Today we’d like to introduce you to Cool Court.
Hi Cool Court, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always loved socks with different graphics on them to the point that I didn’t own any plain white socks. After brainstorming for a long time about how I can get into the fashion industry without doing the same things as the rest of my family and friends, I decided to start a sock company. At the time, my main focus was on socks. Of course, I made tees and hoodies with my Logo on them but they were really for promotional purposes back then. It was a struggle coming up with a name for the business but my older sister, Maynard came through with it. “TWOTEN aka TWO FEET TEN TOES”. It was something we would always say as children. Before we were driving, if someone asked you how you’re going to get somewhere, we would say, ” On our TwoTen, two feet ten toes.” So when she said that name, I thought it was perfect and stuck with it! She has been my right hand throughout this whole process, couldn’t of done a lot without her. I call her my “Think Tank.”
As far as coming up with the sock designs, I had a lot in mind already so it wasn’t really hard coming up with more ideas. I had a close friend of mine, Mike Reese put my ideas onto Adobe Illustrator because at the time, I didn’t know how to use it. Not knowing how to use Adobe was a little setback at times but it always seemed to workout. I also had my nephew, Mister Nixon draw up a few characters and other graphics for me that we got together on and applied those to some of the socks. Eventually, I taught myself to use Adobe Illustrator so that I can start doing my own designing on the computer, eliminating the middle man. This was a lot better for me because I was able to just produce my thoughts right away. I’m still not a professional yet, but getting there. In the end, it always works out so I guess, so good so far. At first, we were getting our socks made in the US but have changed to Hong Kong because we have bigger quantity and better quality socks. I have done a few collaborations with different brands and have some exciting ones coming up as well. Currently, we have a few different sock designs available along with tee shirts, hoodies and sweats on our online shop. I envision TWOTEN blowing up into one of the biggest sock brands ever so that I can pass the company down to my children.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been somewhat a smooth road for the most part. Of course, I have had obstacles along the way but nothing that I could not overcome. One of the biggest struggles for me was at the very beginning when I started the company. That was getting a manufacturer that could make the quality socks I wanted. It took me a while to even find some manufacturers with such a low minimum. After receiving a couple of different samples from manufacturers in the US, I decided to go with the best quality sock just so that I could get the ball rolling. I knew once I got it rolling then a new and better manufacturer would come, just had to start making things happen. Another struggle that I have had along the way was actually being able to put my actual thoughts into my designs. Once I taught myself how to use Adobe Illustrator, I was able to get more into the groove of things because when I thought about it, I could just design it on the computer. I also have taught myself how to navigate and use Adobe Photoshop as well. I am not the best at both of these but whenever I come across something I can’t do, I usually just YouTube it and try to figure it out on my own. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t, but in the end I will figure it out somehow even if I have to call someone and ask.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the Owner of Two Ten Socks LLC. Two Ten is short for Two Feet Ten Toes. We specialize in socks. I do the designing for the socks. Two Ten socks are known to compliment your outfit, keeping your feet warm and lasting forever. It’s very rare for someone to only buy one pair especially after worn once. I am most proud of the progression that I have made throughout this whole process. I have improved in many areas like business, finances and even personal relationships. It has taught me a lot about starting from the ground and trying to get to the top. What sets me apart from others is that I have a unique eye for fashion and most say that I am a trendsetter. I am a go getter, hard worker and overachiever, and will not let one monkey stop my show. I will dedicate my all to this to make sure that this company is successful and I can leave behind a legacy to my children. Some may say my socks aren’t cheap, but they aren’t your average pair of socks. You pay for what you get.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
The best advice I have about finding a mentor is to let it happen if it happens if not life will be alright just keep moving forward and getting game from the right people. As far as networking, that is one of the keys to success in this field. You must network and meet as many people as possible so your brand can be known worldwide. Networking has definitely worked for me and has brought me new clientele and friends all over. I have also socked up games from a lot of successful people and applied it to my own company. I have also seen the mistakes people made and tried not to make them myself. You have to remember what works for everybody won’t always work for you that same way, you might have to do a little tweaking but eventually somethings gotta give. Practice makes perfect, we learn from our mistakes.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@twofeettentoes.com
- Website: www.twofeettentoes.com
- Instagram: @fukcyosocks & @twotensocks
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TulZa35ZHa8
Image Credits:
– Jahmad Balugo – Geezy Productions – Alex Duckworth
