Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover

The founders of YAE believe that success is found through hard work and determination.  Why work for “the man” and conform to their norms when you can create your own?  Young and Established is a brand that aims to inspire young entrepreneurs to bet on themselves. To know that you don’t have to change who you are, or what you look like, in order to reach success.  The brand was founded by two young men who dreamt of working for themselves, while still staying true to their upbringings. 

In most business transactions, a first impression can make or break you. You're judged before you say a word. That's exactly what YAE aims to change. They want to challenge the assumption that tattoos and Jordans means unprofessional and unprepared. They walk into every meeting confident in their business and carry the weight of a misrepresented community into every pitch. You take them for who they are, and listen as their business knowledge and aspirations prove why they're sitting across the room with you.

The YAE members come from humble, urban beginnings and have never quite looked the part of the traditional “entrepreneur”. They don't shy away from this comparison though, but instead, they play it to their advantage. They understand that the audience they're targeting won't support frauds - they're loyal to the brands that carry their truth. So YAE takes pride in looking, talking, and walking different because that's why their consumers are bought in. 

The ‘norm’ in urban communities show the pinnacle of success as a rapper or ball player - there is no real emphasis on entrepreneurship or business. YAE has the ability to shape a generation of dreams. 

Young and Established is not a clothing line, it’s an inspirational lifestyle brand, that encourages the young entrepreneurs to take action, to build their own brands, and essentially, set themselves up financially.  The goal here is to show others that they don’t have to conform to the typical 9-5 dead end jobs, or jobs that consume your life as you continue to strive to climb the corporate ladder. Everyone has the ability to take their futures into their own hands, creating something of their own, becoming their own bosses.  

It is a core principle of YAE to remain true to themselves and never forget the concrete of which they grew. That concrete is what keeps them real, what keeps them grounded. The brand is an extension and expression of the founders’ mission to create future entrepreneurs. The style, heavily influenced by the world of music, is inspired by their favorite musicians. 

By remaining authentic to the styles they love, and expressing themselves with nothing but authenticity, YAE manages to create consumer loyalty.  They are a brand that their followers relate to, and in turn can believe in, trust in, learn, grow, and succeed with.  

Our current culture in 2019 is all about inclusivity and acceptance, so there’s no better time to start building a personal brand around who you are, rather than what society tells you is acceptable.  More people are fighting against stereotypes and becoming comfortable expressing themselves. We live in a time where individuality is thriving - embrace it.  

The world has been living in black and white for far too long.  Now is the time to truly become Young and Established, to thrive on our unique personalities and drive to become successful entrepreneurs. 

How Can You Support? 

You can support the YAE mission on Street2Ivy by shopping their products, as 15% of all purchases are invested into community organizations that teach young entrepreneurs these same ideals that the brand embodies.