One of my goals in life was to become a young entrepreneur, and it is has been a great experience achieving that goal. Bum-Wita-Board Clothing Company (BWB) started out merely as an idea with my business partner Joel Antymniuk. Joel is a great artist. One day while driving, I suggested to Joel that he should make a couple drawings that would look good on a t-shirt.

From this idea, we came up with some logos. The next step was to get a business license and register our logos to prevent any replication. After getting both our business and clothing line registered, BWB was able to get off the ground. We then found suppliers who were able to make our shirts. This proved to be very tough, but after some negotiating we were able to land a deal with a local supplier for reasonable prices. We had to decide where we were going to market our products, and find which stores would accommodate us. Eventually, we signed two contracts allowing us to sell our products.

I am currently in the process of attaining my Bachelor Degrees in Marketing and Business Management at Minot State University in Minot, ND. After graduation, I will further pursue my business goals with BWB. One of those goals is developing an interactive website for BWB that will allow the business to display and sell products world-wide, while benefiting from the global market. This is vitally important to get a competitive advantage in the clothing industry.

I was born and raised in Saskatoon, SK Canada, and came to North Dakota four years go to play hockey and attend Minot State University. I have recently accepted a position with Enrollment Services. One of my aims is to network with local businesses, while increasing the market for BWB. Building relationships with retailers is a great tactic for BWB, and it allows us to diversify our market. I am excited to live and work in the United States, which will give me an opportunity to expand the company into other regions. This company started out as simply an idea, and I love having the opportunity to tell young people my story at the Marketplace for Kids events, sponsored by U.S. Senator Conrad, ND Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson, and ND Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Wayne Sanstead. I hope it will make a difference for everyone.