Meet the 14-Year Old Who Built a Bow Tie Empire (When He Was Nine)

At an age when kids are cramming for English lit or avoiding English lit on Snapchat, 14-year-old Moziah Bridges is brokering business deals and taking calls from Daymond John.

The Memphis, TN, native launched Mo’s Bows when he was nine years old after discovering a passion for fashion. He was taken by the old school flair of bow ties, but wasn't thrilled about the design of the knots—and completely offended by clip-ons.

“I saw my mom working hard and I didn’t want to be how she was—working for another person,” said Mo. “So I decided to start my own company, making money for myself.”

Employee #2 was grandma, a retired seamstress who taught Mo to sew. At the beginning he'd pick out vintage fabrics from her stash to make the bow ties he sold for $5 at summer camp.

“I’m a quick learner, but when it came to sewing, it was a disaster,” recalled Mo, who is homeschooled. “Keeping the ties straight was the most disastrous part.”

Mo’s mother and company CFO Tramica Morris always thought the business was a good idea, but she expected something a bit different. “In my mind, it was a simple lemonade stand, but for bow ties. It quickly grew past what we anticipated.”

That growth started on Etsy, where business was good enough. But at 12, Mo got a break thousands of adult entrepreneurs would kill for: A chance to pitch on Shark Tank, the hit ABC series where five venture capitalists worth billions vie to get a piece of a good idea. As my colleague notes, “there are few experiences more terrifying for an entrepreneur than appearing on Shark Tank.” Mo and mom didn't get rattled, but they also didn't get a deal.

However, Mo scored something even better: A very paternal offer to mentor him—for free—by Shark and fashion/marketing guru Daymond John.

The TV appearance and John's help was enough to give Mo's Bows a major lift. Mo expanded his business and got floor space at upscale boutiques and retail stores like Neiman Marcus. He recently got to meet President Barack Obama and received the Dreamer’s Award from the National Retail Federation. Mo now employs six people—including, still, his octogenarian grandmother—and this year he's projecting $350,000 in total sales since launch. 

Mo, who appeared on the show's spinoff Beyond the Tank a week ago, said he hopes to expand his clientele by offering his bow ties in more places, launching a skinny necktie line and possible dabbling in men's apparel. When asked what men should avoid when it comes to fashion, Mo said simple, "pre-tied ties." 

GIF: Jacqueline Zaccor / LinkedIn