Meet Antonio Vaughn of Livin’ Life in Stockbridge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Antonio Vaughn.

Antonio, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Indianapolis, IN but I was raised in College Park, GA. I come from a single parent home, it was just me, my mother and little sister. I never really knew my father, he used to be on drugs and was in and out of prison.

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I started my first business when I was in the 4th grade, it was a candy business. I saw another kid selling candy and thought to myself… “I can do that”. So, I ended up undercutting his price and all the kids started buying from me. I sold fragrance oils in middle school and started selling candy again in high school. After high school, I put myself through college by working two jobs while being a full-time student.

LIVIN’ LIFE began in 2006 as a creative outlet for myself. I thought it would be fun to make myself a few custom t-shirts with inspirational phrases. The t-shirts were a fun way for me to encourage myself to enjoy life and not be afraid to pursue my dreams. Whenever I wore a shirt random people would compliment me and some even asked where they could purchase one. After being approached numerous times, I started thinking…  “maybe I should sell some shirts”. I just woke up one morning and decided to start a company.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My journey so far has not been a smooth one. When I started LIVIN’ LIFE I didn’t have a business plan and my funds were limited. I just took the little bit of money that I had and got 100 t-shirts printed. I drove around Atlanta promoting my website and sold t-shirts out the trunk of my car. I had no idea what I was doing and I didn’t know if anyone would actually buy one of my shirts. I didn’t let that stop me though; I took a chance and just tried to learn as I go.

Over the years I’ve made many mistakes and wasted money in the process. But I always try to turn each loss into a lesson learned. One of the biggest lessons I learned is to follow my first mind. I realized that I spent too much time listening to too many different people. Everyone has their own view of how you should run your business. But in the end, you have to be true to yourself.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about LIVIN’ LIFE – what should we know?
LIVIN’ LIFE is an inspirational lifestyle clothing brand. We sell apparel, art prints and accessories. We aim to inspire others to pursue their dreams and enjoy every single second of life. Selling things is cool, but having an opportunity to spread our message is priceless.

We’ve partnered with a non-profit company called Feeding Children Everywhere to help provide a healthy solution to the hunger problem in the U.S. We are extremely excited to have been given the opportunity to “Pay it forward” to others, especially children in need. It’s easy to occasionally overlook our blessings, even something as small as a meal.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My mom has always been my biggest cheerleader. And, my uncle and grandfather were great male role models in my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.LivinLifeCo.com
• Phone: 404-482-2972
• Email: info@LivinLifeCo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LivinLifeCo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LivinLifeCo
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LivinLifeCo

Image Credit:
Antonio Vaughn, Norma Hightower

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