Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelechi Ezeani.
Kelechi, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was a freshman at the University of Houston last year when I launched 4K. Coming into college for the first time, I didn’t want my four years to be solely focused on walking across the stage, receiving a handshake and a rectangular piece of paper. I came into college wanting to make an impact in my community and leave with a lasting presence. Surprisingly enough, this impact would initially get started at the hands of me losing my job as a cashier in November 2018. I realized at that point that it is vital for us as individuals to have multiple sources of income. I then thought about how I attend the second most diverse University in America, the University of Houston. People attend this school from all across the country and the globe. Starting a business of here would allow me to essentially touch the globe.
With that in mind, 4 KINGS THE BRAND was born. I started brainstorming for 4K in mid-December of 2018 and had our first looks on the brand at the beginning of 2019. After three months of hard work, we finally launched 4KINGS The Brand with our first commercial produced by Jerry of Zippsstudiopro on March 25, 2019. I am only 19 years old, but I was finally taking the first steps in impacting my community for the better. It was not easy to get to this point but thanks to the support of so many, we were able to ship to over 20 states around the US as well as to many countries across the globe such as Canada, Australia, UK, Nigeria and much more. Many of our products are sold out, and our new releases sell fast as well. I tell people all the time that I and the members of our team are not special. 4 KINGS THE BRAND was just a dream in my head just this past December, but now, the dream is reality. This could be you. Whatever great idea that you had in mind, please do not hesitate, start taking action now, don’t wait till tomorrow, start today! I’m so grateful for how far we came and so excited for the future.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was definitely not easy trying to start a clothing brand. I used to think it was very simple. Make a couple of shirts, maybe a jersey, and sell them. Little did I know, just how difficult the process would be. I wanted our brand to be unique, different and top quality. Finding the right manufacturer that had the capability to produce all of these qualities for the right price, took weeks. Sample prices were extremely high and we would have to patiently wait for production. After we released our first looks, we received a lot of people that were showing extreme interest in the brand, but when we officially released, we quickly realized how hard it is for someone to pull out a card and make a purchase. We were predicting a sell-out on the first night, but we got about 15 orders. Which was actually very good for a brand new company on its first night, but our expectations were high. Creating a professional website, finding new designs, logos and the right materials was very difficult, but there was a light at each of all these tunnels. Once we figured everything out, we could only get better. We never gave up even when there were days that we didn’t want to do this anymore. Perseverance was and always will be key.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about 4 Kings The Brand – what should we know?
4 Kings The Brand is a streetwear clothing brand launched out of the University of Houston. Since our launch back in March, we have made retro soccer jerseys, 3M windbreakers, biker short sets and women’s legging sets. With many more essential products in production. We are a black-owned business and I think what sets us apart is the difference in design from other clothing brands. Every single piece that we create has something unique about it, it is not just an ordinary “shirt” or “jacket” the design is always comfortable, fitting, and very trendy and stylish. There is something for everyone to wear. Our slogan is: “Royalty in Streetwear.” We chose that slogan because we truly believe that when you wear our products, you will truly feel like royalty, even in the common everyday wear. This is highly appealing to college kids and youth in general because they are always looking for something they can wear casually and still turn heads. When you wear a 4K product, that is exactly what you can expect. High quality, sleek design, and extreme comfort to have you feeling like the King or Queen you truly are.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Our appeal to being unique is important to our success. When starting the brand I didn’t want to just bring out a simple t-shirt, and slap a logo on it and call it a name, I wanted to make a product that everybody sought after. That is why we launched with jerseys and windbreakers first. We know that most people would wear a nice jersey over a simple t-shirt. We knew that Windbreakers are always in demand, no matter the season. This type of thinking coupled with nice designs that nobody has ever seen before, made us more successful, very quickly.
Pricing:
- 4K Slowfade 3M Windbreaker – $31.99
- 4K MIdnight Blue Jersey – $24.99
- 4K Signature Oreo Set – $24.99
- 4K Royal Gold Jersey – $24.99
- 4K Sun Set – $26.99
Contact Info:
- Website: 4kthebrand.com
- Email: 4kthebrand@gmail.com
- Instagram: @4kthebrand
- Twitter: @4kthebrand
Image Credit:
@Thirdbilly, @akins_b, @zippsstudiospro
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