Jazzing up Crocs with jibbitz

SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Jaeden Bobb aspires to become an international footballer while passionately showcasing the rich culture of Trinidad and Tobago.

Currently, he creates custom jibbitz for Crocs, featuring local sayings like "Trini to de bone" and "100% Trinidadian," selling each for $20.

Jibbitz are small decorative charms that can be attached to the ventilation holes of Crocs, allowing customers to personalise their footwear and express their individuality.

"The lack of local culture inspired me."

He said in the jibbitz world, TT presence is non-existent and he wanted to be the first to offer pieces of patriotism.

"If I'm being honest, it’s cool knowing I was able to see something we didn't have and create it."

A sixth-form student at St Anthony’s College, where he plays as a centre-attacking midfielder on the school's football team, he is also pursuing studies in economics, entrepreneurship, pure mathematics and communication.

"I wanted charms for my Crocs with TT culture," he recalls. "But I could only find flags for other countries, so I asked my mother for guidance and she asked why I didn't start designing my own. Without really knowing how, I started on this journey."

With the support of his family, including his two older brothers, Bobb logged into Canva (an online graphic platform that enables users to create various items using professionally designed templates) and began designing the products. He described the process as not difficult, saying, "I learnt as I went along."

"I researched on YouTube and TikTok along with common sense to figure out the process. After I did the design, I found a supplier. My mother advised me to have options when selecting suppliers. We landed on four: I chose the one with the lowest MOQ (minimum order quantity)."

He ordered the products from China, facilitated by his mother, who had previously worked with the manufacturer for another project.

"It was cheaper to manufacture in bulk from China based on my mother’s advice."

To fund the initial bulk purchase, he took out a loan from his mother, signing a contract as a formality.

"Business is business."

After selecting the supplier, he e-mailed the designs and a mould of both designs was mailed. Despite a few hiccups, everything was eventually ironed out and approved by him. He then placed a 1,000-piece order.

"I was a bit nervous when they sent the '100% Trinbagonian' print: it wasn’t looking good. But they fixed it. When I held the final product in my hand, I got so excited."

He said his biggest challenge came during the design process.

"I don’t like the design part of it. I did get help from my brothers, Jeremy and Jervais. Because the design process was collaborative, it made that aspect easier.

Asked about the intersection between his football activities and business, he said he felt the same way football brings people together, his jibbitz can do the same.

"It represents local pride and identity, uniting people around a shared love for our culture. That's what I love about football as well."

He describes football as more than just a game, saying it’s about connection, teamwork and community.

"A lot of people attend our matches: the jibbitz is the perfect place to promote them, it starts conversations. We need more talking right now in society and less fighting."

Bobb believes his love for football and his business go hand-in-hand.

"They both come from a place of passion: I’m building something that represents our culture in the same way we do on the field."

So what do his teammates think about his endeavour?

"The young people don't get it as much as older people and those who migrated. Their parents are the ones who have fallen in love with it, they are my customer base."

He said balancing football and running the business is not difficult because of the help he gets from his family.

"My mother handles most the sales aspect, she responds to all enquiries on the Instagram page reppin_d_region and it is sold at Khemlanies Souvenir store on Independence Square, Port of Spain. I do record and inventory: I’m still learning things as I go."

Despite the time and energy it took to create, market and sell the product, he said it hasn’t affected his schoolwork or football. He says he had dabbled in other businesses before.

"I sold stationery at school during exam times and even sold data from my phone. I think my entrepreneurial spirit is because of my parents’ strong support."

Bobb said customer feedback has been extremely positive, adding people love the designs and now everyone has suggestions.

"I’m grateful for the feedback, but I have my own ideas and future plans."

He plans on creating a steelpan and hummingbird jibbitz and to incorporate more local sayings. His overall future plans for the business include making the jibbitz available worldwide and adding pieces that represent other Caribbean islands.

"My Instagram page is called reppin_d_region for a reason: I want it to encompass all things Caribbean. I also want to create a space where other creatives can showcase their products."

Bobb's role models are footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and businessman Mark Cuban.

"After watching a clip of Shark Tank on TikTok, I did more research on Cuban, and I just felt like I could do what he did. He was building an empire at a young age by investing in startups: I believe I could do the same."

His advice to other young entrepreneurs is straightforward: Just do it. He said nothing ever starts off perfect.

"Don’t be lazy, do the research and figure out a way."

As for his career backup plan, he is considering real estate and hopes to find a job during the Christmas holidays with a real estate company to get more familiar with the industry.