The Memoir

The idea for PaperTrail came about in 2007 when I was working a dead end job in lovely corporate America. I vividly remember waking up every morning thinking to myself "why am I even going in today?" Apart from the obvious reasons, I couldn't seem to answer that question no matter how hard I tried to find a solution to my problem. I wanted to do something worthwhile - something that made an impact on society, instead of sitting in a cubicle, pulling the old 9-to-5 while I listen to people complain about how their restaurant experience was less than satisfactory (yup, you guessed it. I was in customer service). Between listening to complaints and watching the deceit implemented by coworkers to climb the corporate ladder, I finally decided I had enough with the negativity associated with my job so I took the plunge into the fascinating world of the clothing industry. I remember being extremely pumped up about starting my own label that I made some costly miscues along the way. Selecting unmotivated partners, rushing designs just to say I had my own shirt, and not fully grasping what I wanted my label to be about were some of the most drastic mistakes that eventually led to PaperTrail's demise. Execution is key in this game and I found myself miserably failing at my dream.

Fast forward to 2011. Over the next several years, my mind would race about PaperTrail and what could have been if I had taken the time to execute my game plan. Even though the years have past, I don't necessarily look back on it as wasted time. I've grown from my mistakes to the point where I can deliver a quality product with what I've always wanted to do - to make an imprint on society. Waiting around for something to happen always leads to disappointment so I have decided to relaunch PaperTrail. The years of dealing with life experiences along that way have defined who I am as a person as I try to incorporate everything I have experienced in life into this brand. My message derived from my life experiences to all PaperTrail supporters is to keep it real. It's one simple formula that seems to get lost in the shuffle. Instead of trying to impress or impersonate, just remember to reflect on yourself and remember your roots of which you have sprouted into the person you are today. No matter how big the brand gets, I want to keep this personal message alive with the people who truly understand what PaperTrail is all about.

Always remember. Stay Fresh. Stay Real. To be continued...

-Chris