Marcus Long Interview | Respect the Founder
Marcus Long of Sour Apple 17 Clothing sat down with us to discuss his entrepreneurial journey.
What is the name of your business?
Sour Apple 17 Clothing
Where are you from?
West Brighton, Staten Island, New York
What was your first business? How old were you?
Dubbing and Selling wrestling tapes. I was 8 years old.
When did you know working for yourself was the way to go?
I knew working for yourself was the way to go because you have total control specifically being able to set the hours , work pace, and you are head of production. Which consists of micromanaging myself.
Can you talk us through your career to date and how you found your way to where you are now?
The easiest way I can describe my career to date is trial and error . Which means sometimes in order to win it all you have to risk it all . Along my journey it has been a lot of reinvention and innovation as a brand and as a person.
What inspired you to start your business?
I was inspired to start my business due to the ups and downs of life. Since I was born and raised in Staten Island this setting has a big inspiration for my business. We are considered the lost borough or not a part of the “Big Apple.” So I gave it the name “Sour Apple.” Additionally, the “17” comes from the biblical story of Joseph the dreamer who interrupted his first dream at 17.
What are some of the biggest challenges you see in your market?
One the biggest challenges I’ve experienced is being different and standing out among the rest of the other clothing lines. I would highlight this the biggest challenge I see in my market because I do not want to be influenced by others and establish my customers that will have endless support for my brand.
Who was one of your biggest supporters early on?
I have a huge support system but my brother Tempo was the first and continues to support everything that I do.
What advice do you have for professionals looking to get started in your industry?
Advice I have for professionals looking to start in my industry is to design clothes which is something you have a passion for, which for me is a form of art like music. The early art form of hip hop was based self-expression and your surroundings (ex. social issues) . So let your personality, feelings, and message show in your brand. I feel this helps you connect with your audience better.
Can you recommend one good business book, business podcast/radio show?
One business podcast I’d recommend is “ Who’s styling who?” hosted by Khaliah Clark . She is an award winning celebrity fashion stylist who actually gave Method man one of my shirts to wear which I greatly appreciate and feel honored!
Another show is “ Word on the Street” hosted by Music artist / song writer Pretty Boi Green . He was on season 1 for NBC’s show called “ Chasing the dream.”
What is some advice you would give to someone with a dream?
A piece of advice I would give to someone with a dream is to treat your dream like a good parent would treat their child. For example, protect it, nurture it, and watch it evolve.
Connect
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/sourapple17clo
Facebook.com: http://www.facebook.com/sourapple17
Business Website: http://Www.sourapple17.com
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