Ryan Shell is the founder of The Home T, a super soft and comfy t-shirt company with wildly creative styles and images. The cause at the heart of The Home T is what keeps pushing this entrepreneur to give back. Here today to talk about his journey, is entrepreneur and board member for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Ryan Shell. From starting at a street fair in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to founding a hugely successful t-shirt business, Ryan never lost the core cause of giving back to MS research, a cause that is very near and dear to his heart. Today he joins Christine to discuss how his Give Back Model works at The Home T, the importance of pushing through setbacks, and never losing focus of your cause.

Ryan begins by sharing the inspiration behind The Home T, and explains how a bout of homesickness led him to develop the simple design of a state with the word “Home” written on it. He talks about his humble beginnings with a simple table at a street fair, his company’s quick success and celebrity exposure, and his commitment to donating 10% of their profits to MS research from Day One. Ryan opens up about not being able to give back to every cause he would like to, and struggling with the feeling that he could always be doing more. He tells Christine about learning by trial and fire on his journey to entrepreneurship, his experience appearing on ‘Shark Tank,’ the personal reason behind his Give Back Model, and other charitable causes he is hoping to raise awareness for. Today’s episode is an important reminder to stay focused and keep going no matter what setbacks you might incur, because you never want to look back and wish you had taken that leap to follow your passion. To support The Home T and learn more about their mission to help fund MS research, visit www.TheHomeT.com.

For more information, and other episodes on companies and entrepreneurs who give back, please visit TheGiveBackModel.com. That’s where you can also let Christine know about companies you’ve found that give back, and check out The Give Back Model merchandise, where $5 for every hoodie sold goes to charity. Thanks for listening!

Episode Highlights:

• Idea for “Home T” started from the simple idea of being homesick for his home state
• Came up with the design of a state with the word “Home” written on it
• Donated 10% of profits to Multiple Sclerosis research from Day One
• Ryan began with a table at a street fair in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
• Sales took off instantly, and celebrities like Hilary Duff were photographed wearing his shirts
• Impact of what they have been able to donate as a small company - over half a million dollars
• New t-shirt designs and expanding their catalogue
• Not being able to give back to every cause he would like to and feeling like he could always do more
• How his professional background in Marketing helped him prepare to launch his own business, but learning along the way by trial and fire as well
• Ryan appeared on ‘Shark Tank,’ but due to network commitment to promote another charity that month, his repeated mentions of MS research were edited out
• Raising awareness for other foundations as well (Alzheimers and breast cancer)
• The constant chase of being an entrepreneur, always wanting to do more
• The personal reason for his Give Back, and also donating his time 
• Ryan’s advice for entrepreneurs who want to give back as part of their business - stay focused and keep going 

Quotes:

“We really put this very simple design together, which just had the shape of a state and the word Home on it. And it's one of those ideas, you're like, yeah, this is kind of cutesy - it's never going to become a thing.”

“From Day One, we donated 10% of profits to Multiple Sclerosis research. It's a cause that's near and dear to a number of friends that I have, and family members.”

“I think the hardest thing about giving back is not being able to give back to everything you want to give. To me, that is very hard.”

“I always, every day, think, I'm not doing enough. How can I do more? And I think companies like yours have recognized, you know, Well, we're going to help you do something. It might not be the greatest impact in the world. But it's going to have an impact. 

“I just learned really trial by fire, which is what I've kind of done, I think, with everything in my life.”

“Thankfully we got on the show. Fast forward - we got three offers. I turned them all down. It is a challenging life experience because it took me almost - from audition to air was one year. And so even after you tape, you don't know if you're going to air, so you're just constantly like, Is this going to happen?” 

“I kept plugging that 10% of profits is donated to Multiple Sclerosis research. And there's a point where one of the judges is like, Can you stop saying that? And I'm like, No, that's our thing. I'm not going to stop saying that.”

“Maybe that's what makes us entrepreneurs now is that you're always chasing something, or you're never satisfied with what is right there. But also kind of an interesting way to live life, because at some point, you need to be satisfied about something, right. But it's this constant chase.” 

“You meet a person in life. And it's like, you find out that they have this thing that you can't fix, you can't throw money at it, a band aid, whatever. And you do have this moment of like, Holy hell, how do I help you? What can I do? And giving back was that one little thing that we could do. 

“Stay focused and keep going.”

“You got to leap because I think the worst thing, and I would leave people with this, is the freaking unknown. That's what's going to drive you crazy. Just keep going.”

Links:

The Give Back Model website TheGiveBackModel.com

 Follow The Give Back Model on Instagram @thegivebackmodel

 The Home T website TheHomeT.com

 Ryan Shell website www.RyanShell.com

Ryan Shell on Facebook

Follow Ryan Shell on Twitter @ryanshell