One year later, student start-up still growing
Almost a year ago, a Utah State University business student took a passion for colorful socks and matching ties and built it into a business.
Since then the business has seen a lot of growth and support, said John Pope, the founder and CEO of Tie Your Socks.
“We’re coming out with a new line, which I’m excited about,” Pope said. “We’ve started selling on Amazon. We’re talking with Macy’s to try to get into retail there, but the gist is it’s matching socks and ties.”
The idea came from his uncle who would buy ties, then go around to other stores in order to find the right kind of socks to match. Pope said he liked the idea and started the habit as well.
He said people were always commenting on his matching ties and socks. With a nudge from colorful fashion trends, Pope said he partnered with Sean Miller and began Tie Your Socks.
“The socks are comfortable,” said Lance Sakurada, a senior in statistics. “They’re cool-looking, and it brings a little personality to how you dress and everything.”
The business currently operates primarily online at their website, TieYourSocks.com, though they have started to branch out into retail.
Mentors from the Entrepreneurship Club helped Pope and his partner get the business running, and the entrepreneurial world has been a supportive resource as well, Pope said.
“Everyone’s so helpful to each other. There’s a lot less competition than you think, I guess,” Pope said. “I always thought it’d be like, no one wants to help each other ’cause they want their business to be better, but really everyone’s super helpful, they’re always looking out for you.”
For other students looking to start their own business, Pope recommends sticking with it.
“Just be persistent, keep trying, take some risks, just work hard and have fun,” Pope said. “You’ve got to have fun. If you’re not having fun nothing’s worth it.”
Strong advocates to get the word out about the business is just as important in getting a business started, said Lance Sakurada, a senior in statistics.
“You can have this great idea, but it’s really the second person that gets it off the ground,” Sakurada said. “The first person can go out with some big idea, and say it’s the greatest idea in the world, but people will ignore that. It’s the second person that when you get him on board, people will start listening, because it works by numbers.”
Finance junior Kevin Kartchner said that entrepreneurs are important for seeing opportunities to create products that fill needs in the market.
“I think (Tie Your Socks) is really innovated and I think that’s a what a lot of people are doing nowadays, starting small businesses off of different things that they enjoy doing and creating a living that way,” Kartchner said.
With a good product and enough advocates, another important idea to keep in mind in developing a growing business is taking the time to give back to the community, Pope said.
With every pair of socks sold with a tie Pope sells, he donates a pair of socks to charity.
“The most needed things are underwear and socks because you can’t donate those used; that’d be kind of gross,” he said. “So we’re able to give new pairs of socks to people who are getting back into the workforce, through the programs that help them get there.”
The most important thing about creating a new business or following a passion, Pope said, is to take a cool idea or dream and go for it.
“I’ve never thought I’d own an sock and tie company, but you know, it was something I was passionate about and I went for it and it’s been something I’d never trade,” Pope said. “So I don’t care if they buy a sock or tie — if they have an idea, if they have a passion for something, they should go for it and give it a hundred percent. I mean, that’s what we’re here for: to learn and grown and that’s the best way to do it, to just dive in and do stuff you don’t know how to do. It forces you to learn pretty quick.”
—miranda.lorenc@gmail.com