Two students approach their last semesters of college with a new idea in mind; to become successful leaders in their current business venture, entitled “High Class Fools.”
The idea came when senior Tyler Mitchell was still in high school and began a clothesline branded, “Integrity.”
“So far, we’ve put out several articles of clothing from T-shirts, sweaters and hats, which have been worn by celebrities and famous musicians,” Mitchell said.
Following his dreams of one day impacting the world through his business, Mitchell sought help, and senior Joel Muñoz became his business partner.
“With just a couple thousand [dollars] from my savings, I’ve been able to reach out to the world without having to leave anywhere. To me, that’s the greatest gift of it all,” Mitchell said. “I can share what I’ve come to know with others without ever having to come into direct contact with them.”
High Class Fools, the new brand released in 2010, allowed for Mitchell’s artistic abilities to flourish into a business geared toward increasing awareness of those unheard.
“High Class Fools represents a group of hard working talented artists with a mission to stand up for what’s right,” Mitchell said. “A fool understands that it’s our responsibility to optimize our God given talents. It’s all bout the FAM (fashion.art.music). Through FAM, we plan to help join people together like family.”
Currently, Mitchell and Muñoz are working on emitting a positive vibe for those around them, emphasizing that God stands before them and their business plans.
“The way I see it, we can all be ‘fool’-ish at times—straying away from truth—and as a Christian, it’s our duty to become more like Christ,” Muñoz said. “Hence the ‘High Class.’ It’s my way of saying that it’s about striving to become better mannered, more educated, more involved, etc.”
Through their talents, both Mitchell and Muñoz have managed to express their creativity and help people come together as a family to help sustain the environment.
“Our purpose as a whole is to be involved in fashion, art and music to create sustainability and recycle for ourselves,” Muñoz said.
With their palm tree logo, High Class Fools plans to incorporate and help those in need, by building awareness and encouraging unity.
“Globally, everyone can recognize what palm trees are and normally associate it with Southern California’s sunshine, good vibes and the beach,” Muñoz said. “So, we wanted to have that connection with people.”
While they have struggled balancing both school and work, they are currently working on opening boutiques where they can sell their products.
“We’ve managed to keep a low overhead until I graduate in the fall when we plan on opening a boutique in Downtown Riverside and going full-blown,” Mitchell said.
Their future goals are to expand internationally and become well-known, using this as a unifying tool.
“Seeking wisdom and knowledge though our business venture and travel across the world, show people who we are and what we represent,” Muñoz said. “If you think money is the motive, then you are wrong. We are simply a group of artists that utilize our God-given talents for his greater purpose.”
Their advice to other students looking to start their own business is networking.
“Networking is key. Marketing and PR has helped spread the word. It’s not just whom you know, but how you know them,” Muñoz said.
