Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Yerkes
Christopher, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Most of my early jobs were in retail, but always with the idea that retail was something to try and get out of as soon as possible. I never thought of myself as entrepreneurial, so I gravitated towards education, which is something I highly value but felt was much more low risk. After working in education for the past 18 years, I started to get into online reselling as a side gig. I found I really enjoyed researching products, seeing what the market for clothes is, styles & trends, etc. I realized it was also an opportunity to create my own brand and to have total control of what I wanted it to look like. I think most kids who grew up in skateboarding in the late 90’s/early 2000’s loved the art and style of skate culture at that time. My friends and I would talk about making our own brand and screen printing shirts. Denim Liturgy feels like an extension of that childhood dream in some ways. Plus, now I have more life-experience and can add my own personal values like focusing on USA made or ethically made products. My friend and business partner, Cameron, let me know he is opening a restaurant with a retail storefront called Kinchana in the college area and offered me the opportunity to have my products carried there. We’re hoping to be open by April. I’m excited about the opportunity to connect with people and build a community around premium denim.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely felt like a journey to get here. One of the biggest challenges with entrepreneurship is moving past preconceived notions of what you like or what you are good at. For the most part, we get good at things we practice over and over again. If you quit, you don’t learn. If you don’t learn, you don’t get better. I think overcoming financial fears has also been difficult. Investing money in a business where you want to do retail sales in a physical location seems a little nuts given current economic trends, so without the support I have from my wife, I wouldn’t be able to take this step.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Aside from just researching and finding value in denim, I have strong marketing and communication skills that allow me to connect with my customers and build a strong connection around shared values. At the end of the day, I consider ,myself a community-builder more than anything else. I really enjoy meeting new people and connecting them with other people or resources that can help them to thrive either personally or professionally. I’m always looking for new opportunities to expand my network.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk-taking is crucial to living a full and joyful life! This might just be my anxiety talking, but we take micro-risks everyday when we walk out the front door. The more you fixate on the risks, the less room you have in your brain for creativity and strategy. I will balance that by saying the risks you take should reflect your goals and values. I’ll never put a $1000 on red at a roulette table but I will spend it on custom dyed USA made t-shirts to screen-print on. Not a great analogy but I hope it get the point across. If I’m going to fail, I want to fail big and I want it to be for something I really believed in.
Pricing:
- I have products starting at $30 going up to $250
- I’ll be offering styling services soon, but I’m still working on the pricing for that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://denimliturgy.mayhem.my/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denim.liturgy/
