Jesus, 19When Jesus was 10 years old, he and his family immigrated to America from Mexico, leaving behind everything they had to pursue the American dream. But for a young boy far away from home and friends, that dream soon turned into a nightmare. “I didn’t know how to speak English,” Jesus remembers. “I was hanging around gangs and mired in family problems.” He dropped out of school in the seventh grade and began drinking and smoking marijuana. “When I arrived at the doors of Life Learning Academy, a charter school for at-risk youth, I had nothing,” Jesus says now.
With the help of mentors and Teri Delane, the school’s principal, Jesus was able to turn his life around. He took on a leadership role at LLA, as a council member working
with students who have behavior or attendance problems. “I follow the philosophy of ‘each one teach one,’” says Jesus.
According to Delane, Jesus became one of the best council members the school has had during its 12 years of operation. “He is articulate in describing how a problem can be solved in the most effective way possible,” says Delane.
But, of all the work that he’s done at his school, the teenager is most proud of the business plan that he created in his NFTE entrepreneurship class.
In his native land, Jesus had grown up in a Mayan community with a long history of creating handmade silkscreen designs. In his new homeland, he had continued the Mayan tradition, creating the same kind of handmade designs on T-shirts. Eventually he started using a sewing machine to embroider his designs.
Even though Jesus had a good business, he had no idea how to run it. So in 2008, he enrolled in the NFTE entrepreneurship class. For his business plan idea, the 19-year-old decided to expand his T-shirt business to include custom-made jeans. “I got tired of seeing people wearing the same old jeans,” Jesus says. “I wanted to spruce them up a little.” He created Chuy’s Fresh Fits (custom jeans and apparel), using custom Mayan and Yucatan embroidery mixed with urban designs and reversing the design on jeans by putting the back pockets in front.
“Communicating to a room full of people during the business plan competition was a daunting task, especially with English being my second language,” says Jesus. “I like numbers, so the financial part was easy.”
“I knew that I had a good idea,” he says. Nevertheless, Jesus was surprised when his business plan took second place, beating 1000 other students who competed in the NFTE Northern California Business Plan Competition.
I wanted to reflect my culture in my designs and use my business to give back to my community,” says the 19-year-old high school senior. His business plan included a non-violence philanthropy plan in which gang members who turn in their guns would receive a free pair of jeans.
In 2009 his business grossed $13,000. This year, Jesus is expanding his enterprise – now called M² – to include his custom denim jeans line and silver jewelry made in Mexico.
He is currently attending City College of San Francisco, while continuing to grow M².
“My business proves that people can change their lives,” says Jesus.
The young entrepreneur’s advice to other students: “The best way to change your life is by helping others.”
You can view Jesus's business plan presentation here.
