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On Tuesday, April 8, Academy Alumnus, Ryan Vessler’01, founder and CEO of clothing brand, Homage, came to speak to a group of over 100 students. Mr. Wuorinen, who taught Vessler when he was a student here, led the interview. The pair walked in wearing each other’s clothing, setting the upbeat tone for the informality of the interview. From there, they discussed Vessler’s time at Academy, from starting the Bowling Club to his duct=taped prom suit. Vessler talked about how Academy shaped his entrepreneurial journey and the profound impact the faculty had on his success, saying, “They care unlike anyone out in the world . . . Just incredible people. They encouraged me to be me.”
The talk shifted into the bumps along Vessler’s journey as an entrepreneur. He began the company by himself in his dorm room in college and managed all manufacturing and shipping alone. He eventually expanded, which he said was hard at first because of his tendency to micromanage. He faced plenty of challenges along the way, including a failed attempt at creating an in-person store. Failure, Vessler said, is a major component of entrepreneurship, and how you respond is key in deciding if you will succeed or not.
When Mr. Wuorinen asked Vessler what it’s like to work in the sports apparel industry, he explained how it is a relatively small industry, so you form connections with many people involved in sports, such as the Kelce brothers and top sports agents. They discussed the licensing aspect of the job, which has landed Vessler deals with the NFL, Disney, Ohio State, and more.
To close out the interview, the interview turned to where Vessler would like to take Homage next. He expressed a desire to focus more on storytelling in his work, invoking feelings of nostalgia. One such venture he has already begun is his Homage bar, which is a bar in a downtown hotel that is decorated with Homage apparel. Vessler explained his enjoyment of the interior designing process, which he said allows you to focus on creativity without the stress of managing inventory and shipping.
The forum provided a great opportunity for students to gain insight into entrepreneurship and what it takes to sustain a company–and to hear it from an Academy alum shows us that we have the resources explore ventures, too.
