When it comes to knowing all it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in the modern world, Lynnfield raced Laura Brodigan knows precisely what it takes.
In just five years, Brodigan founded a personalized clothing brand worn in sporting events across the United States where fans and family members of athletes wear their favorite teams and players through one-of-a-kind pieces – BROdenim.
Brodigan’s entrepreneurial life began at a young age when Brodigan created jewelry pieces and sold them at local fairs.
“I’ve always had that entrepreneurial background, and I think, in Lynnfield, that’s where I kind of had my first experience with that, doing the jewelry and selling it at the pumpkin patch fair and other local fairs in the area,” said Brodigan.
“And then, when I went to college, I started another business- a babysitting company. and it was another, entrepreneurial endeavor, and then post-college a few years later, I sort of broke down. So, I kind of always had that entrepreneurial spirit and I didn’t necessarily know where I’d end up or what I’d be doing, but I always knew that I wanted to run my own business and be my own boss,” added Brodigan.
Brodigan studied finance and marketing at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. She quit her job in finance to pursue her career in fashion with BROdemim.
What was at one point a creative outlet, turned into a job, when Brodigan made a customized jacket for a friend as a gift and people were asking her to make them one.
“A lot of people after were asking me to make them one and you know, it wasn’t really something that I was really interested in doing at the time. But as it got more and more people asked me to do it, I started making a few more and sending them out to people on social media entrepreneurs and yeah, that’s kind of how it began. You know, it was something I fell into,” said Brodigan.
Her drive, ambition, and willingness to take the risks others won’t take brought BROdemin to work with prestigious brands in on-site events and corporate and talent gifting across the country.
With a pop-up shop in Tampa, Florida, and a seasonal Nantucket store that is Nantucket merchandise-based, Brodigan is in the process of opening a new store in Martha’s Vineyard this summer.
In her online store, customers can shop anywhere from denim jackets, sweaters, blazers, T-shirts, and even handbags, all customized to the customers liking with custom patches to custom client-designed creations.
“ I really enjoy creating pieces, fashionable sports pieces for women because I feel like you know, there’s not a ton of really fashion-forward pieces being offered to them and it’s something that I really enjoy creating and I really feel like, through these pieces, they’re so custom and individualized that people are allowed to really tell their stories through the items that they wear,” said Brodigan.
When it comes to Brodigan, sweaters are her most worn item, “for me, sweatshirts are always fun, adding the patches on to them can be really cute especially if you’re able to dress it up. The jackets are also great, especially if you have like a particular event to wear them to,” said Brodigan.
According to Brodigan, pursuing your true passion while staying true to who you are and your vision for your business, is key to the success of a business. With new technology and social media constantly changing, being flexible, changing with time, listening to feedback, and being able to take that feedback and implement it are things that helped with the success of her brand.
Not only does Brodigan offer customized clothing for the sports industry, but she also offers a wedding collection with customized clothing for their special day, “ I had a few friends that were getting married so I made them jackets for their weddings and definitely saw that there was an opportunity there that you know brides would want fun pieces to show their new last names on or to wear to bachelorette party, events or whatnot,” said Brodigan.