Davidsonian.com exclusive with Jared Blakney '14 about building his inspiring tee-shirt company.

Jared is a political science major from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Davidsonian.com: When did you first conceive the idea of Generations? What's your inspiration?

Jared: I had always had a passion for entrepreneurship, but I had a hard time finding an idea that I stayed passionate about. But in the summer of 2008 my brother and I were watching an episode of Rob and Big. I don’t know where it came from, but we had the urge to start a clothing company. It started as just a whim, but we soon began to believe that it could be something big. We saw how we could use it to help others and make a difference.

What's the most fun part of running this business?

Developing Generations has been a great experience in a number of different ways. It has been great being able to work along side my brother and do something that we are both very passionate about. It is extremely gratifying to be able to pursue what I love to do, and be in a position where I can help others. Secondly, probably what keeps me motivated and inspired the most is meeting people around the country and the world who are committed to pursuing their passion and doing some pretty amazing things. And last but not least, I love the idea that I am able to do what I am passionate about and help others.

What's the hardest part?

It’s always a challenge trying to get people to identify with your vision/idea. Everybody is not going to be the most supportive or relate to it. However, you can’t get discouraged by a few people out there who don’t see eye to eye with you, because there are so many other people in the world who will identify with it. So I guess one of the hardest things is not getting discouraged.

Has your Davidson experience influenced you in this process? If so, how?

Davidson has definitely helped deepen the drive and commitment I have for using my passion to have a significant impact in the world.

How can we support you?

The best way to support us is to buy a shirt. Haha. Don’t get me wrong your business is greatly appreciated, but Generations is much bigger than just a shirt sale. Spreading the word about the Generations brand and living the lifestyle that we are promoting is extremely helpful and important. Pursue your passion so that you can make a difference in the world. Right now we donate a portion of our sales to charity: water, but we plan to add more charities to our list of giving in the near future. Our ultimate goal is to eventually be able to use a portion of our shirt sales fund our own projects that tackle the world’s most pressing issues. We want to truly change the world one shirt at a time. 

Thanks Jared! Check out Generations at http://www.generationstees.com/shop/