Many people have experienced the wrath of middle school bullies and reacted instinctively. For one young entrepreneur, the momentary embarrassment built more than character; it inspired him to take the first step in building an innovative business, grossing roughly $350,000 each year. The then-seventh grader was called out for accidentally purchasing–and wearing–a pair of knock-off KD 4 All Star Galaxy sneakers and he immediately listed them for resale. Even then, Sean Powers turned a $200 profit, overnight.

Seeing such a quick and effortless return on revenue made Sean rethink his perception of high-end, limited-edition sneakers as a passion, and start considering it as a potential business venture. Ten years into the luxury resale game, he’s already developed a brand of his own. Balancing eComm 101, the Entrepreneurship Club at USC, and the inventory, management and sales of his designer product listings truly paid off. Sean used his sneakerhead community, entrepreneur network, and insight into the problem with eCommerce merchandising to develop an innovative software solution alongside fellow recent graduate and entrepreneur-at-heart, Brett Nilson.

In this final episode of our four-part mini-series, “Becoming the Origin Story,” hosted by Laura McIntosh, Copyt Co-Founders, Sean Powers and Brett Nilson, break down their journey to become market leaders. Learn how these young entrepreneurs used social media, existing eCommerce platforms, and a people-first approach to emerge in a $2 Trillion, global market.