GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - Jeremy Carothers dropped out of college 20 years ago to chase a dream that started with a part-time job.
“I landed on a part-time screen-printing job in Hattiesburg, and from the jump, I fell in love with it,” said Carothers, owner of Elite Shirt Company in Gulfport.
The passion for screen printing began when Carothers’ grandfather introduced him to the craft at a young age. By college, that interest had grown into something more consuming.
“I would catch myself finding reasons to skip class to go print. It wouldn’t be because I need the seven dollars an hour, but it was just because I loved being behind a press and I loved making t-shirts. It was something that I was passionate about,” Carothers said.
At the age of 19, Carothers made a decision that went against everyone’s advice. He dropped out of Southern Miss, where he was studying business as a sophomore.
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“All my friends at the time advised heavily against it, everybody. I just continued to tell them I felt like I would regret more not jumping and taking the chance with something I’m passionate about than I would going and doing that and failing and having to go back to college,” Carothers said.
Armed with just $300 and a handwritten business plan, Carothers launched his screen printing company in Hattiesburg. Two decades later, Elite Shirt Company operates from two locations in Hattiesburg and Gulfport.
The company has grown significantly from its humble beginnings. Carothers said the business now operates equipment worth thousands of dollars and has maximized every inch of available space.
“We literally have used every square foot of this building,” Carothers said.
Despite the growth, he remains grounded in the lessons learned during the early struggles.
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“What it takes to make money is a drive to battle through the hard times because there are going to be ups and downs. Getting started, it’s all downs. It takes drive and determination to provide a service and product that is different,” Carothers said.
Elite Shirt Company serves businesses and organizations with bulk orders while also operating a storefront for individual t-shirt and merchandise purchases.
Elite Shirt Company is located at 1616 25th Avenue in Gulfport.
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