This 12-Year-Old Is A CEO With 5 Employees And $150,000 In Sales… What’s Your Excuse?

Meet Mo (Moziah Bridges), a 12 year old mogul in the making. His granny showed him how to make bow ties from scrap material using hand sewing and a machine. He began to make them for himself in June of 2011 when he was just 9 years old. When his bow ties drew compliments and recognition, he sensed a market that is “Mo’s Bows”. He founded his own company, Mo’s Bows,—and it already boasts $150,000 in sales. He’s even been featured on “Shark Tank,” and inVogue and GQ magazines.
Mo offers a variety of fun, cool, and unique self-tie adjustable bow ties for all occasions and all sizes (including infants). The standard Mo’s Bows bow tie is adjustable with
sew-on snaps. This allows you the best of both worlds in a “tie it yourself” bow and the snap-on “on the go” bow. Custom orders are welcome. A huge selection of Mo’s Bows bow ties come from his granny’s vintage fabric, some that dates back more than 50 years!!
He has started the Go Mo! Summer Camp Scholarship Fund, where 100% of proceeds from the “summer camp” bow ties are directed to sending children to the Glenview Summer Camp Program in Memphis, TN. He also talked about how he’s able to manage the work-school balance at such a young age.

“Since I’m the CEO I can do it when I feel like it,” Bridges said. “I have employees—my grandmother, she’s about like 80, and my mom works for me, and I have three more seamstresses.” Yep, this Memphis, Tennessee-based biz even employs five workers (never mind if two of them are relatives… it still counts!).
Mo hopes to be a famous fashion designer one day and is off to a good start. Now is the time to grab your Mo’s Bows and keep an eye out for the great success to come from this kidpreneur. “I like to wear bow ties because they make me look good and feel good,” Bridges writes on his website. “Designing a colorful bow tie is just part of my vision to make the world a fun and happier place.”

The ties featured on Mo’s Bows website are adorably stylish, ranging from stripes and polka dots to patterns and plaids. They don’t break the bank, either; his ties retail for an affordable $40. But the real secret to this kid entrepreneur’s business might just be its simple, to-the-point mission.

“The coolest person I’ve connected with is Tommy Hilfiger. He called me on the phone,” Moziah says, beaming. It had been an encouraging boost to hear admiration from a designer of Hilfiger’s ranks.

Today, at the age of 12, Moziah has become a charismatic designer with a strong vision of his brand, with his mother Tramica by his side helping manage the business and photographer Annabella Brandon defining his look. The three of them became a team in the business sense but they would describe it more like becoming a family.

“Annabella was a godsend!” exclaims Tramica, proud of what they’ve accomplished together with virtually no marketing budget.After Annabella pulled in graphic designer/friend Katie Sinclair to create the logo in 2012, the first major photo shoot helped establish Mo’s Bows brand as “classy and timeless”. Two years later, they decided it was time team up again to document the new designs and maturity of Moziah and Mo’s Bows.“Mo, my darling Mo,” says Annabella, giving a lot of credit back to Moziah. “He is your typical 12-year-old, who can’t sit still, but then he turns into business Mo, and it is so cool to watch. He makes all of his ‘style’ decisions. I wanted him to approve all of our choices. He even came with us to choose the clothes for the shoot. He is very creative and seriously comes up with the best ideas.”

Although his bow ties are absolutely charming, you don’t have to be bow tie enthusiast to be drawn in and be inspired. Last month, Moziah stood in front of an audience of college students at a UNCF (United Negro College Fund) Conference to speak around the one phrase that sparked the young entrepreneur’s success: “Dream big now!” The phrase, instilled in him by his mother, taught him that it’s never too early to dream big and make it real, nor is it ever too late.

Young Moziah continues to dream big, mapping out his entire career. First, and already in design, Mo’s Bows will expand its offerings with skinny ties and then into men’s clothing complementing the bow tie with blazers and socks. After that, he’ll create a women’s line, then adding home décor and furniture design. The big dream – becoming the next fashion mogul confidently alongside the likes of Ralph Lauren.

Like Mo’s Bows on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mosbowsmemphis

Visit the website at www.mosbowsmemphis.com.