Daily Inspiration: Meet Nicolas Speed

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicolas Speed.

Hi Nicolas , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My story starts in high school. I was already creating a comic strip, and one day I thought it would be cool to put the characters on clothing. Back then, I would buy transfer paper from Walmart, print designs at home, cut them out by hand, and press them onto shirts and hoodies to sell at school.

As demand grew, I started making custom sweatshirts and eventually connected with a local embroidery shop in 2015. That partnership helped me take things more seriously, and before long artists like Ghostemane, Ramirez, $uicideboy$, and Slim Guerilla were wearing my work. Around that time, Ghost Supply started developing its own identity heavily inspired by Adult Swim, anime, cartoons, video games, underground music, and internet culture.

By 2016 and 2017, I was collaborating with artists, animators, musicians, and creators from all over the world. It felt like we had built our own creative ecosystem around the things we thought were cool. In 2017, I worked with Xavier Wulf and later had the opportunity to go on tour. In 2018, I worked with Billie Eilish and created merchandise for her tour.

Between 2019 and 2022, I developed the collage-heavy visual style that Ghost Supply is known for today. Bright colors, oversized graphics, original characters, and layered artwork became a signature part of the brand. The business experienced significant growth during that period, and I was fortunate enough to reach milestones that I never imagined when I started printing shirts in my bedroom.

However, success also brought challenges. By 2023, the brand had grown so quickly that I found myself dealing with extreme burnout. I had spent years focused entirely on growth without really understanding how to slow down, delegate, or build sustainable systems.

Then in 2024, everything changed when my warehouse burned down.

As difficult as that experience was, it forced me to reevaluate everything. I rebuilt Ghost Supply from the ground up, investing in equipment, learning new production methods, and bringing more of the process in-house. I discovered that many of the things I had been outsourcing could be done faster and more effectively myself. That rebuilding period gave me an opportunity to improve quality, simplify operations, and reconnect with the creative side of the business.

Since then, I’ve spent 2024, 2025, and now 2026 rebuilding the company’s infrastructure while experimenting with new ideas. Our patchwork hoodies became a huge success, and I’ve continued refining a collage style that feels uniquely my own. At the same time, I’ve been focused on understanding what customers want today while maintaining the artistic identity that made Ghost Supply what it is.

Today, I’m intentionally keeping things smaller and more controlled while I continue improving systems, production, and quality. The conversion rates are stronger than they’ve ever been, and I’m learning lessons now that I wish I had known years ago. In many ways, I feel like I’m building a stronger company than the one that existed before the fire.

I’ve been doing this for over a decade now. I’ve never had a traditional job. I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was sixteen years old. Ghost Supply has always been my way of taking the worlds that inspire me – anime, horror, cartoons, video games, music, and internet culture and reimagining them through my own lens.

I’m still learning, still experimenting, and still building. But I’m more excited about the future of Ghost Supply today than I have been in years.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. I think one of the biggest misconceptions people have about entrepreneurship is that success happens in a straight line. In reality, every stage comes with a different set of challenges.

Early on, the challenge was simply figuring things out. I was teaching myself design, production, marketing, photography, customer service, and business management all at the same time. There wasn’t a roadmap, and there certainly wasn’t anyone around me who had built the kind of business I was trying to build.

As Ghost Supply grew, the challenges changed. Success can create its own problems. I experienced periods where demand grew faster than my systems could handle, and I spent years trying to balance creativity with the operational side of running a business. Like many entrepreneurs, I made mistakes, trusted the wrong people at times, and learned some difficult lessons about scaling too quickly.

The biggest challenge came in 2024 when my warehouse burned down. Losing years of equipment, inventory, and infrastructure overnight was devastating. For a while, it felt like starting over from scratch. At the same time, I was dealing with burnout from years of nonstop work.

Looking back, though, that setback forced me to reevaluate everything. I rebuilt the business around stronger systems, learned more of the production process myself, invested in new equipment, and became much more intentional about quality and sustainability. What felt like a disaster at the time ended up teaching me some of the most valuable lessons of my career.

Today, I view challenges differently. Every obstacle has pushed me to become a better designer, business owner, and problem solver. The road definitely hasn’t been smooth, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without those experiences.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
What I do is create wearable art through Ghost Supply, an independent clothing brand I’ve been building for over a decade. My work combines influences from video games, anime, horror, underground music, internet culture, and to create pieces that feel more like collectibles than traditional clothing.

Over the years, I’ve developed a collage-based design style that has become a signature part of the brand. I’m known for combining large scale graphics, original characters, patchwork construction, bold color theory, and storytelling into a single piece. Every collection is an opportunity to build a world around an idea rather than simply release a product.

What sets me apart is that I approach clothing from the perspective of both an artist and a manufacturer. I don’t just design the pieces I also handle much of the production process myself. After rebuilding from the warehouse fire in 2024, I invested heavily in bringing production in-house and learning the technical side of garment construction, screen printing, transfers, patchwork, and fulfillment. That allows me to experiment quickly and maintain a level of quality control that would be difficult otherwise.

What I’m most proud of is longevity. Trends come and go, but Ghost Supply has continued evolving for more than ten years. The brand has gone through multiple eras, worked with artists and musicians I grew up listening to, survived major setbacks, and continues to attract people who genuinely connect with the work.

More than anything, I’m proud that Ghost Supply has always remained authentic. I’ve never chased trends for the sake of growth. Every design comes from the same place it did when I started in high school a desire to create the kind of things I wish existed and share the worlds I see in my head with other people.

Today, I’m focused on refining the brand, improving quality, and building the strongest version of Ghost Supply yet. I feel like some of my best work is still ahead of me.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I like most about Shreveport is that it’s slow and affordable. A lot of people see those things as negatives, but for me they’ve actually been advantages. I’m not someone who spends a lot of time going out or looking for entertainment. Most of my time is spent working on Ghost Supply, researching, exercising, designing, and building new systems for the business.

Because the cost of living is relatively low, I’ve been able to invest more money back into my company instead of spending it elsewhere. I was able to buy a home with several acres of land, create my own workspace, and have the room to focus on long-term goals without some of the financial pressure that comes with larger cities.

What I like least is probably the same thing many people mention there isn’t always a lot happening. If you’re looking for a large creative scene, major industry connections, or endless things to do, Shreveport can feel limited. For someone building a creative business, it can sometimes feel a little isolated.

That said, every place serves a purpose. For this chapter of my life, Shreveport has given me the space, affordability, and quiet environment I needed to build Ghost Supply. While I may eventually relocate, I’m grateful for the role the city has played in my journey as an entrepreneur.

Pricing:

• Hoodies are typically $45
• Tees are typically $25

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Ghostsupply.com
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/ghostsupply
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsghostsupply?_r=1&_t=ZP-97GsBKZoR3P