In the midst of the record low temperatures Detroit and other cities faced during the Polar Vortex of 2019, I launched a clothing brand. At the time, I was contracting full-time at Benzinga while exploring e-commerce rabbit holes. I had stumbled upon Web Smith's writings at 2PM and became obsessed with Linear Commerce—the concept that commerce and content not only intersect, but lead to one another.  

The idea for Polar Vortex came from me scrolling on Twitter and seeing a friend tweet, "Polar Vortex sounds like a cool brand name." I saw this as the perfect opportunity to dip my toe into the world of e-commerce while pursuing a force for good. 

The idea was simple—a clothing line themed around the polar vortex, designed as a band tour, and dedicated to supporting the heroes that worked the hardest during the freeze. 

I worked from home the next two days, put in place a launch plan, and convinced my designer friend to work on the apparel. 48 hours later, I had a press interview lined up, apparel mock-ups, and a few local Detroit influencers up for shouting out the brand in-kind. 

Overall the project was a small success. For the small amount of revenue we made, I gained my first real ecommerce experience. 

Press features: