Ever
dreamed of running your own business someday? At UNC, entrepreneurship
and innovative thinking is bred through countless organizations
including Carolina Creates, Carolina Challenge and the recently
established minor in Entrepreneurship. These avenues allow students to
embrace their greatest passions and aspirations and prepare them for the
possibility of bootstrapping after college -- or for some while they
are still here. Ryan Cocca, a senior at UNC, has certainly established
himself as one of those people.
Cocca,
a born and bred Chapel Hill-ian, has dreamed of UNC his whole life.
While his dreams of being a basketball star may have been a little
far-fetched, his vision of owning his own business has taken off into a
reality. In 2011, Ryan co-founded Thrill City as
“an independent brand and online boutique based in Chapel Hill, NC,
producing quality apparel and accessories with the mission of making a
positive social impact.” So, what does that mean? Essentially, it’s a
streetwear company that uses the influence of clothing and media to
raise awareness about different types of art in Chapel Hill.
Thrill
City started as a test. Ryan created a UNC basketball T-shirt design
and posted it online. Almost instantly, the Twitter-sphere began to blow
up over his design and even the basketball team was talking about it.
Within a period of two weeks, he’d sold over 150 shirts and Thrill City
was officially in business. Since its inception, Ryan has hosted
countless events to promote the brand as his designs continue to
evolve and has gotten support from celebrities like Asher Roth and
former UNC basketball stars like Deon Thompson, John Henson, Danny Green
and Ty Lawson. In the near future, his main goals are collaborating
with local artists for the T-shirt designs and establishing a clearer,
more focused social media and blog presence. He hopes to spread the
Thrill City motto of “Don't Sleep” and focus on further establishing its presence and importance in Chapel Hill and the Triangle.
Think
you’ve got the spark to create something of your own? Like Ryan, you
too can flourish and accomplish your hopes and dreams at Carolina. Check
out the immense opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation at
UNC below.
Minor in Entrepreneurship - http://www.unceminor.org/
Carolina Challenge - http://www.carolinachallenge.org/
Carolina Creates - http://www.carolinacreates.unc.edu/
Entrepreneurship at Kenan-Flagler - http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/entrepreneurship
To learn more about Thrill City, follow @thrillcitync on Twitter and check out these feature articles:
Feature Articles - http://www.chapelhillmagazine.com/blog/thrill-city-presents-medium-art-show/
Ryan is a photojournalism major and an Entrepreneurship minor at UNC.
