Started in 2006
Decaying Youth, is a company that specializes in making custom buttons for bands, events, businesses and more. Currently we offer two button sizes, one inch and one and a half inch.
I started making buttons in my junior year of high school after saving up some money from working as a server at a local restaurant. I was in a band that was playing a lot of shows so I figured I would buy a button maker so I could make buttons for my band and friend’s bands. After a year the business had expanded, through word of mouth and the website. I started making more money with buttons than working part time at minimum wage so I quit my job and kept going with the buttons. I continued this throughout college where I was able to make enough money to pay for basic needs and to finance releasing records on my own label, Useless World Records (www.uselessworldrecords.com).
While most of the button making for Decaying Youth is done by me, there have been times when a large number of orders or school work required me to use temporary workers, although this has only been on an as needed basis.
Decaying Youth has mainly been a hobby that I developed into a small business. I have been making websites since I was in middle school so I created the website with support from a friend who designed the main graphics and logos. Because I have viewed Decaying Youth as a business hobby I have maintained monthly spreadsheets documenting sales, costs, and net income since its inception. In order to increase business I have also done some advertising with Google Adwords as well as in magazines.
The success of Decaying Youth is attributable to a quality product, at a fair price, delivered in a reasonable time. I am proud of this accomplishment.