Education is not just about being in a classroom. Education is about life and learning, including the importance of being business savvy. In other words, you don’t have to wait until your an adult to become an entrepreneur and that’s what 9-year-old Brandon D. Hill is doing.
So, what inspired the young boy to go into business? First, his dress code was different from the rest, always wearing dress clothes while going to church, among other occasions. In church, most kids would wear casual attire while he would be wearing suits. It began quite early for him; he asked how to tie a bowtie at the age of four, something that wasn’t readily available for children of his age. When he turned 7 years old, he already started thinking of how he could provide a place where young boys would purchase formal wear.
At some point, Hill asked his grandma why children used to attend church services dressed casually. His grandma told him that such clothes are expensive. This inspired him further to think of providing a destination where such clothes would be affordable. But it wasn’t that alone. Understanding that there are those who would still stick to casual wear, regardless, he thought of starting a business that offered both official and casual attire.
To put the idea into reality, Hill reveals that he received support from his grandma, parents, family members, and his church. Ironically, his parents didn’t take him seriously when he started talking about starting a business; yet, he persistently asked for it. Finally, when he was seven-years-old, they managed to get for him a business license.
Getting a location for the business was another challenge, but lucky enough, Vees Boutique allowed Hill to get a spot in her shop.
Running a business isn’t that easy, particularly for a young boy who’s still going to school. Asked how he manages to balance school and his business, he said: “First I have to see what day I have an activity and I know what to do. I play football, piano, sing and I’m a worship leader at church. I do my homework between 4:00-4:30 and I practice the piano at night. I get all A’s and B’s and I’ve been on the honor roll since kindergarten (Now in the 5th grade). I’ll work my store on Friday evenings and Saturday Afternoons. My grandmother and Ms. Vee will operate it the rest of the days.”
The name of his boutique is Church Boy Clothing and it opened in November in Detroit. His store provides different clothes and accessories, including socks, cufflinks, belts, men bracelets, among others.
He’s looking forward to being either a lawyer or obstetrician, and he’s planning to study either at Princeton or Howard University. To meet his college tuition needs, he’s planning on saving his profits.
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