Meet Jamil (Ipenhits) Harmon of B.W.AR.E Brand (Black Women Are Really Everything)

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamil (Ipenhits) Harmon.

Jamil, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Atlantic City, NJ. I learned at an early age that if I was going to be successful, I would have to work two times as hard given the circumstances. Like many young black males in my situation, I turned to the streets very early on and was eventually forced to make a decision. I could either continue to walk down the path of eventual self-destruction or I could choose to live. In 2004-2005 after a few run-ins with the system I started to clean up my act and began attending day school and night school to graduate high school on time. I was eventually accepted into Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte NC in the fall of 2005. As a first-generation college student and not really knowing what to expect, I took a Greyhound bus from my hometown to Charlotte and the only thing I knew for certain is that I wasn’t going back. It took some time for me to adapt and most would tell you I was still rough around the edges LOL. For me, this was an enlightening period because I found myself surrounded by people that were young, ambitious and goal oriented. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the true value in my college experience was in the people and the relationships more so than the material being studied. No matter where you come from, this eventually has a positive effect on you and my creative side started to shine through. By my sophomore year, I began to write music and this also was the beginning of an entrepreneurial mindset for me as well. Me and my select group of friends went through many stages, ideas, and phases as we tried to figure it out. Fast forward a few years I developed the name Ipenhits get an opportunity to write music for a respected industry label and BWARE Brand is eventually created.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I would have to say that it has been everything but smooth! Starting in apparel from the ground up with no experience or how to guide has proved both costly and rewarding. Learning the differences in the types of garments and quality of the fabrics is a complicated process on its own. For me, I solved that problem by deciding that I wouldn’t sell something that I wouldn’t wear. Early on that may not be the most popular decision because of obviously quality costs. For me, it has already proved to be a good decision because you begin to see repeat customers and that’s what any strong business is built upon. Raising capital is also a struggle because when it’s your dream, not everyone can envision it. Luckily, I was in a position to fund my initial costs and get things going without having to lean on others. To date, however, I think the biggest struggle is shipping. When you’re a one-man army and you take off faster than expected, it can be a nightmare! It’s hard because you don’t have a precedent and forecasting sales projections and demand for particular items is tough. I was able to counter this learning curve by providing excellent customer service and being honest. It may cost you a free item here or there but in the end, I believe people are generally understanding and appreciate good service no matter the circumstances.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with B.W.AR.E Brand (Black Women Are Really Everything) – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
BWARE Brand (Black Women Are Really Everything) is a women’s empowerment brand and scholarship campaign. The Idea of BWARE came to me when I was thinking of a dope slogan for a T-shirt to wear to Atlanta’s Afro-Punk Festival. I never heard of the festival prior to and a friend of mines thought it would be a different kind of experience for me. I learned that it had much to do with equality and individual expression so I wanted to represent something that was true to me but nothing too over the top. The day of the festival I found myself in the mall standing at a kiosk with a blank T-shirt and the words just came to me. I had the shirt made and immediately put it on so that I could head out to the festival. Within the first few hours, I received numerous compliments and took countless photos because of the shirt. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I had created something special and the shirt was already in high demand. Within a matter of hours, I went from just taking photos to promoting that the T-shirts would be available for sale on my website the following day. The next morning I decided to skip the 2nd day of the festival and stayed home the entire day building the website and setting up the online store to launch at midnight. While going through the process, I instantly knew that I wanted it to be more than just a T-shirt line to make a profit. I understood that the message was too powerful to not be apart of a larger purpose. After some thinking, I decided that I would donate a portion of the proceeds to scholarships for Black Women every year. I instantly became excited with the idea because I knew this was my opportunity to play my part in uplifting the culture. Within a matter of only 48 hours, the BWARE Clothing Brand and Scholarship Campaign were already in full swing!

BWARE is still very young at this stage and I truly believe our proudest moments are still ahead of us. As of right now, I am most proud of the way it makes me and other people feel. I know that if the brand is having an impact on me and my perspectives, then it will also affect others. I recently received a message from a customer who stated: “Her shirt makes her feel like she has superpowers”. Statements like these I receive often and it gives me an extreme sense of pride.

The thing that sets BWARE apart is the genuine and honest intentions. As founder and CEO, I feel it’s not just a business but also my calling and an opportunity to access my purpose. BWARE isn’t the result of my long term commitment to the support and uplift of Black Women in general, in many ways, it’s my public apology for the lack thereof. In knowing that, I feel I have a responsibility to execute and deliver on all things associated with the brand.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
The Brand has a very busy future with many things in the works already. We have already begun planning our inaugural scholarship gala which is at the very top of the list. Leading up to the Gala we will be having fundraisers and multiple events to help make this event a very unique and fulfilling experience for everyone involved. We will be launching BMAD in the very near future to show the love and support for the Black Men in our communities. We will also be launching a podcast and the BWARE X BMAD book club. So many things in store and overall we are just very excited for the opportunity to give back and have a positive impact on the culture!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Ipenhits.com
• Email: ipenhitsmedia@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ipenhits/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/bwarebrand/

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