Exploring Life & Business with Larry Zahn of TIG3R12 Clothing, LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Larry Zahn.

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?
There have been struggles for sure, but nothing catastrophic. I went into this venture knowing that the odds are stacked against me, you’ve got to understand the risks and strategize to mitigate risks. For me that was doing things like dropshipping everything initially while I learned the business and how to embellish clothing and accessories on my own. It’s important to be realistic and not try to scale too big too quickly, purchase excess amounts of inventory. Without risk there is no reward, but you have to be calculated and smart. Most importantly, you have to look at struggles and let downs as learning opportunities. Frame those challenges as a lesson to learn from and as a form of education.

As you know, we’re big fans of TIG3R12 Clothing, LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
TIG3R12 Clothing Co. is a retro streetwear brand centered around extreme or alternative sports. For example, snowboarding, bmx, skateboarding, surfing and wakesurfing to name a few. However, we also feature sports like billiards and pickleball.

My dream was to start a clothing brand and connect it to the sports I love and also participated in. I guess you could say it’s a way to stay vicariously involved in the scene We sponsor many young athletes in these disciplines and enjoy staying connected and mentoring youth upcoming in these sports

In addition to sponsoring sports figures, we are very active in the community and charitable events. Giving back is an absolute necessity and staple in our business.

I think what I’m most proud of is the response we often get to the brand. It’s a great compliment, but can also be a detriment. People of comment on how clean the brand is, how easy the website is to navigate, the professional appearance of our merch booth, etc. It can signal big dollar or corporate investors behind the organization and challenge our roots or authenticity in the scene. I can assure everyone though, that could not be further from the truth. This business started with one founder/owner and enough cash to build a website and a little inventory. I was fortunate enough to work for two Fortune 500 companies in the corporate world for 35 years. That gave me the business acumen, knowledge and skills to posture as such a polished and professional company.

Lastly, we take great pride in innovative designs that are cost effective and exceptional quality. We deliver what the big guys can at a fraction of the price.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Ughhh, as most people will tell you, I was a very quiet and shy kid. I was not a big talker or social person. Despite that, I was well adjusted,, had a lot of friends and had an overall normal and healthy childhood. However, my nature caused me some setbacks as I got older. High school was torturous for me. I had no desire to be there and my grades tanked. In heinsight, I wish I could do it all over again for both social and academic reasons.

Fortunately, I’ve always been aware of the traits that are definitely genetic in nature. The fact that I was cognizant of my behavior and the limitations it posed, I made a very conscious choice to overcome it. As I got older, I began doing or being involved with things that were outside of my comfort zone. Things like just randomly saying hello to strangers, striking up a conversation with a stranger at a bar, speaking and presenting publicly, etc.

Today, I would say I’ve made quite and transformation. I’ve removed roadblocks I had previously and have enjoyed taking on new adventures and cultivating friendships.

Pricing:

• $12-$50

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tig3r12.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/tig3r12
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/tig3r12
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-zahn-cpp-crt-369794b/