As a student starting high school, it was important to me to fully know what I was going to be.    

It was important to form a vision, one that would be achievable using the four years of education I had ahead of me.

The day that I noticed I found extreme joy within music, fashion, and art, I knew I had to expand my ideas. So that is simply what I did, and looking at it now, I believe we have come a long way.

Beginning in ninth grade, CJ Norwood, whose stage name is CJ Pharaoh, and I, using the stage name EsE Prophet, integrated fully into the creative arts. Starting with music, we collaborated and formed a musical group currently known as the Supreme Deities.

We, along with several other entrepreneurs, fall under a collective label known as Mob 66 Records, which we formed in tenth grade. We established a good amount of supporters who follow us and attend events like concerts, where people will also buy merchandise.

As any other young entrepreneurs, we would like to expand our business and continue producing art. With the help from classes and teachers at Baldwin, we branched out into designing, creating, and selling our own fashion line.

I took classes like Graphic Design and Graphic Arts, which gave me experience in logo design and production. With aid from knowledgeable teachers like Jim Wodarek, Ginny Pfatteicher, and Ron Quinn, what was once a dream became reality.

A highlight for us was when students modeled some of our creations during the Arts Assembly.

For any underclassmen who want to start their own businesses, one of the first steps is to come up with a vision that is shared by everyone in your group. Then it’s important to establish networking and connections to expand your reach.

For us, a seed of thought was planted a couple years back. With hard work and strong desire, we have created a complete business. All in all it has been an exciting experience that I hope never comes to an end.

When trying to appeal to the youth and growing culture, it is important to always know what’s trending and be several steps ahead of the game. I believe we had a dream, and that dream is now reality.