DM: How do you acquire the shoes in stock or are the shoes you have collected over the years that you have kept in really good condition?
JAZZ: We can’t tell our secrets (jokingly). But really we were preparing to open our store a year before we actually did. So we were able to take our time with building capital from our full-time student slash part-time worker salaries.
DM: I noticed online that you were recently showcasing at a few sneaker conventions, how were those experiences?
JAZZ: They were actually really good. We just went to our first convention in March (isle of kicks) and second a few days ago (Sneaker-con). It was really cool just to see so many of the different types of people we are trying to reach with our business in one place. Even with all of the technology today, being completely online can at times feel a little, quiet, I guess that’s the best way to describe it (haha). But being able to see so many people in person who know just as much about sneakers as we do, and to hear their feedback on what we have to offer was priceless and reassuring. It was lots of fun too.
DM: Were those your first sneaker conventions?
JAZZ: Yes, they were the first of many to come, Lord willing.
DM: Now tell us your story about the people behind SneakerMotsy?
JAZZ: Well it is mostly just us two, Uzo and I. We met at school, University of Maryland, in class. It took us a while to even interact with each other despite sitting near each other in class. But once the ice was broken, and we still kind of debate who actually broke the ice first, but once we finally started talking, we stuck like glue. One of the things we had in common was a sort of “I’m going to do it my way” type of attitude, which can be both good and bad. But it helped foster an entrepreneurial spirit in us. Once we realized the potential we had to build together, we started right away.
Uzo: This business is just one of the initial proofs that being young, being a minority with little to no capital for start-up, but sharing a vision and sharing your belief in that vision, can turn nothing into something really cool and profitable.
DM: What advice would you give people who are thinking about doing the same thing?
JAZZ:
Uzo: When you decide to be a merchant, or invest in a business no matter how small; dedication, will and belief in yourself can be the difference between you spending money and time building up other people and their ideas, and building a dynasty for yourself and those who you want to share the spoils with. “Where there is a will, there is a way” as the old saying goes, has proven itself to be true with every step we have made in our journey that’s far from over.
DM: How is your support system does your family and friends support your endeavors?
JAZZ: We are our biggest support system. That’s the best thing about having a partner. Whenever I feel discouraged and feel like giving up, my partner is always there to remind me of our vision, and how it won’t come overnight. I think our family and friends have much less faith in it than we do, which is normal, I’m sure. I feel like on a surface level they support and encourage us. But I think maybe they just see it as something that we’re doing right now and I can’t really tell if they really feel like it is worthwhile.
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