Three 14 year-old kids from Florida have decided to team up together to launch their own online consignment shop at SNKRSPOT.com. They will officially launch the site tonight at 7pm EST. restocking several colorways of the Adidas NMD and Yeezy Boost 350, some Supreme apparel, TLOP merchandise, and a lot more! Follow them on Instagram (@SNKRSPOT305) so you don't miss the launch tonight!
This caught my attention because looking back 10 years ago when I was 14 I wish I had the mindset to do something hands-on like start an online business. With AOL message on the rise and my MySpace's top 8 changing daily, I would have had enough resources to do so, especially with eCommerce and social media on the verge of BOOMING! However, I chose to play basketball at the local Boys & Girls Club and cause trouble with friends on our walk home from school, and I'm completely okay with that! They've made for some of the best stories.
Although the three young teenagers aren't doing anything revolutionary, they're learning the key elements of running a business. Between budgeting funds, managing inventory, marketing their website, shipping orders, and providing customer service they are developing a skill-set that will give them an advantage later down the road. They're dapping into the world of entrepreneurship.
I also think they serve as a perfect example of what kids in the sneaker community are today. Being involved with SneakerCon I've noticed a lot of young kids attending sneaker conventions alone, with parents, or friends. None of them have any issues approaching, negotiating, or even walking away from a bad trade or sale. These kids have the resources at the tips of their fingers to research and accumulate a tremendous amount of information in seconds to not only resell sneakers and make money but to also make sure their "investments" are protected.
When I grew up, sneakers weren't looked at as an investment. I simply worked when I could, sometimes even under the table because I was too young, just to buy the sneaker I wanted. My parents didn't support spending more than $40 on a pair of shoes, which would have had me leaving the mall with two pairs of Filas off the 2 for $40 wall. In my teenage years the resale market was growing, but there weren't any big sneaker shows, online reselling platforms (besides craigslist), and a niche of social media users with the same interest. You simply bought sneakers, wore them to school, and prayed no one else had the money that weekend to buy the same Air Jordan as you. After they became "beat" you threw them out. There were no sneaker cleaners, revivers, or sole protectors to prolong the condition of your sneaker. I can't tell you how many sneakers I threw out, that I'd love to still have today (even in their poor condition). There is no love lost though, I was simply a consumer who enjoyed the product.
Today's era of teenagers are totally different than my teenage era and sometimes that confuses the older crowd, but we have to understand it. Young kids are making money (and spending money) on something they've become passionate about. They "collect" sneakers and choose to only wear a handful of pairs because the product becomes more valuable unworn. To them, its not financially smart to wear pair x, y, or z. More parents support the idea of sneakers today because it teaches life lessons and keeps them out of trouble. As much as it may annoy us or confuse us, I think it can be something positive for our youth and teach them skills that the school system simply can't.
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