Athletes Aim for Generational Wealth with Clothing Line

CANFIELD, Ohio – Nazihar Bohannon pushes down on the heat press, emblazoning an image of a lion wearing a crown on a sweatshirt, while Aaziyah Woods markets their Majestic Stylez clothing on social media.

The two, working out of their apartment, have created a line of fleece shorts, hooded sweatshirts, sweatsuits and other assorted clothes that are available to purchase on their website.

The 22-year-olds have teamed up to pursue their entrepreneurial goals. They met in February 2019 at the Horizon League indoor track and field meet on Youngstown State University’s campus. Woods was a Northern Kentucky University long jumper and Bohannon a YSU men’s basketball player, though he was at the meet as a spectator.

Bohannon is as much an entrepreneur as he is an athlete. The Lorain native, who graduated in May with a business degree from YSU, spent the first two years of college as an engineering major, developing his creativity and ability to innovate. He switched to business for his final two years, shaping a business plan that he has put into effect.

Woods’ passion for clothing remained as she changed majors three times, eventually graduating in December of 2020 with a degree in organizational leadership and a minor in marketing. She is the brainchild behind the regal logo of Majestic Stylez logo: a roaring lion sporting a gold crown.

The co-founders of Majestic Stylez launched their products in 2019, starting as a print-on-demand company where they uploaded the artwork, created the clothing item, and packaged and shipped orders from their website. 

Demand for online orders increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of April 14, Majestic Stylez had more than 30 orders for the month, tallying over $2,500 in sales, compared to two sales per month when they  first started, Bohannon says. They can sell hooded sweatshirts for $30 and still make a nice profit.

Facebook advertising has helped them boost sales. They taught themselves how to choose the demographic and age range to target, and have built  a group of followers.

Visiting Lorain provided a new clientele through in-person sales, with Woods doing ringing up orders via a smartphone app.

“When we check out something in person it automatically transfers online so we won’t mix up the products and know what we have in stock,” she says.

Lorain is a potential landing spot for the upstart business’s first brick and mortar site, Bohannon says. He has already found a 2,000-square-foot space, but hasn’t decided if it’s time to move. “It’s just us deciding at which point we’re ready to go full throttle,” he says.

For now, the next step is applying for a business credit card, or a small business loan, he says.

Some of his basketball teammates and other friends around YSU’s campus have modeled Majestic Stylez clothing for the website, with the photo shoot taking place in a YSU parking garage using an iPhone. Majestic Stylez has since secured a professional photographer to capture those images.

There is no question about his eligibility to play basketball while running a business. Bohannon has gained the approval of the YSU compliance office and the NCAA, he says. Running a business, he says, is no different than a student-athlete having his own job because Bohannon is working for himself.

Woods and Bohannon have an eight-month-old son, who lives at the apartment with them. The three block out time together and find time to manufacture their product along with their other tasks. 

Five years from now, Bohannon sees Majestic Stylez as a six- to seven-figure brand with a franchise or two. Woods has a notion to open a boutique under the original company, branching off to a family-minded business.

The pair could have found an overseas manufacturer, but wanted to produce the product themselves to maximize their profits. “Hopefully we can be the first ones in our family to start creating generational wealth,” Bohannon says.

Pictured: YSU basketball player Nazihar Bohannon presses a shirt for Majestic Stylez, the clothing line he started with partner Aaziyah Woods.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.