An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Give it 4,5 years to learn, make mistakes, figure it out and you’ll come out amazing. Obviously I had to learn that on my own, but if I knew to be that patient it would have been a little more pleasant.
As a part of our series called “Making Something From Nothing”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mugzy McFLY.
New York fashion designer and entrepreneur, Jevaughn Williams A.K.A. Mugzy McFly has transformed his childhood dream into reality with Signed By McFly, a streetwear label catching the eye of professional athletes, musicians, and celebrities worldwide. Born and raised in the fashion capital of the world, New York City, Mugzy grew up with a deep appreciation and a keen eye for fashion, first experimenting with creative design at the age of thirteen when he began hand-making apparel to match his favorite sneakers. In 2013, displaying the same hustle and grit his hometown of the Bronx is so famous for, Mugzy started his own graphic T-Shirt label, Signed by McFly. With no investors or outside financial backing, Mugzy launched the brand from the ground up, managing all sides of the business himself, from finances, production, event planning, to graphic and fashion design. This experience inspired the company’s motto, “More Dreams, Less Sleep”.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your “childhood backstory”?
The story goes.. As a baby, barely speaking full words, I was obsessed with brands. More specifically, I had a KEDS fetish. My mom couldn’t buy me new shoes with the little dark blue box on the heel of the sneakers. It became such a thing that the salesperson would have to draw one on any shoes my mother wanted to get me.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“My plan b is to make my plan work..” I never wanted anything else like I wanted to be a fashion designer. Everything was aimed to get into the building, no matter what entrance it was.
Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
Back to the Future II. It’s the making of my namesake & brand. MCFLY. The movie had a deeper meaning of being timeless & not being in complete control of your future. I strive to be timeless & think more so now than tomorrow.
Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. There is no shortage of good ideas out there. Many people have good ideas all the time. But people seem to struggle in taking a good idea and translating it into an actual business. Can you share a few ideas from your experience about how to overcome this challenge?
Ideas are just that, ideas. They’re a dime a dozen. The next step is execution. DO IT. I think making a list & setting up a plan can help you actually take action.
Often when people think of a new idea, they dismiss it saying someone else must have thought of it before. How would you recommend that someone go about researching whether or not their idea has already been created?
Funny, I believe that most things aren’t brand new. If you have an idea, and it exists, put your own spin on it. There’s always space or another lane to tap into.
For the benefit of our readers, can you outline the steps one has to go through, from when they think of the idea, until it finally lands in a customer’s hands? In particular, we’d love to hear about how to file a patent, how to source a good manufacturer, and how to find a retailer to distribute it.
The patent part, I couldn’t help you with. I don’t get too deep into the legal matters. For a manufacturer, it’s really simple google. Ain’t nothing easier. Ask for samples, pictures so you can pick one that’s best for your vision. It’s a costly step, but will be the foundation of your brand. The retailer part is right under your nose. You wear clothes, you shop. More than likely your wardrobe you’ve bought will reflect in the clothes you make. Where you shop would fit your brand, it’s already your preference. Then comes building that side of the relationship where you can actually get in. I suggest an event, a pop up to create energy that may lead to a long-term relationship.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Started Leading My Company” and why?
Honestly I loved my journey, I’m not sure if I got 5 things. Maybe 1, treat your business like college. Give it 4,5 years to learn, make mistakes, figure it out and you’ll come out amazing. Obviously I had to learn that on my own, but if I knew to be that patient it would have been a little more pleasant.
There are many invention development consultants. Would you recommend that a person with a new idea hire such a consultant, or should they try to strike out on their own?
I’m big on doing things myself, I’ll always pick that path.
What are your thoughts about bootstrapping vs looking for venture capital? What is the best way to decide if you should do either one?
I’m more so into figuring out my funding. It just depends on the type of person you are.
Ok. We are nearly done. Here are our final questions. How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
I only move with purpose, that’s a no brainer.
You are an inspiration to a great many people. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
That’s deep, I don’t know where to start with that one.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
My favorite businessman is Diddy. I think he has an intangible skill that you can’t just pinpoint or duplicate. He stays relevant through it all, I admire him keeping up with the times. I’d have 1000 questions for him.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
This interview served me well, as it challenged me to think profoundly about what it is that I do. Learning about oneself is something no one should shy away from!
Making Something From Nothing: Mugzy McFly Of Signed by McFly On How To Go From Idea To Launch was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
