A post shared by SPERGO (@spergobillionaire) on Jul 28, 2019 at 11:30am PDT
"I almost shed a tear because it's really, really incredible," said Brown. He is the founder of Spergo, a luxury, ready-to-wear sporty clothing line that includes T-shirts, sweats, shorts, fanny packs, shoes and more.
"Spergo represents power, strength and courageousness," he said. "It combines the words sports and hero, and not superheroes, but my personal heroes from around the world. I added the letter G-O, because I am always on go!"
Brown founded the company and used the $178 in birthday money he received. He sold his first batch of 16 T-shirts in barbershops. Eighteen months later, he has a website and says he's sold 5,000 units.
"Everybody has a genius," said Sherrell Peterson, Brown's mother. "The question is what is yours."
A former seamstress, Paterson home-schools Brown and with the help of local and national mentors and hard work, the teen is making things happen.
And many times, the outcome is much bigger than she could imagine.
"I am teaching him the basics," she said, "he is teaching me the impossible."
The visibility from the Invesco campaign is helping the company grow, but it's just one step. Brown said his master plan is to be an example to kids around the world.
"I just want to show everybody that you can do it," he said. "You don't need violence. We can all work together to make things happen."
Brown said he's eyeing Fashion Week and wants Spergo to become a household name around the world.
"I want it to be what you want to wear when you want to feel powerful," he added.