For those of you that are here for that daily dose of inspiration, I bring you the story of Johnny Cupcakes. You may have heard of this boy who with just $6,700 and a dream, created a company that last year brought in over $3 million dollars in revenue. Inc. Magazine has a full story on their site but my favorite story can be found on Johnny's own Web site. “Customers like and appreciate the story behind my brand. I started this as a joke, from the trunk of my beat up 89′ Toyota Camry; a college drop out – drug and alcohol-free lifestyle – turned down a lot of investors – Took countless risks – kept my shirts out of heaps of chain stores. Yeah, I could of made a TON of money real quick, but I chose quality over quantity. “I'd rather have a strong brand filled with knowledgeable customers who truly enjoy and appreciate what I've created instead of making a quick buck trying to get my shirts in chain stores across the world – being just another fad. People like what nobody else has, and I love coming out with limited edition, exclusive shirts – rather than mass producing things. I communicate with my customers(I wouldn't be here without them!) I build memorable experiences for my customers… whether it be an in-store event, or the packaging and details I put into everything. Most companies try to cut as many corners as they can, to turn a better profit. I do the exact opposite and pay close attention to all the little things. I've managed to build a multi-million dollar, strong, fun, different, homegrown business – without going your typical route. I've managed to employ both of my parents, my sister, and all of my close friends – so that they don't have to work jobs they don't enjoy.” With a passion and a drive, Johnny Cupcakes not only created a t-shirt company, he created a movement. Check out his cool blog to see how he's created a community around his brand. Way to go, Mr. Cupcakes! Johnny Cupcakes store
