We were lucky to catch up with Nick Lee recently and have shared our conversation below.
Nick, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
I first came up with the idea that I wanted different the first day I walked into my current employer and was being shown the different areas in the business. Something spoke to me and I was like I can’t continue this, working for someone until I’m old enough to retire; been working since I’ve been 16 and I was 40 at the time. Although I wasn’t sure on what it was I actually wanted to do. I started the job, weeks were going by and several ideas arose that I was pondering on but nothing I came up with felt really meaningful to me. With everything that was going on in the world especially within our community, I started asking myself how could I impact someone or the world. Also at this time I was doing a whole lot of soul searching, I was on a personal journey for growth within, mindset changes, handling my marriage, stress that life brings but mostly the stress I have been causing myself for years. Through my own struggles, while working on self it started to become disheartening and depressing to continuously see death within in our community whether it was from within our own community or from outside our community it was becoming a common daily thing. I stop watching the news years ago for this same reason but now it was taking over social media. I wanted to come up with something that will contribute to change for our community, so starting my brand I felt was the best way to do so. I knew it had to have purpose, be empowering and meaningful but importantly relatable. I also realized I can’t solve the problem on my own because as a child growing up I would always hear it takes a village. By creating my brand I wanted to do my part in what takes a village and the fact that I wasn’t doing anything only contributes to the problem. My approach with the brand is unique because it’s different and catchy, the name/logo itself is a conversational piece. Although some may feel it directly addresses a specific community but I feel its open for others to tapin especially if you have genuine respect for the bearded community or just for a Black Business Owner. Plus you don’t have to necessarily have a beard to rock with the CHUBB, its for all and it’s unisex. Coming up with the acronym for CHUBB (Country. Highly. Unique. Black. Brand) not only represents me but it represents/speaks for countless others that look like me or just feel how I feel. My plans/goals for the Brand in general is what excites me. I’m going to tap into several different markets which will allow me to reach or help at least one, which is all it takes to reach, touch and inspire the world.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am from a little city in South Carolina called Aiken. Raised by single mom who had 4 kids and I was the 3rd. Dad left around the time I was in the 4/5th grade which my brother and I didn’t have much of a relationship with him afterwards. Although my mom struggled to make ends meet we never went without a roof over our heads or food in our stomachs, might not been much or what I wanted but we had it. I grew up not away that I lacked ambition, motivation, purpose or even self love. Just went through life day to day living on the terms that life was given. All throughout middle school I was getting in trouble, even rolled over into high school. I was good in sports but never could really show my potential due to the other issues I was causing myself. I ended up getting locked up my junior year of high school so I didn’t graduate but I got my GED in prison. I did a year in prison and 5 years on parole. I was 19 when I got out and about 2 years later I had my first child. Working any job I could find, sometimes 2 jobs still just moving through life with no sense of direction. Years went by after failed relationships I ended up having 2 more kids and by around the age 34 I found out I had a 10 year old son. So I have 4 kids in total and not with any of their moms, mostly due to my own issues. I relocated to North Carolina Nov. 2015 and I met my wife Jan. 2016, shortly after with her help the light bulb went off and I realized I needed to change, I was very toxic and had alot of self issues that needed to be addressed. With guidance and support from my wife and my growth is what help me get to where I wanted to be apart of the change in our community when I started seeing things for what it really was and I wasn’t liking what I was seeing at all. Working and becoming better within is what lead me to this industry, starting a brand and my journey on entrepreneurship. With my brand I just want the youth as well as the older generation in our community to know and realize, “you don’t have to be somebody to be somebody”. Meaning you don’t have to be a known celebrity, famous or a lot of money to have an impact on our community. As of now I only have merch available for customers, T-shirts/hoodies/sweatshirts. Have 2 new designs I will be releasing shortly. I also started a group on Facebook called: “Black Business Dollar Society” which I created so we can come together as Black Business Owners and support each other by blessing other Black Business Owners. I’m proud of my growth, development of self but I am aware the journey is far from over and I still have a long way to go. Once I get the brand and the group to where I know it can be then I will start having a sense of accomplishment. Again there is several different markets I wanna drive into but I choose the clothing industry as the foundation of the brand, my focus is making the foundation a stable, strong one so once I start elevating the brand it won’t crumble.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
Funding my business starting was stressful because I didn’t know how or where I was going to get the funds from to do anything . I was already struggling living paycheck to paycheck, still barely taking care of my personal expenses on top of that being married and having to still handle our household expenses. Then having 4 kids and being on child support for all of them didn’t help. I honestly still don’t know how I was able to even start but I did by working overtime whenever it was available. Throughout the week after my 8 hours plus on the weekends. Sometimes I would work 20 days straight. If the doors at my job was open for work, I was there. That’s how I was able to pay to get my logo done, trademark process started, paid to get my website done, LLC processed, for my first t-shirt order and my first hoodie order although my wife helped me with that order. I’m still funding the brand on my own, it won’t be a struggle much longer.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
As of today the only strategy I that has built my clientele/audience is grinding on social media. Adding whoever I can on my personal facebook page, inboxing ever last one of them asking them to just support by following my instagram page. All my followers I have came from countless hours liking and engaging on others post until my fingers get numb. Business cards giving to any and everyone I come in contact with. I got connected with a group whom have events for artists and I started setting up as a vendor. So just connecting and networking with people at those events and just while I’m out and about.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beardedchubbapparel.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/beardedchubb?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Facebook: BeardedChubb
- Twitter: BeardedChubb