Meet Chad the Dad | Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chad the Dad and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chad the Dad, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
All throughout high school and college I made sure I had a job and a side hustle. I wanted to make sure I always had some money in my pocket. But as football season rolled around each year we couldn’t work so the side hustles took over.

I went to Jacksonville State University and my first hustle was cutting hair. Our apartment stayed packed out, I cut a majority of the football team and anyone else I was able to make time for. That was the first time I experienced making money by my own terms.

I had full control of how much money I would make on any given weekend while setting my own hours and boundaries. I fell in love with this concept and found freedom in it. This same thought process lead me to starting many different businesses.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
In 2012, I fell in love with Entrepreneurship in college. I went from cutting hair to starting my first brand “Late Nights Early Mornings” with my college roommate and teammate Omari Jones, Our top selling shirt simply read “College Life” on the front and “Late Nights Early Mornings” on the back.

Jones focused on making the designs and I focused on making the sales. We already had a house full of guest every weekend from my apartment barbershop so we put the shirts up on the wall and they sold themselves!

After a couple months of selling out of every new drop, Jones had the idea to start hosting parties at local venues in Jacksonville and we started party promoting. We played football for JSU and would often throw our own after parties for the home games. We’d always let people who had on one of our shirts in for the low!

By 2014 we felt like local screen printing companies were taking advantage of us. Prices would always fluctuate, orders would get delayed and the quality of the prints would be inconsistent. The last straw was when we dropped an exclusive black and gold color way. The crew neck was black with glitter gold ink. We charged an extra $15 for it! So it was super embarrassing when our customers sent me pictures of the entire design washing away in the washer machine!

I did a ton of research at YouTube university, and stumbled across screen printed plastisol transfers and a way to make high quality shirts that were guaranteed to last in the washer machine. That next semester we all got our pell grants in and we were supposed to go to Panama City, but instead I invested in the best industrial heat press on the market!

At that time my intention was to cut down our t shirt price and just print for myself. We went from paying $12 per shirt to making them myself for $5. The profit margins were lovely to say the least! It wouldn’t be long before other students at the school wanted to start their own brands, and I never believed in holding information away from anyone that had the courage to ask. There was enough students at the school for everybody to eat! That’s when I started my 2nd business, Inky Originals,(now operating as the One Block Print Shop) a screen printing company that guaranteed longevity in our prints!

I started printing for other brands and used my experience as a brand owner to help my clients find success starting their brands. Many of which y’all have already interviewed here. I was making real good money while helping people bring their dreams to life in the process all before I graduated college.

A couple years passed by, and I decided to go to grad school while my girlfriend Kaela was in Nursing school. We found out that she was pregnant in January 2017 while I was learning what it meant to be an Eta Mu Nupe, and during those tense times I decided the best way to provide for my unborn child was to dedicate more time to my growing business. Kaela graduated nursing school, I crossed the burning sands, dropped out of grad school to go all in on myself, got married and moved to GA!

It’s been 5 years since! I have 2 beautiful daughters now, Naomi and Ava. My wife’s a super nurse and amazing mother. I continued to develop my own entrepreneurial talents via YouTube University, online courses and couple life changing books. I now own and operate 3 businesses all built on helping others monetize their purpose and passion.

The “One Block Shop” oneblockshop.org houses many of the talents i picked up over the years. We create e-commerce websites via Shopify and Lead Pages. We offer professional content creation and social media marketing for awareness and conversions. This month I am very excited to add business consultations and online courses to the mix!

SupahWav.com is a business I started with Multi Platinum Producer Supah Mario. We sell digital producer assets including loops packs, Vocal sample packs, VST’s and more. We’ve been in business for a year and plan to really scale up this year!

The One Block Print Shop, my first business venture, has grown quite a bit! I secured my first business location in Cartersville GA, where we have 12 embroidery machines and couple more heat presses. We print for a ton of brands in Georgia and Alabama and I’m looking to scale that up this year. I’m working on the new site now and we should be back live by the end on the month. Oneblockprintshop.com coming real soon! And we’ll have a couple deals be on the lookout for that!

My entire journey has been an uphill battle, but entrepreneurship isn’t for the weak minded. I have found peace in God’s promises and principles and I’m able to lean on them as I continue my journey. I dropped out of grad school but never stopped learning and improving, and one day ima go back just to get that MBA and show my daughters we can do anything lol.

For anyone looking to be an entrepreneur themselves I advise them to always stay hungry for knowledge and wisdom. Surround yourself with people that make you better and offer correction when needed. PLEASE learn how to delegate early! I spent a lot of time trying to take on the world by myself. Lastly always ask questions! If your fortunate enough to be around people more successful than you are find a way to bring them value and recruit them as your mentor. Your relationships are everything.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ima be honest, I do a horrible job of getting out the house and not working. I’m the worst person too ask this question lol but I’m finding balance this year and plan to start going on trips with my family and friends more often.

If my friends were visiting and looking for a move in the city I’d hit up my boy Omari @tripow3r he’ll get them right!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents! I was blessed to grow up in a household with both of my parents. My early opportunities in life are a result of the sacrifices they made to elevate our family.

The morals and values they instilled in me as a child still guide me to this day. So I definitely want to give them a special shout out!

Website: OneBlockShop.com & oneblockprintshop.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneblockshop/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChadColemanJr