Meet Ed Carmichael | Apparel Brand Owner

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

Hi Ed, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I as a Christian Hip Hop artist under the name of (E-Surv) had a vision of starting a clothing apparel line back in 2018. It was originally called Jesus Or Die. At the time, I really didn’t have all the pieces together and didn’t really know much about starting a clothing brand. I just knew I had a really nice logo, a slogan that believers liked, and I wanted to put it on a T-Shirt. I invested in 25 shirts and sold maybe 10 of them lol. Needless to say, the shirts started to collect dust. Literally, at the time, I was a successful full-time employee for T-Mobile and I began to really pay attention to how this company ran its business. My eyes were opened to the importance of branding, marketing, customer service, but most importantly, the passion for the message that they delivered to their customers. I also realized the importance of having a team who bought into the message and could contribute with their talents to make the business a success. No one creates wealth in isolation.

Two years later, I went back to the drawing board and began to strategize the launch of a new apparel line. As a faith-based brand, my wife Danielle challenged me to think outside of the box to come up with a new name and to not make it sound so “churchy.” I’ve always had a passion for meeting the needs of others and serving. I asked myself how I can promote the importance of serving others and make it look cool at the same time? Then it hit me… SURV. The name its self was a unique way to spell serve. It had a swag to it, and it was a universal action that everyone believes in no matter what your religion is. I began to develop a team and we quickly got work. We successfully launched our brand in May 2020!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I believe what sets us apart is that we’re not just a faith brand with the name God, or “I love Jesus” on a shirt. (Of course, nothing is wrong with that) but we’re branding an actual action that the Father calls all of us to do and that’s to “serve” others. We desire to see a response from anyone who wears our brand. How do you, SURV? In what way could you impact the lives of others by taking the time to meet their needs? We believe by doing so can help reveal the heart of God and his unconditional love for all mankind.

It was really frustrating at first trying to find good apparel suppliers, establish wholesale accounts, build websites, and learn the marketing aspect. You also go through trial and error with trying to find your target audience. It’s so many faith-based apparel companies out there so the competition is thick. Mentorship really helps. I as a business owner, love spending time with other business owners who’ve established their brands. Hearing their stories and what mistakes to avoid has really helped my business along the way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh man that will be a long list! I’m a foodie so we’re definitely hitting the best restaurants in Atlanta every day. Starting with 2 urban licks which is one of my favorites! Culture is everything in Atlanta so any spot that showcases the culture is a must. I would definitely start with downtown Atlanta.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Absolutely! I have so many but I would definitely say my business/accountability partner Deante Travick deserves a shout out. He consistently challenges me to see the bigger picture and to think outside of the box. We have countless hours of conversations encouraging each other to thrive for excellence. As business partners we understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. We also understand that accountability is the glue that ties commitment to results. And results definitely matter! That’s why push each other the way we do.

Website: www.survapparel.com

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

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/survapparel

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/survapparel