AERN home > Success stories > Cotton House, Selma, Alabama, Fall 2006
It All Started with a Tattoo
In 1999, Willie Harris, II, ran into James Joiner, manager of Kids Foot Locker in Montgomery. The meeting with Joiner gave Harris the "business bug" eventually resulting in Harris starting his own screen-printing operation, Cotton House, LLC, in Selma.
Joiner noticed a tattoo on Harris's arm and commented on its creative design. Joiner suggested they start a T-Shirt clothing line called Hip Hop Phaeva and this began Harris's journey toward self-employment, a journey that was helped along the way by the staff at Selma/Dallas County Chamber of Commerce and AERN's business start-up reference and resource materials.
Harris had been managing a Foot Locker shoe store, but the simple discussion with Joiner became a turning point for Harris. A partnership of sorts began between Harris and Michael Jones, Sr., owner of OPM Merchandisers. Harris would work as an apprentice for him and, in turn, he would sell T-shirts to Harris at a low price.
During off hours, usually after an 8-hour day, Harris was given access to Jones's printing equipment to fill orders of his own. "I would clean the shop, fold shirts, and help out wherever I was needed. I learned a lot about the business under Mr. Jones," Harris said.
Most of Harris's orders came from on campus at Alabama State University in Montgomery, the place he met his wife, Natasha. Natasha joined the Regular Army and did two tours in Iraq. Now a Reservist, she helps Willie run the business.
Harris's creative designs quickly became popular with the sororities and fraternities at Alabama State. His artwork became known for its unique style and was quickly becoming recognizable and in demand.
Harris's apprenticeship period was running its course as he became more confident and knowledgeable about the business. He began to see a market for many other groups such as church choirs, businesses, and, what is now his "bread and butter," family reunions.
He started out trying to do everything on his own without all the start-up information and he wasted some time and some trips to the courthouse and the bank, he said.
"I had most of the steps, but not all, and I didn't have them in the right order," Harris said."It wasn't until I met with the nice lady at the Chamber of Commerce, Tina Price, that I had a good checklist to work from. She was patient with me and gave me some good tips as to what to do, and what not to do. She let me know that first I must get a business license before I start a business account."
Harris commented on how easy it was to draw up a business plan with Price's help and the new software AERN had installed at the Chamber of Commerce.
"This mapped everything out for me," Harris said. "It helped me get Cotton House off the ground."
Now two years plus into his business, Harris attributes his success to the early preparation under the tutelage of his friend Michael Jones and the start-up information from AERN and the Chamber as well as to the creative designs that are constantly running through his head.
And the business is growing, he says, despite having competition from other businesses in Selma. But he feels he still has the same advantages he started with--a solid business plan, a level of creativity not found in his competition, and the uniqueness of his designs. He also said he enjoys working with his clients on the design to ensure they will be satisfied with the product they are getting.
Harris said family reunions make up more than half of his business in the summer and he has worked four large ones this year, two from Selma, one from Montgomery, and one from Orrville.
Family reunions in the South have always been a big deal, he said, bringing as many as 200 or more home to Southern roots from all over the country. This Black Belt secret has become mainstream knowledge with the popularity of the Madea family reunion movies.
Harris contacts customers thorough fliers and word of mouth, but he is looking at budgeting marketing money and creating a website, among other strategies. This way he can get on the Internet and open up his customer base.
It appears Harris has caught on to something people value in family reunion T-shirts. Time will only tell, but it looks like Cotton House may become "king" in Alabama, thanks to AERN, the Selma/Dallas Chamber of Commerce and a friend who noticed an interesting tattoo.
AERN is part of the Center for Business and Economic Research at The University of Alabama's Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration. In its fifth year, AERN supports the growth of entrepreneurial activity throughout rural Alabama.
— Richard Andrew Mullins, Staff Writer, Community Journalism Network, The University of Alabama
From AERNews, Vol. 6, No. 3, Fall 2006