"Against The Odds" is a clothing line started by EJ Webb. They offer athletic style t-shirts, tank tops, and hats for all genders with their logo and inspiring messages. "Against The Odds" is not just a clothing line, but also a way of living. It’s about maximizing your potential and constantly striving to better yourself. ATO was created by an athlete and marketed mostly to athletes, but the lifestyle can apply in and out of the weight room. You don’t have to compete in sports to have the ambition and drive to better yourself. ATO also has something called "Expect The Greater Project" in which strives to create a positive environment and motivate others. The project achieves this goal through clothing drives, food assistance, and mentoring. They feed the homeless once a month and ATO provides meals for the homeless on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. The total goal of the company is to motivate everyone to be the best version of themselves, no matter the circumstances. To find out more about what motivated him to start the company, I interviewed the creator, EJ Webb.
E.J. attended William Fleming High School and then Fork Union Military Academy prep school and went to Georgia Southern for college with a major in sport management. After college he was supposed to play in Hartford Connecticut on a football team, but ended up back in Roanoke because of the NFL lockout. When he first came back to Roanoke he worked in the Roanoke City Public School System while training for football at the professional level and enjoyed being able to work with the children and give back because “most people who make it out of Roanoke don’t come back and give back.”
A general outlook on life inspired him to start the line. In life the odds are stacked against you. This can be seen by the fact that a small percentage gets to play sports at the highest level. He believes in the “will to continuously want to fight” and that Against The Odds is “a way to motivate people to go against the odds for their dreams.” He started it to start as an entrepreneur and instead of spending money on clothes and shoes he invested it in a way that he could continue to make money. It was a long process of “insomnia driven nights” to build the logo to create this brand that he hopes to continue to grow.
When I asked how he embraced the ATO lifestyle he said “I continuously chase my dreams.” The great thing about "Against The Odds" is that “everyone can embrace the lifestyle in a different way.” He tries to come outside of his comfort zone and look for new opportunities and chase the dream to work in the sports field by going against the odds.
Webb started the Expect The Greater Project September 2015 and says it was “simply something where my family and I saw a need or a niche.” The original objective was to help the homeless by providing a meal for them because it’s something we take for granted. Regardless of the situation, the outcome, someone should always expect the greater, expect the best things to happen, if you don’t expect the best how can the best happen? The project is now starting to branch off to helping with the youth in the Roanoke area. Webb worked with a group of young men with college preparation through training this summer because it becomes more than just training when you have a solid group of people and you can give them advice and share your life experiences. He named it the Expect The Greater Project because it helps to expect to do things outside of whats done.
I asked him what his favorite ATO product was and Webb laughed and said it was almost impossible to choose because so much time and thought went into every product. He said that if he had to choose, his favorite product was the blue "Grind" t-shirt, but he also really likes their newest product which is going to be released soon. He has learned since starting his brand that even though he may love the idea for a product, there is no guarantee that a consumer is going to like it. He has had to learn patience and that although it's easier to give up, you have to push through when things get difficult. He said he's learned persistency and consistency, but that the most important thing he's learned is to have faith in yourself.
For those of you have not heard of Against The Odds until this article, Webb says that this truly is a brand intended to motivate people. The ATO lifestyle and clothing can be used in any facet of life, whether it is spending time with family, going to the gym, or taking a casual walk. He says that the brand is fashionable, but the main focus was for those who wear it to feel good. For those of you who have already heard of the brand Webb says: "Keep rocking it. Keep going against the odds. Keep working hard."
Against The Odds: Apparel intended to motivate. Designed for fashion. Built for durability.
Check out the website here: http://goagainsttheodds.com
And follow them on instagram: @goagainsttheodds
