New York Intro

We stepped off the shuttle into downtown Manhattan and immediately experienced sensory overload. “Why don’t you do what you do best and just *bleeping* turn off your phone!” These were the first welcoming words we heard from a woman arguing with someone on the other side of the phone.

HONK!!!!! BEEP!!! HONK HONK HONK!! BEEP! BEEP! Seriously, I heard more honking in the first 30 seconds than I’ve probably heard since I got my driver’s license. And then there’s the crowds. Walking the streets of New York is an acquired skill, which we didn’t have yet. Add to that giant, awkward suitcases that we were dragging behind us and we were like little Simba desperately trying not to get run over by the stampeding herd around us.

The smell was a combination of exhaust fumes, hot dogs and kabobs, and our eyes were consumed by the enormous buildings that crowded out the sky. Like I said, complete sensory overload.

We had entered a world that felt so foreign to us that we questioned whether we were still in the US or not. The unbelievable diversity of people furthered our questioning.

But after a couple days of being in the city I started to get it. I started to see why people are drawn to it. New York city is chuck full of hustlers, dreamers and go-getters. It’s not for the faint of heart. You can’t just exist in New York. The energy consumes you and forces you to aspire for more. It was exhilarating.

While The Tough Tie is an incredible ground-breaking product, what it represents is way more than that. It represents drive, determination, and innovation. It represents The American Dream. Our main goal with this company is to inspire people and give them permission to pursue their own dreams and aspirations.

So next time you put on your Tough Tie remember that you're capable of incredible things. You have the potential to accomplish literally anything you put your mind to. So go after it! Starve the doubt and feed the beast!

Skylar and Kevin

The Tough Tie Guys