This is a subscriber-only article. Join Entrepreneur+ today for access

Learn More

Already have an account?

Sign in
Entrepreneur Plus - Short White
For Subscribers

Teed Up Meri Zeiff's T-shirt company allows kids to make a difference--while communicating positive messages.

By Gwen Moran

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

It grated on first-grade teacher Meri Zeiff to see her pupils coming to school with T-shirts emblazoned with "Spoiled Brat" or other negative messages. "That's not how happy kids think. That's how a jaded adult tells a kid to think," she says. She voiced this complaint frequently, often saying that she wanted to create her own shirts for kids. Finally, after several years, her mother got sick of hearing her talk about it and, in 2006, handed her $2,500 to help her launch verymeri, her Encino, Calif., T-shirt company.

Zeiff immediately went to work, turning to her pupils for inspiration and advice. During recess, she polled them about what they would like to see on T-shirts and found her instincts were right on. No "I'm with stupid" responses here. Instead the kids shouted out messages such as "First grade rocks!" "Go green!" and "I love Mommy!"

She narrowed down the responses and, with her seed money, had some T-shirts and a rudimentary website made. She invited mothers from the school over to see her new collection. About 20 showed up, and their responses--she sold out of the T-shirts--showed she had a viable business.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Starting a Business

This College Student Was Tired of Working In Bars Until 4 am. So He Started a Car Detailing Side Hustle — Earning $7,000 a Month

Jack TerHaar, a University of Georgia senior, is polishing profits with Detail Dawgs, a mobile detailing service in Athens.

Business News

Bank Accidentally Deposits $86 Million Into Woman's Account, Freezes Her Assets

The incident occurred at the Malaysian bank, Maybank.

Science & Technology

3 Reasons Why Web3 Will Flip Digital Ownership On Its Head

Here are the three things that Web3 could completely change about digital ownership.

Marketing

Why Every Entrepreneur Should Consider Starting a Podcast

This article sheds light on the power of podcasts, particularly for entrepreneurs, outlining steps to launch a successful podcast.

Business News

She Lost Her Job as a Disinformation Scholar at Harvard — and Claims Facebook May Have Had Something to Do With It

Dr. Joan Donovan alleges Harvard stopped her research after receiving donations from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Harvard denies the claim.