Johnny Cupcakes T-shirt founder to speak

From childhood entrepreneur to corporate magnate, Johnny Cupcakes founder Johnny Earle will share the story of this success at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 27, in the Cone University Center, McKnight Hall.

In this free, public event, sponsored by the Campus Activities Board (CAB), attendees will learn methods for starting or growing a unique idea, business or passion with little to no start-up money.

During the past decade Johnny Cupcakes has grown from a “joke” to a multimillion dollar, highly exclusive T-shirt brand driven by a community of worldwide fans and collectors. Ironically, the company does not make or sell any baked goods; T-shirts are its only commodity.

During the Jan. 27 presentation, Earle will discuss how, at age 19 and with a learning disability, he took his T-shirt brand from the trunk of his car to some of the world’s most sought after retail locations.

Earle will focus on how his success reinforces the power of details, experience and loyalty. Through his inspiring and unpredictable journey, he exudes the fundamental connection between the person and the brand. Earle’s presentation provides comprehensive blueprints for getting any small business, passion or idea off the ground while xpanding the way existing creators think.

He was named America’s No. 1 Young Entrepreneur by BusinessWeek, one of the top innovative people in Massachusetts by the Boston Globe. Earle has been featured on MTV and NPR and in Forbes and the Wall Street Journal, and his company has been a case study in several branding and business books.