We were lucky to catch up with Trent Grayson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Trent, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

So in the beginning stages I had to work and plan to learn how to make clothes.This time it was 2020 year and I’m working 2 jobs, and still have admiration to learn how to make shirts. So i save my money I been stashing, looking YouTube videos how to make shirts , two items that i can start with to make shirts. One was a heat press to press the vinyl, dtf, and sublimation prints. Two circuit air pro machine they come in different volumes but mines is till this day is circuit air 2 , helps to make craft images of your choice with heat transfer vinyl. So I ordered my heat press through Amazon for $200 a Tusy Heat press , then went to hobby lobby an purchased the circuit air 2 for $200 so invested $400 in equipment so it was definitely exciting and anxious as well to start. It’s was not walk in the park , waste a lot of money on heat transfer vinyl trying to get the process of using the circuit machine. So I was down to my last vinyl sheet , my mother was actually there helping me try to figure it out , so I told her i feel like I got this one. I load the vinyl on board to circuit machine and cut the logo to my clothing brand BAD IDEA which is in rebranded process as of now .So the image get done , print and I use white hoodie I got from H&M and the image is black with the brand name& image cut into the vinyl . So the heat press is on , I press the white hoodie so it’s doesn’t have any crest or wrinkles in the hoodie , then place the image on the hoodie an make sure it I wasn’t crooked, made sure it was position right . Then I proceed to press on the hoodie for 15 minutes and left the press and let the Image cool off for 8 minutes peel it the paper to hold the image off the hoodie and look at my mother and said I think we got us one. So once made my first one it turned me to make other images and create ideas. Now how did I get my first sale , I was working on hoodie that I had concept that came to me. My cousin comes by my crib and sees me working and seeing me for first time making shirts and hoodies. So which led him to seen a white hoodie with the black logo that said bad idea with bulb and lighting bulbs . My cousin comes ask me “ hey how much you want for this one” . I turned and see this first piece I made for myself but then thought came to my mind “I’m going to make more” and I sold my first piece I made but I had add ti-dye on the hoodie that put on myself. Before I get to open my mouthy cousin pull out $40 and gave to me. I thank him and he told me you gone be big with this once start learning your craft. Looking back invest that $400 turn into $2,000 of making orders with using the equipment to start off. I’m glad I made this choice to change my life and I enjoy making custom stuff for my family & friends and definitely satisfying the custom who trust me with their visions.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve have been creating clothes for 5 year now , my skills are screen printing, embroidery, and heat press my clothes. I like clothing styles that fit and represent my personality (who and how I am). I am a cool guy with a positive and confident vibe. So, my clothing and fashion choices reflect me. How I got into the industry my desires of buying clothes that where trendy at the time in my high school days, just having that thought to myself “how I can make product for myself,” it took time until later on I got serious around 2020 started doing my research and also working with a company that specialize in screening printing.I started with a heat press and circuit & watching youtube videos to help me along the way. My Discipline is to keeping creating and stay on top my business and working on other areas that is come up with design or picking the right fabrics that I will be placing it on where it should go on the shirt , hoodie, or hat . Buying the right material for the customer making sure it’s good product and make sure the order is correct and sending to customer properly, and making sure I keep business flowing and having my products and my equipment in good shape and taking care. My brand is Bad Idea Clothing brand we offer shirts, hats, hoodies, and light bulbs. I also offer custom service that’s for the people who have organizations , birthday / holidays, special requests shirts . A problem I have solve for a customer is helping them pick out a outfit for a date night he wanted to make a good first impression on on the female, so I assisted my friend on a outfit he should , he said they going to a fancy place so you can never go wrong with dress clothes cause it shows sign of matured and women love when a man dress up in suit attire a good start first impression is way you dress.I’m proud of my progress and how far I came and still adding lot more to do. Learning and enjoying each moment rather it’s good or bad it’s never a loss it’s always lesson to grow and learn from it to get better. I made the invest to learn how make shirts I put in the time I’m having fun while making clothes and meet customers getting great feedback and seeing what I created and proud of not giving up on myself continue to beat odds and taking the risk as what my brands represents.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me the most rewarding aspect of being creative is having the ability to create something out nothing and seeing the customer satisfied with purchase and the trust that have me to make their vision come to life and make them satisfied. It’s so much fun to learn how craft and make new things . It has it challenges it can be little tedious at times but having that first shirt or hoodie to make, is worth it

Have you ever had to pivot?

Pivot time for me was getting back to finishing what I started. It was 2020 I was moving in my new apartment and working my previously job at the time trying hustle so I could invest in my equipment for my business. At this time Bad Idea Clothing was on pause because at first it was group effort and we decided to dissolve the partnership and do our own things no bad blood still great friends till this day, but it was still apart of me that wasn’t done with Bad Idea Clothing. I want to start fresh with name that I have still have in my notes but I still had peers asking me “Hey when are dropping again” ,“Are you coming out with new stuff “ and “ Man I want some from your brand”. I had called my partners to ask them if I had there blessings to continue the business and got both of there approvals I believe in being fair because we created this brand together. It was also a definite that I start back Bad Idea Clothing when my brother and my friend “You can do this we are with you” and having that conditional support help me in my pivot moment to get back to the brand and start learning taking classes, working at screen printing shop, and watching YouTube videos and practicing a lot on my craft. It was best decision I made to get back in my craft cause it has brought a lot new business for me and opportunities even learn from my ups and downs and taking on this journey by myself not giving up on myself & having support from people that purchased first shirt till now and I appreciate them so much.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: __trentg
• Other: Tik Tok – __trentg
  Facebook- Trent Grayson