Posted by: Sacha Blalock
Brandon Norman is a 25-year-old, Charlotte native who is the co-founder of the urban clothing/ lifestyle brand, Sophisticated Genius.
Brandon’s quote to live by: “Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity” – Will Smith
Q: Tell me a little about yourself?
I was born February 17th 1988 and raised in Charlotte, NC. I am a graduate of North Carolina Central University with a BA in Political Science. Growing up I was very active in sports. I played soccer, baseball, and basketball. I ended up playing for a club soccer team, allowing me to travel throughout the state to play every weekend. I marched on the drum line at North Carolina Central University. One of my favorite hobbies is traveling. Road trip, train, or flying, it doesn’t matter I love to travel. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel abroad to Europe and South America several times. I’m also a founder of Sophisticated Genius Clothing Brand.
Q: You where born and raised in North Carolina, Charlotte to be exact, how was growing up in NC?
Growing up in Charlotte was great. I remember going to Hornets games with my mom and seeing “Hugo Hornet” for the first time. I went from watching the annual Thanksgiving Day parade to participating in it with the Harding High Band Of Gold. The city grew right before my eyes. In a matter of years all of downtown was being developed. The Carolina Panthers soon came and brought a lot more spotlight to the city.
Q: Tell me a little about your undergraduate experience?
Undergrad at North Carolina Central was very enjoyable. I met some life long friends, and grew to learn about myself. One very important connection I made was with my future business partner Roland Reaves. We both marched in the Drum line and had an eye for fashion. Upon my graduation in fall 2010, Roland approached me with the proposition of starting a clothing line. From there we started brainstorming and several weeks later came up with Sophisticated Genius.
Q: Many entrepreneurs started based on life changing/altering events. What defining moment made you become an entrepreneur?
I can’t necessarily say that one instance lead to my decision to become an entrepreneur, but more so a culmination of several years of events, (Laughing). I was held at gunpoint two days before my 21st birthday. This taught me just how short life is; from that night on I made a promise to myself to always live life to the fullest. I began to develop ideas for a clothing brand but never acted on the initial vision.
Q: There is a stigma that “being an entrepreneur” is not a real career, what support have you received from family, peers, mentor etc.?
The support I’ve received from family, friends, and peers along this crazy journey has been nothing short of amazing. It really feels as though my success is their success. They believe in the vision just as much as I do.
Q: How important in globalization for your business? How big of a role does social media play in your business?
I believe globalization, as a whole will affect any business in some way, shape or form. Being that we’re still in the start up stage of the brand we’ve done a few International transactions but haven’t really seen the direct impact of a global market with our product. Social media plays a key role in expanding our brand to those areas. Our main platforms have been Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Through these sites we’re not only able to advertise the product but also can have direct interaction with our customers.
Q: What role does the economy, environment; social changes have on your business?
The economy, environment, and social changes all affect our business. We’re very mindful of our current customer base so we try to keep our products very affordable at $22-$35 an item.
Q: What is your passion in life?
My true passion is giving back to others through my time or talents. I’ve been fortunate enough to own my own clothing company, through which I’ve been able to connect directly with the community through various events. I share my story and try to encourage others to remain focused on their goals, as I’m a prime example that anything is possible.
Q: As a young entrepreneur I’m sure you have only seen the beginning but what is your greatest failure/ greatest success?
My greatest failure to date was the launch of a collection we did a while back. It really didn’t do as expected, but it caused us to go back to the drawing board, which in my opinion was a good thing. I’ve learned that in this journey a failure is only a failure if you allow it to be one. I see it as an opportunity to learn, reevaluate your game plan and move forward. The biggest success to date was getting Actor and Hip Hop Legend, Common to support the Sophisticated Genius movement.
Q: Where do you see your company in 5 -10 years?
In 5-10 years I see Sophisticated Genius as a lifestyle brand. From real estate to music management I think we could do it all.
Q: What advice would you give to future entrepreneurs?
The most important piece of advice I could share is to trust your gut and believe in yourself. Without belief in yourself and your abilities you’ll never be able to succeed.
Contacting Brandon Norman:
Twitter & IG: @cheddachasab / @sophgecloths
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SophGeCloths
Website: Shop.SophGeCloths.Com
