Brandon and Sebastian Martinez – Are You Kidding Socks

In 2014, Are You Kidding Socks Company was founded by two brothers, Brandon and Sebatian Martinez. At the time, the boys were only 6 and 8 years old, so with the initial help of their mother, Rachel Martinez, their company was able to launch. The Martinez brothers started by manufacturing their socks professionally through a company in Guatemala. Are You Kidding Socks was set upon the model of selling fun socks, a passion of Sebastion’s since he was 5, while also giving back to their community. They reached their community through many tactics such as how their socks were designed, donations, and pairing with different organizations.

To begin, the socks were designed with specific patterns to raise awareness for health conditions, for example, pediatric cancer or autism. Furthermore, their company consistently donated 30% of each sale to various charities such as Make-A-Wish Foundation, Big Brother Big Sister, Stand Up to Cancer, Live Like Bella, and Autism Speaks. Lastly, AYK Socks would also often pair with schools to provide materials and host fundraisers. They also would raise money for specific causes such as their Be a Hero and Save Lives Campaign that discouraged texting while driving.

The socks gained the most traction when the young boys pitched their company on Good Morning America’s, Shark Tank, in 2015. This experience gave them national recognition, especially for their charitable model. The exposure allowed the company to jump from $15,000 in sales the previous year, to $150,000 the next, then $250,000 after, and in their 4th, year hitting over $500,000 in sales. Even though this company mysteriously closed down in the past few years, the Martinez boys set a new initiative for kids to help kids. This initiative can be used as an inspiration to many other young entrepreneurs looking to create the same impact.