Ever catch that show where they take regular guys and pit them against Hall of Fame athletes? Yeah, I’m the guy from Boston who actually won that in Season 2.
Now, before you write this off as a random, trash-talking rant, let’s get one thing straight: I know my strengths. And everyone—I mean everyone—knows that my baseball throw is... let's call it "mechanically unique." Sure, there was some creative editing involved to make me look as pathetic as possible for TV, but that’s not really what this story is about.
This is about how a reality TV win turned into a garage full of t-shirts.
In the whirlwind after Pros vs. Joes, a college buddy convinced me we should start a sports apparel company. It’s not the kind of thing that usually comes up over a casual coffee, so I’ll spare you the non-essential details. We literally started this out of my garage.
But unlike the tech giants who start in garages and become billionaires by lunchtime, I mostly just amassed a few thousand headaches, a pile of bills, and a business partner who realized his professional career was in jeopardy—so he bailed. Suddenly, it was just me and a few dozen boxes of shirts.
With my friend’s exodus, I realized the only way to recoup my investment was to work my way out of the hole. Things were looking a bit suspect. By day, I was a Regional VP for Fidelity Investments, rocking the custom suit and Ferragamo tie. By night, I was hitting the streets in jeans and a premium hoodie, slinging t-shirts to anyone who would listen.
I can't say I was overflowing with confidence. Nevertheless, I recruited my brother and a rotating cast of my younger siblings and local college students to wave shirts on the street corners of Boston.
Then, something crazy happened: the shirts actually found an audience. They graced the jumbotrons with regularity and found their way on television and (ahem) an adult movie actress in a reality show. (WTF!) Before long, stores started approaching us and our shirts went viral over and over again.
We weren’t exactly "Life is Good"—our message wasn't for everyone. Our gear spoke to the die-hard fans who were a bit more cerebral. Now, a savvy businessman would have launched a website first to make life easy. But that made way too much sense, so I decided to keep digging a ditch with a spoon for two more years instead and did a tour of pop-up events around New England, which grew our audience even more with moms and aunts, the real decision makers. We became the antithesis of Barstool Sports and larger sports brands that had fallen asleep behind the wheel. Mr. Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots even gave us a call and expressed how much he loved our art and asked how he could help us get to the next level. Sometimes, slow and steady is the best way to keep your finger on the pulse of the fan and truly build something organically.
After years of "ditch digging," we are finally proud to offer you an alternative to the standard sports apparel sites. Everything you see here is completely original and unlike anything else out there. While we don’t do licensed gear, I can say without question that our products are much more inspiring.
We pride ourselves on creating fun, high-quality designs that speak to Boston fans and anyone who appreciates genuine art. We hope you like what we’ve built—it truly is a labor of love. We are still working toward becoming a household name, and that goal keeps us focused on providing sports fans with a great alternative to the status quo and the perfect fan gear if you want to stand out in a crowd.
We encourage you to try one of our shirts or one of our stellar wall prints. We promise you'll become a repeat offender. The good kind.
Sincerely,
Mahlon Williams
Spike TV’s "Pros vs. Joes" Winner (Season 2, Episode 7)