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Community Corner

East and West Coast: A Winning Combination for Two Brothers

Over the past six years, brothers Andrew and Brian Bell seemed to be taking very different careers paths after graduating from Summit High School. Andrew, the elder by three years, attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown PA and currently works in an advertising agency in New York City. Brian on the other hand darted for the west coast, finding himself at the Dodge School of Film at Chapman University. The differences between the east and west coast were immediately apparent to Brian. If the east coast is the suit and tie, the west coast is the jeans and sandals. That metaphor has no reflection on the work that is done but is more about the approach people take.

It was not until a few months back that they realized they shared the same enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and that their different backgrounds, when combined, could be leveraged for great success. Together, the no-nonsense east coaster and the free-wheeling west coaster founded OneZip Wear, a lifestyle company specializing in premium adult onesies. It is understood that the apparel category is extremely crowded already, but they believe they have found a “white space” opportunity in the market. High-quality, extremely versatile onesies are quickly gaining popularity in Europe yet is non-existent in the states.

The company officially launched on September 3, 2013 with a campaign on Kickstarter, the popular crowd-sourcing website (onezipwear.com). They will be providing customers the opportunity to be part of the inaugural order and “join the family” at a discounted rate, but that is just the beginning of their plan. “We feel that one of the greatest opportunities available today is that everyone can help us grow the company. With the interconnectivity of society, everybody with an Internet connection has the ability to help share products they are passionate about,” explains Brian.  “We have already identified people who have strong followings and can’t wait to endorse the brand throughout the year, but we think our biggest asset is everyone else.”  

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While the company still has a ways to go, it is evident that the key ingredient is present to make this a successful venture: passion. “I had no idea the time commitment needed to get this going, but I honestly have had an amazing time the past few months working with my brother on this. I love the challenge of learning as we go and having no idea what lies ahead as we continue this journey together.”

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