While his classmates are focused on homework, sports, or scrolling through social media, senior Cole Messer is sketching out new designs for his brand in his mind. He then takes those ideas and illustrates them on his computer to send them to be made in a factory. Messer launched his clothing brand in 2025 with the intention of proving that teenagers are perfectly capable of becoming entrepreneurs.
“What made me start my own clothing brand was because I wanted to show my creativity and have people enjoy it and be happy while in my creations,” Messer said.
Messer started his clothing business just a few months ago, his second business endeavor aside from creating intramural sports leagues.
“I create sports leagues for high schoolers and graduates to have people be social and make new friends, to stay healthy and active over the summer,” Messer said. “To have a sense of competition and to belong to a community. With Swith, our main goal of the brand is the same: to create a community of self-minded individuals with an appreciation of our pursuit that ‘leisure is rich’,” Messer said.
According to Messer, it usually takes some time for new business to expand and reach many people, but he is finding ways to promote his clothing brand through social media.
“It’s hard, very stressful and frustrating to run my own business. You fail many times but you never give up,” Messer said. “You have to have grit and determination, while also having business knowledge to be profitable. You need many skills to run a business and I’m very lucky to have a partner with me and make it so much easier.”
Messer has been learning the skills necessary for creating and growing a business. In doing so, he figures out how to apply those skills to his businesses and other life situations where the skills are needed.
“Becoming an entrepreneur isn’t just about having a good idea, it’s about having the skills to turn that idea into a real, working business. You have to be a critical thinker and to be able to problem solve,” Messer said. “You need good communication skills. Leadership and teamwork. Marking and sales skills, self motivation and discipline, time management and you need to be innovative and creative.”
Although Messer runs his businesses independently, he credits his aunt for inspiring him and helping him to establish his clothing brand.
“I came up with the idea in the 6th grade and started marking mock ups but I didn’t know where to start but then my aunt came to me with an idea and we made it real,” Messer said. “After seeing the confetti on my screen after our first sale it was really touching that someone liked our creativity. It was definitely one of my favorite memories with my brand.”
With every piece of clothing he creates, Messer wants his consumers to understand the meaning behind his brand.
“Our designs represent health and recreation, with our pursuit that ‘leisure is rich’ by making clothes that are an everyday essential for everything in between,” Messer said. “It’s more than a hoodie, it’s how you live.”
To get more sales, he promotes his clothes through social media. Messer has made an Instagram page that he and his older brother model his new clothing on.
“You learn new skills every day—social media marketing, graphic design, brand storytelling—those are some examples but there are many more,” Messer said. “I will continue to make clothes for my business and hopefully grow our lifestyle and community.”
