Hats Off to these Young Entrepreneurs

By Victor Carvellas

Brothers Jalen and Nyles Madison, 16 and 12, have an idea for building brick hobbyists too good to keep under their hats. Their company, MOC Gear, sells caps and beanies that use LEGO© and mini bricks to create custom wearable creations.

The line of colorful headwear uses two kinds of “build plates” that can be attached to the brim of the caps and to the front of the caps and beanies. There, builders can showcase their own unique build (thus, MOC – My Own Creations, as they’re known.)

“My brother and I love LEGO©. About 3 years ago we went to a convention where we got the inspiration for the hats. We started putting our builds on caps and wherever we wore them, they got a lot of attention. People wanted to know where they could buy them.”

The boys’ mom, Nikitha Madison, sees this as a learning opportunity. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” says Nikitha. “My mom [Debra Johnson] has owned a real estate company and a consulting company and co-owns a pet product business. I run a real estate consulting company. This is a great introduction to entrepreneurship for Jalen and Nyles while they do something they love.”

The pair are serious about making a success of it. With the help of their grandmother Debra, MOC Gear is a trademarked name. “It was important,” says Debra, “not only to protect the name, but to make sure they weren’t infringing on any existing brands.” MOC Gear has employed a professional design firm to design their website and manage their social media, but the marketing ideas haven’t stopped at the Internet.

“We envision them being sold in vending machines at places where kids hang out,” says Jalen. Nyles sees them as potentially “helping schools fundraise.” There’s also a place on the website, the MOC Gear Club (https://mocgear.club), where kids can safely share their creations, get special discounts, learn about upcoming releases, and ask questions of special guest builders.