Q&Awith Johnny Cupcakes
In 2000, Johnny Earle started making T-shirts with cupcakes replacing popular pop-icons as a joke. The reaction he got was enough that he quit his job and created his own clothing line. In 2008, BusinessWeek placed Johnny as the No. 1 entrepreneur on its “Best Entrepreneurs 25 and Under” list. Johnny opened up to The Statesman about his unorthodox marketing, life lessons and where he sees himself in five years.
US: What is the symbolism behind using a cupcake and crossbones on your clothing items? What message are you trying to send people?
JC: I’m not telling them anything. I took a random nickname that was given to me while I was working in a record shop when I was 18 or 19 years old. While I was working working there, people would call me Johnny Appleseed or Johnny Come-lately when I was late for work, or Johnny Cupcakes. While getting T-shirts made for the band I was in, I thought it would be funny to make a few shirts that said Johnny Cupcakes on them. People liked them, so I kept making more. Guys though it was funny, girls thought it was cute. Everyone thought it was random. The more strange or obscure or unique (a business idea) is, the more people are going to talk about, and the less you’ll have to pay for advertising.
US: When you were 5 years old, you probably didn’t see yourself running a clothing line. What did you want to be when you grew up?
JC: I wanted to be a magician for a little while. I did magic tricks at kids’ birthday parties. That was one of my first entrepreneurial adventures outside of selling lemonade.
US: How old were you?
JC: I think I started when I was 7 years old, and I did it on and off until I was 13.
US: So you’d say you’re kind of a born entrepreneur?
JC: Yes, definitely. I’ve always come up with ways to work for myself and do things that make me happy. Some people aren’t happy unless they have something to complain about. I think it’s good to have a positive mental attitude. If you find something you love, it doesn’t feel like work and that’s the real success.
US: You always tell students to do what they love. What happens if you get tired of the cupcake business?
JC: I won’t. In addition to Johnny Cupcakes, I have a lot of other ideas for secret businesses I plan on starting at some point.
US: Do you want to share any of those ideas?
JC: I have been writing a business book for the past two years I plan on self-publishing. I’m going to be a creative consultant, and anybody that wants to prove any of their business or ideas can come out, and I’ll give them at least a dozen ways to make their business unique and successful.
US: Some have called your marketing tactics crazy. Obviously, it’s been viral for you for the past few years. What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done for your business?
JC: Opening these Johnny Cupcakes stores has been pretty crazy. It’s been risks to see if things are going to work. If you don’t take a risk, you’ll never know. If you fail, you’ll learn from that. We’ve had some T-shirt releases around Halloween, where we’ll release these spooky shirts, and we’ll set the stores up as haunted houses. We’ve had customers camp out up to 12 days sleeping on the streets for these T-shirts.
US: You started out as a musician. Is there any part of that left in you?
JC: Yeah, I love music, and I have a lot of ideas with music. I’m sure at some point I’ll be making more music.
US: What instruments do you play?
JC: I made sound effects, which is kind of strange. I was in a hardcore-metal band. I would sample weird noises from old vintage sci-fi records, and I would insert that in our songs.
US: If you weren’t creating bakery-themed items, what would you be doing?
JC: I don’t know. Hopefully, being a magician. I still do some magic tricks here and there. I honestly think of a new business every week. I have notebooks full of ideas. I just don’t have enough time.
US: You’re one of the few multimillion-dollar companies with fewer than 50 employees. Why have you kept it small?
JC: Everybody works hard and pitches in everywhere. We have a great team. And when you have a positive team full of people that love their jobs, it reflects in their work. We haven’t really had to hire any other people.
US: You’ve traveled across the world and become a millionaire before you were 30 years old. Is there anything you regret?
JC: No, I don’t regret anything. I’ve learned from everything — good and bad. You have to take things and turn them into learning lessons.
US: Is there anything huge you want to do in the next five years?
JC: Besides publishing this business book, it would be nice to — I’d like to start some of these other side businesses. It would be cool to start a family at some point but I have to build a foundation of my life before I (have) my family. It’s very difficult finding that balance for a lot of people, and I want to make sure I can be stress free.
US: Last but not least, would you ever legally change your name to Johnny Cupcakes?
JC: My name is Johnny Earle, not cupcakes. Sometime I pretend cupcakes is my last name, and I don’t think I’d legally change my name to Johnny Cupcakes. If I did, my future son might get beat up and my future daughter could possibly be very promiscuous.
US: Anything you want to add?
JC: I just want everyone to do more of what makes them happy. If you have any passions or business ideas, try to follow them.
– alexandria.evensen@aggiemail.usu.edu