We recently connected with Brandon Cheng and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Brandon, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
In the past year, everything in my life changed a lot—my life, my business, and most importantly, my mental health. Last year was really tough for me. I’ve struggled with mental health my entire life, but last year I faced the hardest battle I’ve ever had against myself and won. Back in 2022, I quit my job because I wasn’t happy. My job and my life didn’t make me happy anymore. When I started Soleinspires, I didn’t know how hard it would be to run my own business. I thought it would be easy after quitting my job.
Growing up, I had trouble with my mental health, but I was good at hiding it. I used to think that acting confident and having money meant I was really sure of myself. But when I lost that money, I saw the real me without any disguise. In early 2022, I ran out of money, had my first heartbreak, and felt like I lost everything. I remember the exact day I hit rock bottom. I talked to my coach that day about all the problems I was facing, and he told me it was time to face things like a man. The next day, I stopped running my problems and started dealing with them.
In the past, I’ve talked about my experiences during the “75 Hard” challenge, but that’s where I developed my confidence. During “75 Hard,” I pushed myself to breaking points daily. I worked out twice a day, worked on Soleinspires for 12-16 hours daily, read books, wrote in journals, and more. I felt like I had to prove something to everyone, but then I realized the only person I needed to prove something to was myself. I gave my all into everything I did every single day. Real confidence isn’t just a feeling, what others think of you, or even what you THINK of yourself. It’s when you know who you are because of all the work you’ve put in.
The motto of Soleinspires is “Shop With Confidence.” If you look back to when I first started Soleinspires and compare it to now, you’ll see how much it’s grown. This brand and its motto have grown so much because of my growth as a man and business owner. Soleinspires is like a reflection of me, whether you believe it or not. Every video and every post—it’s all connected to who I am.
If you’re reading this and struggling with mental health, know that you can win this fight and turn your life around. I used to think I had to have everything figured out, like my job, my personal life, my love life, and so on. But the truth is, no one ever has EVERYTHING figured out, and if someone says they do, they’re not being honest. You just have to take each day as it comes and try to get a little better every day. I strongly believe that if you give your all to life, you’ll make it out of the storm and end up exactly where God wants you to be. If you ever need someone to talk to, feel free to send me a message on Instagram.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My name is Brandon Cheng, and I am the owner of Soleinspires, a company specializing in buying, selling, and trading sneakers and streetwear. My passion for sneakers began when I was around 10 years old. As a first-generation American with parents who weren’t born in the U.S, I grew up watching them do everything they could for our family. Especially my mom, who I owe the world to for all the sacrifices she’s done for me. While my parents did their best for us, buying $200+ shoes wasn’t within their budget. This led me to start purchasing sneakers from my classmates. Over time, I evolved from buying and trading to selling these pairs. My passion for shoes became a hustle, and that hustle transformed into a business.
Honestly, I’ve never held a traditional 9-5 job; I’ve been selling sneakers my entire life. Football, however, played an essential role in driving my business ambitions. The dedication I put into football laid a strong foundation for me. I consistently pushed myself in the gym, on the field, and in the classroom (when I chose to). Throughout my life, I’ve poured my heart, sweat, and tears into everything I pursued. It’s this relentless commitment that sets Soleinspires apart.
There comes a time when motivation runs out, and when that time comes it reveals one’s true character. Every video we create I ask myself: “Does this hold purpose?” Soleinspires is built on purpose; it’s not solely about financial gain for me. My ultimate goal is to ensure every customer has a memorable experience and leaves satisfied. More importantly, I want to show fellow entrepreneurs, especially the younger ones, that you can make your dreams come true. While the process isn’t easy, purpose and passion can make the impossible possible.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The most impactful aspects of my journey were my mindset, faith in God, and the people I chose to surround myself with. Launching a business from the ground up is always a challenge. Here are some areas I feel are very important:
1. Choose Your Company Wisely.
I’ve been blessed enough to have great people by my side throughout my journey. They’ve not only contributed to my business’s growth but also played a significant role in my personal development. The company you keep matters. Surrounding yourself with negativity or lack of ambition can influence you in the same direction. Believe it or not, it’s true. But when you surround yourself with people who want the best for you, it can change everything. In moments of difficulty, my circle provided me with hope and support, but never comfort. Having the ‘right people’ doesn’t mean just surrounding yourself with yes-men or yes-women; it means being around those who consistently motivate you to be the best version of yourself, regardless of circumstances.
2. Find Your Purpose.
Back in 2021-2022, I had a consignment job at a sneaker store. At the time being I was making more money than I’ve ever dreamed of, but I was the most depressed I’ve ever been. Back then, I hadn’t fully realized that money doesn’t bring you happiness. Now you may be reading this thinking to yourself “This guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about”, but I do. Money is an essential thing in life. But when the only thing that fulfills you is money, you’ll never be satisfied. There’s always something missing until you find a genuine purpose. At 19 years old, I quit my 6 figure consignment job and decided to start my own business. I’m not sharing this to boast, but to provide perspective. I left because I was unhappy. It wasn’t easy in the beginning, but as time went on, I found a deeper contentment. I became more grateful for what I had instead of worrying about what I didn’t and I fell back in love with my job. You’ll never have enough money, you’ll always want more and more. But the sooner you find your purpose in your work, the money will come.
3. Tune Out Distractions and Let Go of Results.
When Soleinspires was just starting out, I struggled with caring too much about what others thought. Luckily, those around me helped me let go of this insecurity. But it’s a common mistake I see people making when they’re launching their businesses or chasing their dreams. Everyone has something to say until things work out; then they jump on the support bandwagon. But let’s face it, nobody’s perfect. We all have our own imperfections and insecurities, so why should we let others judge us? Remember, this is your life, and worrying about others’ opinions only wastes precious time. Anyways, most of the time, the ones criticizing your dreams are probably just afraid to chase their own.
Very often we get so obsessed with the results we begin to rush the process. It’s crucial to detach from the outcome because the process is where your character and mindset develop. It might get frustrating, but remember, what comes fast often goes fast. While what takes time to achieve tends to stick around. I’m a firm believer that God does everything for a reason, whether good or bad. Often, when doors close it’s to protect us. Imagine waking up with a million dollars but not knowing how to manage or invest it, you would burn through it fast. That’s why disconnecting from the outcome matters so much; we might not always be prepared for what we desire. You’ll end up where you need to be when the time is right but until then, never stop growing and learning.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My coach/mentor Joshua Pleasant has been the most impactful person in all areas of my life. Throughout every situation I’ve faced he’s stood by my side, pushing me to improve and become better. He’s never been the type of person to tell you what you want to hear, he tells you what you need to hear. Growing up I didn’t have a positive male influence in my life. Coach Plez has been that male role model for me the past 6 years and I’ll forever be grateful to him.
Throughout these past few years he’s helped me grow into a man, an amazing business owner and most importantly a better human being. It’s hard to figure out your place in this world as a man without a male role model growing up. Everyone has their own struggles because of this but when he stepped into my life, I didn’t know right from wrong, how to fight for what I want and how to control my emotions. Plez was always hard on me and some days I wanted to punch him in the face, but deep down I knew he had my best interest in mind.
Most people don’t take random people under their wing, but I’m grateful he did. I’ve dealt with a lot of adversity throughout my life and he didn’t have to be there for me but he was. No one was paying him when he was calling me to make sure I was okay, giving me reality checks when I needed them, connecting me with people for business, etc. He was there for me because he cared and I needed someone to help guide me. I don’t know where I’d be without him and I’m blessed enough to call him family.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://soleinspires.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soleinspires/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@soleinspires
