Entrepreneur

Seven ventures. Every one taught me something.

I started building businesses long before I knew what a business plan was. Some succeeded, some failed, and a few taught me more by closing than they ever could have by staying open. Here is the full story, from my first online store to the AI company I'm building today.

The timeline

From high school to today, in the order it happened.

1. 01 · The early days

   Drop Shipping

   Failed

   My first venture was an online drop-shipping store. I had products and a storefront, but I knew almost nothing about running paid ads, and without traffic the store never got off the ground. It failed fast, and it taught me my first real business lesson: a good product means nothing if you can't reach the right customer.

2. 02 · 2021

   

   Custom Hub

   Closed

   In high school I launched Custom Hub, a custom apparel and screen-printing business. We designed and printed shirts for school sports teams, student clubs, and local businesses, handling everything from the first mockup to the final delivery. It was my first experience with real customers, real deadlines, and real revenue, and it showed me that people buy from people they know and trust.

3. 03 · 2021

   

   Clothes for a Cause

   Nonprofit

   Around the same time as Custom Hub, I started Clothes for a Cause, a nonprofit apparel brand built on a simple promise: every sale came with a clothing donation to someone in need. It taught me how a clear mission can turn a product into something people want to be part of.

4. 04 · 2023

   

   MVMNT App

   1st place, global competition

   I co-founded MVMNT, a mobile app that puts sustainable living in one place. Users can discover eco-friendly businesses, connect with local environmental organizations, and shop sustainable products, all from a single app. Our team took first place in a global entrepreneurship competition, and our story was covered by WXYZ Detroit.

   Visit themvmntapp.com Read the WXYZ news story
5. 05 · 2022

   

   Junior Distribution

   Closed

   Junior Distribution was an Amazon wholesale company: we sourced products in bulk and resold them on Amazon. The business grew to more than $300,000 in sales, but the margins were too slim to support hiring employees, and I was leaving for college. I made the call to shut it down. It was a hard lesson in the difference between revenue and profit.

6. 06 · 2025

   

   Tipsy Towers

   Closed

   In college I co-founded Tipsy Towers, a party drinking game that was stocked in more than 100 fulfillment centers across the country. When a copyright dispute came up, we ran the numbers and decided that fighting it didn't make financial sense, so we chose to close the business on our own terms.

7. 07 · 2026 – Now

   

   Artemin AI

   In development

   Today I'm co-founding Artemin AI, software that uses artificial intelligence to help manufacturers source components and parts and reduce what they pay for them. The product is currently in development, and it draws on everything the ventures before it taught me: sourcing, margins, customers, and knowing exactly who we're building for.

   Visit artemin.ai