Real-life business applications from the classroom to the city

Undergraduate student Marcus Gahn has found a unique way to study accounting – through applying it directly to his local business, 612 Clothing. Started in 2005 with a high school friend, the business has grown from just a clothing line to include a full service custom screen printing and embroidery business. They started this part of the business after encountering problems with the printer they used for their clothing line in order to ensure quality.

Gahn came to the Carlson School because he was looking for a University where he could study Chinese as well as business. He knew that he wanted to understand accounting and believes he has been more successful in his studies by applying what he learns in class to his business. “When I’m doing my homework I can relate it to T-shirts and sweatshirts, and I know I’m doing better in school now,” he says. Gahn adds that the professors at the Carlson School are receptive and excited to hear about his business and give him positive feedback about it.

Gahn says the brand names 612 Clothing and 612 INK, the custom printing division of the business, were built on the historic ‘612’ area code that encompassed most of Minnesota and are aimed at bringing people together. However, the local angle of the business doesn’t mean that sales are always local. “We do all the printing and designing locally, but we have hit almost every state for orders and have done business internationally, including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Paris, and London” Gahn says. Most recently Marcus and his business partner were able to showcase their brand at the Minnesota State Fair, where they were one of the youngest vendors to ever have a booth.

The big push now is on the custom screen-printing side of the business, 612 INK. The business works frequently with University of Minnesota student groups, fraternities, and sororities. “We wouldn’t be a clothing line and a business without the city of Minneapolis,” Gahn says, “so we have pride in the local community and are committed to giving back to it in a positive way, with quality products.” Last year, 612 INK printed the Carlson School Business Week shirts as well as the Jail N’ Bail shirts, which Gahn says were a big success and he hopes to work with more groups in 2009.

Recently the business expanded and combined its business office and production space, which Gahn says brings a unique mix to what they can offer clients. Going green in printing production is also on the list of goals for the business, which Gahn sees happening once clients are ready to pay for more environmentally friendly ink and clothing. All of this adds up to a hectic schedule for a student entrepreneur, “If I’m not doing homework, I’m working. It’s nonstop.” Gahn says, “I love what I’m doing, and life is good.”

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