Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeffrey Smallwood.
Hi Jeffrey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
RESTLESS really came from how my daughter is always so restless haha but also my own life and the feeling that I was meant to build something bigger. I’ve spent most of my life around tennis and coaching, but I’ve always had an entrepreneurial side and a desire to create something of my own and the same time be able to build a business i can hand to my daughter for when she gets older.
The idea behind RESTLESS came from that mindset of never being completely satisfied with staying in the same place. I wanted to create a clothing brand that represented people who are constantly working toward something whether that’s building a business, chasing a dream, changing careers, or simply trying to create a better life for themselves and their family.
That’s where our message, “For Those Who Never Settle,” really comes from. It isn’t just a slogan for me. It represents how I try to live.
I started RESTLESS from the ground up. There wasn’t a huge team or massive budget behind it. I’ve had to learn everything along the way from developing the clothing and building the website to creating content, marketing the brand, and figuring out what RESTLESS should look and feel like.
There have definitely been moments where things didn’t move as quickly as I wanted, but that has actually made the name RESTLESS mean even more to me. You keep going. You adjust. You learn. You don’t settle.
Today, I’m focused on turning RESTLESS into more than just a clothing company. I want it to become a lifestyle and a community for ambitious people who know they’re capable of more. I’m still building, and I think that’s one of the most exciting parts of the story. RESTLESS isn’t the story of someone who already made it it’s the story of someone who refuses to stop until he does.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I think one of the biggest challenges has been building RESTLESS while still working full-time, coaching tennis, being a husband and a father, and handling all the responsibilities that come with everyday life. There are only so many hours in a day, so I’ve had to learn how to build even when I’m tired and when things aren’t moving as quickly as I’d like.
Financially, building a clothing brand is also challenging. When you’re independent, every decision matters. Inventory, samples, manufacturing, photography, marketing, the website, it all costs money, and you don’t have an unlimited budget. I’ve had to learn when to invest, when to be patient, and sometimes when to go back to the drawing board.
Another struggle has been getting people to see RESTLESS as more than just another T-shirt or clothing company. There are thousands of brands competing for attention every day. I realized that if RESTLESS was going to stand out, I couldn’t just sell clothes. I had to build a story, a feeling and a lifestyle that people could connect with.
There have been slow months, ideas that didn’t work, content that didn’t perform, and moments when I questioned whether I was doing things the right way. But that’s also what makes the name RESTLESS so personal to me.
The challenges are actually part of the brand’s story. You don’t have to have everything figured out to keep moving forward. You just can’t settle.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My professional life has always been centered around building, teaching, and creating. I’ve spent years as a tennis professional and coach, which taught me discipline, patience, leadership, and how to connect with people from all different backgrounds. Those same lessons have played a major role in how I approach RESTLESS.
With RESTLESS, I’m the founder, but when you’re building an independent brand, that title means you wear a lot of hats. I’m involved in everything from product development and design decisions to creative direction, photography concepts, content, marketing, and the overall vision of the brand.
What I’m most proud of is that RESTLESS has an identity. I never wanted to put a logo on a shirt and call it a clothing brand. I’m very intentional about the quality of the garments, the details, how we photograph the clothing, and most importantly, the story we tell.
I want someone to see a RESTLESS campaign and connect with the lifestyle before they even think about buying the shirt.
What sets us apart is the meaning behind it. RESTLESS is for people who know there’s another level for them and are willing to work for it. That person could be an entrepreneur, an athlete, an artist, a parent working toward a better future, or someone simply refusing to become comfortable with average.
I’m proud of the clothing, but I’m even more proud of what the name is beginning to represent. My goal is to build RESTLESS into a globally recognized premium lifestyle brand while never losing the story that started it: For Those Who Never Settle.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorite childhood memories is being on the tennis court. Tennis has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and looking back, I don’t think I realized at the time how much the sport would shape the person I would become.
As a kid, it was just something I loved doing. I loved competing, being outside, and that feeling of getting better at something. As I got older, I realized tennis was teaching me much more than how to hit a ball. It taught me discipline, how to handle losing, how to keep working when something wasn’t going my way, and how much consistency matters.
What makes those memories even more meaningful today is that tennis eventually became my career and gave me opportunities to coach, travel, meet incredible people, and provide for my family.
Now that I’m a father, I appreciate those childhood memories differently. They remind me that sometimes the things a child falls in love with can end up influencing the direction of their entire life.
Pricing:
- 37.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://restlessbrandclothing.com/products/restless-supima-tee
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onemoreballtennisclub?stkn=MWlwbzlhOGZjc3Z5aA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
