REAL PEOPLE: Interview with Jeremy Koven + Giveaway!
Glitter Magazine recently sat down with Jeremy David Koven, owner of Agent Cali, a brand of street wear and athletic fashion created by teens for teens. He’s only fourteen and started working on the concept for AgentCali when he didn’t receive a call back from a clothing company after approaching them about a partnership. Jeremy’s vision is to create a social, fun, affordable, high quality and charitable fashion brand where the teen audience drives the looks, products, pricing and marketing in addition to sharing in the success of the business. A portion of the company’s profits are donated to support teen and young adult related causes. We love his ambition! Read on to find out more about this talented entrepreneur and a fabulous giveaway from AgentCali! 
GLITTER: How did you start the company at such a young age?
JEREMY: I come from a very entrepreneurial family so it seemed like the natural thing to do. I have a passion for street wear, athletic clothing, sneakers and cool designs. I’m on my iPhone a lot using Instagram, Snapchat and checking out websites with my friends. The original idea was to resell clothing from a major street wear brand to my guy and girl friends, but I never got a call or email back after I sent in a business plan to the company. I was really disappointed and asked my parents what to do. We thought that it would be cool to create a clothing brand by teens for teens. The idea to do something for and with my friends was always a big part of what I wanted to do. I have a pretty large and diverse group of friends in Boston and Los Angeles.
GLITTER: What is your main goal with AgentCali? Where did the name AgentCali come from?
JEREMY: My main goal with AgentCali is to build a well-known and respected fashion brand for teens and young adults created by teens who are involved with every part of the business from design to marketing and sales. I want everyone that helps to share in the success whether it’s experience, earning money or being part of something really cool and special. I also want to donate a portion of our profits to teen and young adult related causes. It’s so important to give back and we are the future. The Agent is also about being an agent of change and standing up for what you believe in. Hopefully the business becomes successful but if not, I will just continue on to 9th grade.
The name AgentCali came from the trips I took back and forth from Los Angeles to Boston where I used to live. I would always go shopping for clothes and my friends would ask where I got it. I was kind of like an Agent on a mission to find cool stuff. Cali comes from California where I now live.
GLITTER: Tell us where your tagline LIFE came from.
JEREMY: LIFE stands for “Live In Full Expression.” My design director Dabian Canales who is like an older brother to me and I wanted to make a statement that a person wearing AgentCali should be who they want to be regardless of anyone’s opinions. It’s about being who you are and doing the best you can. Whatever you do, let it be an expression of who you really are.
GLITTER: Did you have any fears at all being so young and jumping into a career? If so, what were they, and how did you overcome them?
JEREMY: The fears I have are not being successful and people not liking the brand or what we are doing. I have really good support from my family and friends. I get really excited when I see the likes and read comments on @agentcali on Instagram. The common theme is that people really feel connected to what we are doing and to being a part of our success. This helps me to gain confidence. Things like this interview reminds me that what I am doing can make a big difference for teens in so many ways.
GLITTER: What’s been a memorable moment so far for you?
JEREMY: When I went to UCLA and gave a presentation for Project Echo to several hundred teenagers on the topic of being a young entrepreneur. It was a personal breakthrough because I have always been shy speaking in front of large audiences. People came up to me after I spoke and told me that I inspired them. Also, the first time I saw our products being produced and it became real.
GLITTER: What can we expect next from you?
JEREMY: The creation of a new kind of fashion and street wear company by teens for teens where the prices are really fair and the quality is great. Look for new designs and hopefully people wearing AgentCali all around the streets of the world. We would like to make significant contributions to teen and young adult related causes, create scholarships and inspire as many as we can to Live In Full Expression. We have ideas and are creating skateboard, surfing, and fitness training teams to connect Agents of change who are doing cool and exciting stuff around the world with each other on our website. You will see a lot of contests, social media activity and relationship building with teens. We would love to sponsor events and up and coming people but most of all I want to have fun and make a positive difference together with other teens. I would also like to help other teen entrepreneurs with their businesses including selling their products on agentcali.com
GLITTER: What advice to you have for our readers who want to start their own company someday?
JEREMY: If you want to start a company it takes a good idea, homework and hard work. Surround yourself with great people and build a strong team. I definitely didn’t think a business would take this much work but I am excited to recruit my friends and teens around the world to help me build it. If you believe in it, you should go for it.
You can win one of ten of these amazing AgentCali tanks or one of their AgentCali baseball caps. You can see all their awesome products on their website: http://agentcali.com/.
Just comment below on what company you’d love to start if you could start your own company. Winners will be chosen on November 30th. What are you waiting for? Comment now!
Editorial Director | Writer | Tweet me @heatherriccio
