# Dedicated and Driven - Link: https://exclusiveaccess.net/dedicated-and-driven/ - Published: 2012-05-21T20:31:12-04:00 - Author: EAN **Name:** Ray Guilbault **City:** Miami, FL **Affiliations:** 8&9 Clothing Co. # BrainGang **Hustle:** 8&9 Clothing. Flippin tees & other street lifestyle products **8and9 stands for:** 8 is infinite, 9 derives from knowledge. Simply put, 8&9 stands for infinite knowledge but it’s deeper than that, 8&9 is universal something everyone can relate to no matter their culture, demographic or lifestyle. Numbers are constant. **The kind of people who wear 8and9 are:** the people that buy a lot of sneakers. They think highly of themselves, refuse to settle for average. Most of our customers consider themselves connoisseurs in music, style and life. **The most aggravating part of designing new tees is:** Nothing. I love what we do. This year alone we dropped over 150 new products and have another couple hundred in the pipeline. **The hardest part about being an entrepreneur is:** Sacrifice. Being a successful entrepreneur requires a commitment most people don’t understand. It’s really not for everyone. I sacrificed my entire 20’s growing the businesses. I don’t regret a minute I spent at the computer instead of in Opium on a Sunday because that’s what it takes to get a solid footing in this game. **Because of my hustle, my social life is:** Ha! Great accidental segway to this question. But yea, everyone who knows me knows the quote “When an entrepreneur is asleep the business is closed.” Needless to say, I do my best to run a 24/7/365 business and I’ve definitely sacrificed the social life. It’s not easy to do in Miami but I hope the people close to me know why and still answer my calls when I put this machine in cruise control! **I decided to pursue 8and9 full time when:** I closed my sneaker store. Being in that business gave me a buyers’ perspective on the clothing game and it really helped 8&9 get ahead. But, it’s difficult to give everything to two entities at the same time. 8&9 definitely took off once the brand became the #1 focus. **The flyest design that’s been released from 8and9 is:** too hard to say. I prefer some of our more “conscious” designs that might be over some people’s head. I love the Brain Gang v necks. But the CRIME PAYS tee has been worn by so many celebs and tastemakers I have to give it the nod. Plus, it was truly inspired by Miami from the concept to the reference and of course the color. I vote the Crime Pays tee. **The design that made me scratch my head before I released it was:** Pookie. The New Jack City reference was a little back dated for a lot of our customers. Sneakerheads call everything CRACK, so to me it was a no-brainer but I definitely scratched my head a few times over Pookie holding the sneaker because we’re not that brand. We don’t put shoes on shirts, we don’t lick our sneakers or do any of that. **While I work, I have to have:** Concentrate. Sometimes music drives that and sometimes I need silence. It all depends on the task. **My biggest sneaker splurge has been:** The tan Yeezy’s. I’ve been heavy in the sneaker game since the late 90’s so I’m pretty sure that was the only time I had to pay way over retail. When I bought them I had no cash on me and the nearest ATM charged me $12 per $100 ATM transaction. Needless to say, that ATM got off that day and I paid more than I would have if I was prepared. **People who don’t know me would think that I’m:** Working. **The thing that differentiates 8and9 from other street wear companies:** Perspective & the concepts driving our product. **The sneaker release I’m really looking forward to in 2012 is:** I’m definitely grabbing the Olympic 6’s just for nostalgia because I sold my OG pair investing in 8&9. But,also the Yeezy releases are must haves. **The kind of employees I have are: Sick.** Our team is so small and loyal. We built this with a tight knit family. I really don’t think our customers or fans would believe how few of us there are. People really think we’re Karmaloop or some other huge company. **My favorite artist collaborations have been:** I loved the perspective we brought to the Free Weezy tees w/Gudda and the Population Control tee w/ Statik Selektah. But, one of my personal career highlights was the collab with Cormega. Just the opportunity to work with someone who I respected so much and who helped shape the vision I have was really dope. I was a Mega fan since the first time I ever heard him and the Raw Forever tee was dope. Very pleased with the whole project. S/O Cormega. **Somebody I’d want to do a crazy collabo tee would be:** I’d work with DGK because I have the utmost respect for Stevie Williams and everything he built for himself and the brand. Likewise with Rogue, DTA, Young & Reckless. Just the energy from all those brands would be cool to link w/ ours. **It surprised the hell of me to see 8and9 on:** Pooch Hall hosting New Years Eve on BET. I started seeing the posts on twitter but it was just wild to see him in the OG I Am The Future tee hosting BET New Years Eve. Just the magnitude of a New Years broadcast to be the chosen wardrobe was dope. **The quotes I live and work by:** “Success is achieved through a continual string of productive days.” **In the future, I want 8and9 to:** Provide more jobs to good people. Any last plugs? Big thank you to Prima Primz, [_iblog126.com_](http://iblog126.com/) and everyone else who ran with us this far. We appreciate you. Twitter: [_8and9_](https://twitter.com/#!/8and9) Facebook: [_8and9_](http://www.facebook.com/8and9) Website: [_8and9.com_](http://www.8and9.com/) [_Source_](http://iblog126.com/)