Meet Dylan Sanglay of DSigner_Etc in Las Vegas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dylan Sanglay.

Dylan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I was in 3rd grade, I had an entrepreneurial mindset. I would flip little toys, candy, and paper rings just to have some extra money on the side if I wanted to buy something. Every Friday, my school would sell ice cream, but I never had money to buy it. So, instead of asking my parents for the money, I would ask them to buy me lollipops. They thought I truly loved these lollipops, but little did they know I was just flipping them for a profit.

I would literally flip anything. As a kid, I remember coming home with a bunch of ones and quarters in my jacket pocket. Fast forward to my Sophomore year in high school, I started my own one on one basketball training in order to get young kids to get better at the sport. Their parents would offer to pay me $40 an hour. I wanted to provide them value, so I trained the kids for free.

As time went on, I trained five kids a week due to the referrals I was getting from the kids/parents. The kids were getting better and better each practice. The parents saw the quality in my work and insisted I took the $40 an hour. Every week, I would train the five kids for two hours. Keep in mind, I didn’t have a consistent gym to go to, so I had to train at parks, rec centers, or anything that would allow me to go in for free.

I made it work, but I wanted to change it up a bit. When I was 17 years old (junior in high school), I wanted to do something I was passionate about while having a purpose behind it. So, I started DSigner_etc. The “D” is for Dylan and the “S” is for Sanglay. I am a “designer” and I sell “designer” items. I added “etc” because I wanted to sell EVERYTHING! That being said, I only started with $40 cash.

The money I previously earned was put in savings and other investment accounts. So, I only had $40 in cash to utilize on my business. With this $40 I went to Savers and bought 10-15 items that I knew would make a profit. Little by little, I sold each product. I knew that I needed more inventory.

So, at the time, my grandpa and grandma were moving out of their house. They said if I helped them move, I could get some of the clothes that they were just going to give away. I helped them move throughout the whole week and I found a bunch of items that would be awesome to flip. They blessed me with a few bags of clothing, but there were so many that I decided to hand-give the rest of it to the homeless.

For my 18th birthday, I decided to invest a percentage of my profits to buy more clothes and essential needs for the homeless. I told my parents that all I wanted to do for my birthday was “give back to my community.” We did exactly that! As a family, we went to the heart of Downtown Las Vegas and hand-gave the homeless individuals clothing that I invested in for weeks! The smiles and gratitude they had inspired me to surround my business in giving back.

That being said, a percentage of what I make goes back to the homeless community. I partner with multiple organizations that help me set up events for the homeless each month. The main organization I partner with is the Care Complex. I have been on numerous publications such as New3lv, Channel 13, Las Vegas Review-Journal, and many more! Plus, I opened my own shop at 18 years old!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
A smooth road would sound nice, but there have been lots of bumps on this journey. I have went through a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and sleepless days/nights to get where I am today. Yes, literally BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS, and SLEEPLESS DAY AND NIGHTS. I have doubted myself many times, failed more times than I could imagine, been discouraged by many people, had a lot of harsh comments thrown at me, and been scammed for a lot of money. One of the things that still stick around today are the discouraging comments coming from my very own family. I love my family more than anything and I would do anything for them, which is why this one still gets to me.

To this day, my family, with the exception of my mom, still doesn’t respect what I do or don’t believe in it. I have had one of my family members tell me that I would never become a millionaire, let alone earn 6-figures. I have had another tell me that I am a “bum,” and that I just sell shoes [and clothes] to “ghetto” people. I have heard it all. Maybe because they have never been to an event? Maybe because they are used to the traditional 9-5 job? OR maybe because they don’t see me putting in hours and hours of work each day? I do not know, but I believe that ALL of this just fuels me to work harder than ever in order to become the best version of myself as possible. If you are reading this and you are an aspiring entrepreneur, please do not let anyone discourage you from pursuing your dreams! Take action and be the best version of yourself as possible! Take risks and be whatever you want to be! It is out there, but it is up to you to get it!

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the DSigner_Etc story. Tell us more about the business.
DSigner sells new and used trendy items online/my shop downtown. Plus a percentage of what I make goes back to the homeless community. I am known for my positive vibes and crazy energy. I am also known for my slogan, “DON’T SLEEP, I GOT THE HEAT!” I am most proud about giving back to my community and inspiring those around me each day. Something that sets me apart from others is that I don’t get “high” off compliments. I enjoy the process each and every day.

One move doesn’t determine my success and I will always have the same energy when I reach the top as I did at the bottom. I am more into constructive criticism and would rather be told what I can improve on, than just being told I am the best. Regardless of any situation, I always remember that every day is not a promise and I am blessed every time I wake up. That being said, I must lay it all on the table and wish to have no regrets at the end.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe luck has played too much of a role in my life or business overall. For me, it is all work. My parents never grew up rich. In fact, my parents came from the bottom and worked their way up. They were never given anything. Everything they have in life, they worked for it. I grew up in a one-story house, middle-class and my parents always blessed me with everything they possibly had. I was never spoon-fed anything though. I had to learn how to get it in my own way first. Everything I have to this day was from hard work and dedication.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My personality and drive are the most important qualities to my success. I understand when there is time for jokes and when it is time to get down to business. Most of the time, it is just a grind, GRind, and GRIND. I do not spend my weekends partying, going to concerts, or just chilling with my friends. I keep my circle small and just surround myself with positivity or people that I can grow with. My weekends consist of my pure WORK. I love Mondays and I certainly do not live for the weekends. Success is the only option. Nothing more, nothing less. I have always wanted to say this in one of my publications, so here it goes. I, Dylan Sanglay, believe that I am the HARDEST WORKER in my family. I pray that at the long end of this process, I will find true happiness and live a healthy life with my beautiful family.

Pricing:

• Tees: ~$5-$50+
• Sweaters: ~$10-$30+
• Accessories: ~$10-$70+
• DSigner Merch: ~$10-$50+
• Footwear: ~$10-$1000+
• Games/toys: ~$5-$30+

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dsigneretc.com
• Phone: 702-460-5136
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dsanglay/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dylan.sanglay
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/sanglay_dylan
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_FLjVdlosEgwe2GPrTLT0A

Image Credit:
@dsanglay

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