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Teen's desire for flames could earn him $5,000
A teen from Barron, Wisconsin in the northwest part of the state came up with a solution to what sounds like a simple problem. He could not find snow pants with flames on them.
BARRON, Wis. - A teen from Barron, Wisconsin in the northwest part of the state came up with a solution to what sounds like a simple problem. He could not find snow pants with flames on them.
Instead of waiting for someone to create his dream attire, the high school junior decided to take matters into his own hands and start his own brand of winter gear. That decision could earn him a $5,000 prize.
Ethan Eriksen
Snow pants with flames
The backstory:
Ethan Eriksen is not shy about taking chances. Whether in a skate park, dirt track, or on a ski hill, the high school junior has a history of pushing the limit, especially on the snow.
"I started skiing when I was around nine years old, and it's just been something I have loved ever since," said Eriksen.
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Eriksen has a mountain of videos showing off cool tricks and flips he's pulled off. But the adrenaline junkie said something was always missing; flames on his pants.
Business Is Born:
In 2024, Shredrz Attire was born.
"Was it as simple as that? You literally just wanted flames on your snow pants?" asked a reporter.
"Yeah, that's basically kind of what I wanted," Eriksen said with a smile. "So I figured I noticed a gap in the market, and I figured I could maybe make my own and fix that problem."
His mom quickly found out he was serious.
"I'm like, you need to find a manufacturer. And off he went," said Eriksen's mother, Katie.
"So I started looking for manufacturers that could make it for me, and I could give them, like my mock-up and material specifications," added Eriksen.
Eriksen got to work by reaching out to businesses for leads overseas and was able to overcome early struggles with what he received.
"It didn't turn out how I wanted that much," Eriksen said about his early protocols.
The teen said those first samples just didn't meet his standards.
"Just looking back at it, the colors were all goofy and, like, it didn't have like, how do I say," said Eriksen.
A first sale
Dig deeper:
Eriksen did not give up.
"My first sale was actually someone in Washington, so all the way across the country," Eriksen said.
Now those flames are popping up on mountains across the country.
"And it's just like a snowball, like it keeps growing and growing as more people buy my pants, and then they tell their friends, and it's, it's also a really good feeling, too," Eriksen said with pride.
Maybe none of this should be a surprise. After all, he's already been a business owner for years.
"We were at a restaurant, and he's like, 'Mom, I want a job. Like, Well, honey, you're 10,'" recalled his mom, Katie.
Eriksen started his first business when he was in elementary school, helping pick up pet waste. Now, he manages Shredrz, despite a busy life in school and multiple sports. He even has a part-time job at McDonald's that he would like to advance from one day.
Ethan Eriksen
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"Is the hope to one day ditch the bosses and be your own boss?" asked a reporter.
"Yeah, for sure, definitely," replied Eriksen.
What's next:
Eriksen's business caught the attention of Junior Achievement. Eriksen has been named a finalist for the Young Entrepreneur competition.
One contestant will walk away with a $5,000 scholarship. The winner was selected in February from four finalists from around the state and will be announced publicly soon.
The Source: Information gathered was provided in part, by Junior Achievement.