We were lucky to catch up with Brett Stein recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Brett, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from belief in the brand’s potential. When I first got the trademark for NY State of Mind, I committed to myself that I would not give up until I succeeded at growing the brand into something I could be proud of (or at least make a comfortable living from it). Whenever I feel like giving up, I just remember that commitment I made and how far I have come with the brand. I know I would never forgive myself if I gave up
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I started NY State of Mind as a way to express my creativity via my love of Hip Hop, skateboard, street art culture and of course, NYC. I started off selling my hand screened, original designs on Tees in the streets of NYC and have grown the brand into brand that I am proud to say is recognized, respected and worn by many of the very same people I grew up admiring and getting my inspiration from to create NY State of Mind, as well as everyday New Yorkers and vistors to NYC from all over the world. I think my success has been due to my creative graphic designs, the quality of the merchandise and a name that strongly resinates with people from all different walks of life. Whether you are a young skateboarder in the streets of NYC, a fan of Nas or Billy Joel, a tourist visiting from overseas that just wants something unique to take home from their trip to NYC or an OG New Yorker that wants to let the world know where they are from, NY State of Mind is for everyone! We are grateful to have a retail location in Artists & Fleas in the world famous Chelsea Market, where we get to share our creations with visitors from every corner of the planet. Hopefully we see you there!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I would say the most impactful skills, qualities or areas of knowledge that have gotten me this far are my knowledge and love of the cultures that inspire the brand (i.e., 90s Hip Hop, skateboard and street art), my unique designs and overall aesthetic and more than anything my persistence and unwillingness to give up despite all the adversities and disappointments that come with running any business
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The most impactful book I have ever read is Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, which I bought while in Buenos Aires because it was literally the only book I could find in English. I was not looking for a book about busines or entrepreneurship or anything related… After living in Argentina for over 4 months, I simply wanted to read anything in English and fortunately the only thing I could find happened set me on this path that has lead me to this point.
Contact Info:
- Website: nystateofmindco.com
- Instagram: nystateofmindco
