Terrence Haynes Jr. is not the normal student at A&T but a clothing designer and creator of “Fly Minds.”

Fly Minds started in 2008 as a dream with great expectations. When Haynes came to A&T in 2010, he was able to produce his first shirt.

The products began to spread locally as Haynes sold apparel to his friends, but later he realized the need to expand his business in order for it to be successful.

Haynes began to reach out to other groups of people and artists to get a fully developed brand.

When he decided to create a clothing brand, he never imagined that celebrities would be wearing it as soon as they did. Fly Minds is up and coming with celebrities like Big K.R.I.T. and DJ Skee sporting the label.

“The stuff is dope! Thank you man, I like it a lot, and will definitely support,” DJ Skee said to Haynes in an email.

“I have gained more confidence in my line. I now know that if these celebrities are interested in it then others will be too,” said the junior business management and Michigan native.

Before the success, Haynes faced a few challenges. One challenge was finding a name to go with the vision of his company.

Haynes initially wanted to name his line Fly Boys, but the name was already taken.

“I’m glad it was taken. This was a name I made up my freshman year of high school and then that name transformed as I got older.”

That’s when he decided to change the name to Fly Minds. The name is known for having “no limits to your mind, the arrow [which is the logo] represents the mind going in one direction and expanding,” he explained.

Dealing with investors also proved to be problematic. Two of his investors fell through both times due to time frames and packaging.

Learning from past experiences, Haynes gets his products shipped from China in bulks to avoid bad timing or not having any products in stock. Because all of his products come from China, he has to communicate through email adjusting to the different time zones when partnering with manufacturers.

Through all the challenges, his company remains to have a strong brand that continues to grow.

Because of it simplicity and direction of the design, the brand is targeted toward men. Fly Minds sells t-shirts, beanies, hats and hoodies for prices ranging from $25 to $40.

Haynes feels Fly Minds offers an everyday look young men on campus can change up on different occasions.

“It’s not limited to any style. You can wear it to try and get fresh or just wear it when you are trying to be laid back,” said Haynes.

Don’t be limited! Get your official Fly Minds products. Check out the website, www.flyminds.com and follow on twitter @flymindsperiod for more information on the company.

—email Jenell McMillon at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @Classy_Nell

• Jenell McMillon, Senior reporter