Today we’d like to introduce you to Jermaine Jenkins.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Sneaker Freaks entire mission is based on giving back to the community, that is our message. Over the past 8 years, we have found countless ways to do that. We promote a safety-first, family friendly environment, while also providing a platform for kids in the community to create something for themselves and become young entrepreneurs.
Since 2013 we have organized bi-annual shoe drives, we work with reps for the Ohio Dept of Children Services to take underprivileged kids in our community Christmas shoe shopping each year, we work with our vendors to donate clothing, gentle used sneakers total over 5k pairs giving out in the community for kids in need. We also run a free stock/investment knowledge class (not financial advice), and we also partner in annual back to school drives providing free back to school haircuts, food/water, and over 5,000 backpacks and school supplies to children in the community.
We realized a long time ago that sneakers was a way to bring people together, and have taken full advantage. Our platform and mission with Sneaker Freaks was to bring our community together to grow, create jobs, create safe experiences, to change lives, and we’ve done just that. We have met kids when they’re 15-16 years old that now own stores here locally in Columbus, have used sneaker reselling as a method to pay for their college tuition in full, bought houses for themselves/parents, and even gotten some messages that what we do in the community has saved peoples lives by providing them an avenue to better themselves. We have several vendors that are 12-13 years old that come with their parents and have provided them a space to safely network, generate sales, and experience what it’s like to be a young entrepreneur.
This is just a sample of what Sneaker Freaks has been able to provide in the community, and we continue to grow every chance we can when it comes to giving back. Collectively we possess a lot of experience and knowledge, and it’s our mission to pass that along to the community so that everyone can grow as one. There is only so much we can write here but Sneaker Freaks has found a way to impact just about everyone we can, even if they don’t know it. I learned this while being a veteran help whoever you can when you can.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been smooth, icy, and filled with a lot of potholes. The hardest part about running SneakerFreaks is getting out our own way. Even with the success, we had over the past years we have to continue to change the narrative to embrace the hand that’s been giving to us. I’m always questioning what’s next? Is there more for our team to grow this thing into something that can change our kid’s life.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I think it’s safe to say I’m a creator. Yeah, let’s go with that for now… Lol. I specialize in creating our concepts from flyer designs, our exclusive tee shirts, and banners thru out our whole event. In my past life, I had a clothing brand “JworkLimited” that I did the same thing I’m doing now for us with SneakerFreaks creating a vision on who we are thru our own lens. I’m proud most when I feel the energy we receive when we post a new event, we drop our new exclusive tee, and most when we have a show. Nothing like that energy for me.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Best advice we can give anyone is the formula is simple it’s “you vs you”. You got to be willing to believe in yourself, you have to believe it to see it. For so long I think we wasted time looking for everyone to approve our own mission statement. I wish I knew keeping the right people around you at all times energy is important protect it at all cost.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.SneakerFreaksColumbus.com
- Instagram: @sneakerfreaksco
Image Credits
Chris Swayne
