
It all starts in the Design Phase, where the magic happens. This is when the vision comes to life on paper—mapping out the look, choosing the fabrics, and deciding how to best represent the journey of life in a hat. This phase is critical because it’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about making sure that the hat flows and communicates the emotions and experiences we want to convey. The design process takes time, and we carefully consider every detail, from the colors that represent hope or despair to the patterns that speak of growth, struggle, or resilience.
The Cutting Phase
Once the design is set, we move into the Cutting Phase. This is where the pattern pieces are meticulously cut, ensuring they’ll come together in the right way. For us, this is an important part of the process—particularly because many of our hats are reversible or interchangeable. The challenge here is making sure that the art flows seamlessly across both sides of the hat, so that no matter which way you wear it, the story stays intact. It’s all about making sure the pieces align, creating a flow that feels cohesive, no matter how the hat is turned or styled.
The Construction Phase
The Construction Phase is when the hat begins to take shape. All the pieces of the puzzle come together, and this is where we truly see our vision come to life. It’s amazing to watch a design transform from individual elements into something real—a tangible representation of the journey we’ve been mapping out. The construction phase is both exciting and challenging, as it’s the stage where we perfect every detail, making sure that each stitch, each fold, is in place. There’s a sense of pride in seeing the hat come together, but it’s also the phase where we have to stay focused to ensure it’s just right.
The Finishing Phase
Finally, we reach the Finishing Phase. This is where the hat gets its final touches—ensuring it fits well, looks great, and performs as expected. We carefully inspect each piece for quality, making sure the size, fit, and aesthetics are perfect. It’s in this phase that we refine the hat to its best version, making sure it feels as good as it looks and will stand the test of time. We also pay attention to the finer details—like the inside lining or the small embroidered accents—because every part of the hat matters.
Lessons Learned
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned while manufacturing in-house is that it requires a lot of patience and careful planning. The demand for our hats can sometimes outpace our ability to produce them—especially given the fact that every hat is handmade, one at a time. But that’s also what makes our hats special. We’re not rushing to get hundreds of pieces out the door; each hat is made with care, attention, and love. That’s why we keep our production small and focused on quality.
Another lesson we’ve learned is the importance of having full control over our manufacturing practices. By making everything ourselves, we ensure that we’re using eco-friendly materials and safe production methods. We’ve been able to create a sustainable business that reflects our values—providing something truly special to our customers while minimizing our environmental impact.
Manufacturing in-house also allows us to maintain a close connection to our customers. When you buy a hat from YoHaTdawg, you’re not just getting a piece of clothing—you’re supporting a small business and helping to keep the tradition of handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces alive. Our customers know that when they buy a hat from us, it’s not part of some mass-produced line; it’s something special, made with purpose and creativity.
That being said, there’s also a bittersweet reality to the one-of-one approach. We understand that a lot of people may want the same hat, but there’s only one available. That’s the nature of handmade, limited-edition pieces—but we make sure there are always fresh designs and new hats for our customers to choose from. Each collection brings something new, so while one hat may sell out, there’s always another one waiting to be discovered.
Creating and manufacturing our hats in-house has been a journey of its own—one that requires constant learning, creativity, and adaptation. But it’s also been one of the most rewarding aspects of building YoHaTdawg. We take pride in the fact that every hat is handmade with intention, and we’re grateful for the community that supports us. Our customers are more than just buyers—they’re part of the story, part of the journey, and part of the movement to bring back one-of-one, handmade craftsmanship in a world that often values speed over quality.
Each hat tells a story. And with every piece we create, we’re reminded of how important it is to share that story with the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yohatdawg.com
- Instagram: @yohatdawg
- Other: Tik Tok-@yohatdawg
