Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My biggest inspirations in business are my dad and my brother-in-law, Jason Somers. They are two of the hardest working individuals I know, and they’ve shown me what it means to build something through discipline, persistence, and long hours. Watching them approach challenges with determination has shaped how I think about entrepreneurship and motivates me to work just as hard in building my own business.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated by constantly setting bigger goals. What started as selling a few hoodies quickly turned into building a real brand with customers, products, and a growing audience. Seeing people wear something I created pushes me to stay driven, knowing I owe it to the people that have supported me every step of the way. Entrepreneurship fuels my creativity through designing products and building the brand. As a well-spoken, young entrepreneur, I know I can take the world by storm.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use the funding to scale jWake from a local lake brand into the defining surf and wake brand of the Midwest. The investment would help expand product inventory, develop new impact vest designs, and grow our online presence through content and partnerships. By building a strong presence across major Midwest lakes and creating a recognizable lifestyle brand around lake culture, jWake can become the go-to brand for the region. A portion would also support the Brave the Wave Foundation!