Troy Armour:
00:00:00
If you were in Mumbai watching, you know, a Formula One race and you dare to dream to be part of that, it takes millions of dollars and it takes a lot of luck and a lot of different things, but it's millions of dollars is the number one thing. Most of those drivers at the start, they're paying their way onto those teams. I wanted that, if you dare to believe that you could be in junk couture next year. Is that all you need is trash and imagination.
Natasha Miller:
00:00:24
Welcome to FASCINATING ENTREPRENEURS. How do people end up becoming an entrepreneur? How do they scale and grow their businesses? How do they plan for profit? Are they in it for life or are they building to exit these and a myriad of other topics? Will be discussed to pull back the veil on the wizardry of successful and FASCINATING ENTREPRENEURS. My book, RELENTLESS is now available everywhere books can be bought online, including Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com, try your local indie bookstore too. And if they don't have it, they can order it. Just ask them. The reviews are streaming in and I'm so thankful for the positive feedback as well as hearing from people that my memoir has impacted them positively. It is not enough to be resilient. You have to be relentless. You can go to TheRelentlessBook.com for more information. Thank you so much. Troy Armour made a not so direct leap from IT services to fashion in a giant way with his incredibly creative, impactful, and successful company. Junk Kouture. We talk about turning fashion into sport, the benefit for everyone, and the challenges that go hand in hand with running a growing business. Now, let's get right into it.
Troy Armour:
00:01:53
I'm 48 years old now. And for 46 years old. For 46 years, this was kind of my internal struggle with who I was as a teenager. So as a teenager, I was that kid that was awful at sports and where I come from, being sporty, went with masculinity, went with your identity, went with your place in society, and, and you had a tribe with that. And when you didn't, be sporty. It was extremely difficult to be those things, so I would've often been called a gay kid, a weirdo. And for me, when I look back at it, I try to play sports five hours a day after school. Because that was my hell to climb. I was like, if I can just get in one of those teams, then I could be cool. It was like the door would open, all those things would be realized. People go, he's actually a guy, right? He can do this. And so that was the way I looked at teenage life and it was so powerful that Paul, that whenever I came to go to college, I remember two weeks before it just deciding I couldn't go. It was the thing of this is just gonna be more of the same and I can't go through that anymore. It's time for me to start my work life. I'm gonna go off and do that. And so that's what I did. I exited school when I was 17 years old. I went off and did an accountancy apprenticeship. And I think the big thing with Junk Kouture, what it's really about is the thing that was missing for me was a similar platform as a teenager that could appreciate my skills. So instead of me spending five hours trying to do something that I could never achieve, This was something that was ready built for me and it would be then ideally positioned for me to be celebrated, for me to get that tribe and just the power of being seen for who you were. I think I always go back to that with Junk Kouture. It gives these young creative kids this opportunity to be seen for your skill instead of teacher saying to you, you need to be good at your maths or whatever. What you do is excellent and it can contribute to the world. So that was one element of it. Another element then, which was a big part of growing up in rural Ireland at the time, we were very frugal. There wasn't much money to be creative in our home. Everything that we could get our hands on, we used. So I say to people like Kellogg's Cornflakes, the great thing about the Moz inside it, you could paint on that. That was our paint and paper. And we used to freak out and I mean freak out when Kellogg's had a promotion that said it's printed on the inside. Because then it was like we've lost the greatest asset that this box was. Right. Forget about the promotion. I don't wanna collect stamps for something. This, for me was the way that I could express myself. There was no staples or anywhere you could go to buy A4 paper. This was it. But as well as that, then that was a whole load of innovation in that like the, the people didn't realize and fun. So, I mean, you were using WA jam jars and you were washing the mountain, putting your pens in them. We weren't setting in notes or nothing. So when my, my mother was always. Teaching us those things as kids, we could mend our shoes, we could sew on a button, and it was just subtly those things disappeared. Now, I have to admit, I never noticed them disappear, and it was only 15 years ago. I was traveling South America and I was in this old lady's home and we couldn't speak each other's language, but she insisted on whoever was with me translating to explain to me how the table mats were made by her. And the table mats were made by taking the corks outta wine bottles, gluing them in a circle, and when they were hired, then slicing them. And that just brought me back to this idea in Ireland where we can reuse things. So, The idea of junk was how could I get kids to be creative, compete with each other, and reuse materials in a way that kind of showed that they had value more than just putting them in a bin. That was the essence, and that started out in 13 years ago Now.
Natasha Miller:
00:05:41
13 years ago, and let me just translate for those listening to America, I believe the bin is the trash can.
Troy Armour:
00:05:48
Yes. I need to be aware of that. The bin is the trash can.
Natasha Miller:
00:05:51
The bin. Yes. Wonderful story that you brought things from your childhood, both your outcast. Situation because you weren't into sports but also reuse, recycle, and you weren't really probably thinking save the planet. You were just thinking, this is where we can get the stuff to do.
Troy Armour:
00:06:11
Yeah.
Natasha Miller:
00:06:12
The artwork,
Troy Armour:
00:06:12
To be honest with you, the very first notion or push for this was, it was around a challenge that I had with myself because as a teenager at school, I did accountancy at school because you had to choose between art and accountancy and, and my parents were wisely told at the time, there's no money in the arts, right? So, you know, an accountancy, he can get a job as an accountant. So the whole real push for me at the start was kind of my pushback against that societal thing where creativity isn't valued. And sometimes you see, I use this example of the iPhone here about the great iPhone ripoff. And it was like, do you realize that an iPhone costs $10 to make and these guys are charging you eight or $900 for these things? Like it's just ripping you off. And the bit that I see that they didn't get was no. Okay. We're number one, it was the design of the iPhone that brought people to it. And as I explained that good design, like a two year old can use it. A 70 year old can use it without an instruction manual. My mom is 72, right? She couldn't use phone. She just dial people. She can get on her candy crush. Right? That's it. She doesn't, when design and creativity is done right, it speaks volumes. And that's the bet that everybody messes because everybody thinks too, when it's done, it was easy.
Natasha Miller:
00:07:36
Right?
Troy Armour:
00:07:37
But before it, it wasn't. So, and I say, people sit down and write me a head song that a billion people will stream. And they go blank. But a hit song will make people go, wow. That that's the value of creativity. Tell me
Natasha Miller:
00:07:50
about what Junk Kouture is today. What does it look like? Explain it for those who've never heard of it, because they will be wowed. Go for it.
Troy Armour:
00:07:59
So for me, it's a global impact business. And by that what I mean, so take the three words, global. We have now participants in 35 countries. We have the impact part is. It creates an impact both for people and planet. And just to go into that a little bit, so I'll give you a story. A young guy from Kerry Rural Ireland who entered the competition in 2018, didn't do very well, but saw what was needed, got that fire in his belly, went away, knitted this incredible suit. Came back the next year, one hands down. And then as part of, one of the things that I've always brought to this was, opportunities was the biggest thing for me, right? So how could I get them opportunities? So he went to Canne Film Festival, he went to the Royal Film Premier of the 1917 movies, Sam Mendes movie in London, and Prince Charles was there. All really cool things. And he is been photographed with these people in red carpet. And a year later he is been interviewed about it and the interviewer saying, you know, like, God, you're 17. Like most adults will never get to see or do any of these things, you know, but like what was the biggest thing? And this 17 year old pauses for a second and he said, actually the biggest thing for me was I found my personality. And it was, you know, in that moment I realized, This is what the impact is on young people. It's the power of being seen for who you are, and parents have written to me thanking me for what I've done for their kids and think I haven't. We created a platform that allows people to be safe and express themselves. The way they want to be. And that has a power beyond what most people can believe. So that's the impact part. And then as a business part, our business model is very much like it's known as integrated entertainment media. So that's in the world of UFC, Formula One, WWE. So it's large scale events that tour the world, sell tickets, sponsorship, media rights, licensing, and city deals. And to give you an idea now of where we are in our journey, so we were in Ireland for 11 years. And in 2021 decided to go global. So in the first year, that revenue were around 1.3 million last year. That treble so grew 300% just, just under 3.7 million. And we have a goal to, I'm not gonna say treble this year again. So under pressure with that, what I'm, you know, we're pushing the boundaries of that all the time.
Natasha Miller:
00:10:20
Okay. So, Let's talk about an individual. We don't need to say who that individual is, but let's hear how does this kid hear about this in their city or their school? What's the first step?
Troy Armour:
00:10:34
So for us, there's loads of ways they do, right? We have a, an onboard and process that we do, which is our methodology. That doesn't mean that kids don't come through other doors because they heard their cousin do it or somebody else. In our country. Our process is we have an onboarding team in each country. Their job then is to, they start with the department of Education and then from that they explain. So you got creative kids in your classrooms, they're not getting the same exposure to confidence. Try building recognition of their skills as other athletes or whatever would get. Here's a sport for them. It's completely free for your school. Plus then that bolts on this education program around sustainability and circuit art. So it's a win-win for them.
Natasha Miller:
00:11:16
Right. Is there an application or can anyone, can the head sports guy be also in Junk Kouture, too?
Troy Armour:
00:11:22
Yeah. Yeah.
Natasha Miller:
00:11:23
Okay.
Troy Armour:
00:11:23
Yeah, so, and anyone at all? Right. The opening in the market or the niche in the market is kids that don't have a sport, but that doesn't mean they're kids from all walks of life that can take part. They've got different ways to express themselves in it. So then the with Buyin from the Department of Education, and that filters down into schools. And the way the schools work for me is schools number one. Like if I take out a simple market, there's half a million kids, 13 to 18, and Ireland, I could either market to half a million kids. Or if I go, I have a thousand schools, so that reduces my surface area massively. Plus schools have all the structures in place. That means I'm structure light. I don't have to go into all that structure. And they then ha also have the child protection and the child like the ability to take kids outta school, bring them to events, and so on without me getting into all that. So that helps massively.
Natasha Miller:
00:12:12
Is there a program that somebody in each school is running and helping the kids source their ideas and source their materials?
Troy Armour:
00:12:22
So it started out at the very start, it was very much our teachers. So our teachers were kind of our, our number one market, and we would've had a lot of resources for them. And then you would've found that the costumes and the dresses and the designs that were produced were glued together. It was very much glued together. It was paper, mashy, this kinda stuff. As the years went on, we started to get teachers from home economics get involved. Then all of a sudden, and I remember it was 2017, the first time one of the outfits was completely sold on. It was a guy, he sold the whole thing and I remember the judges going, okay, we're on a different level now, right? This is totally so garment. And I mean sew when like leaves from trees and all finding ways to preserve them so they can become a material, not just, it's not, this is not material. And then what's happened in the last three or four years is more technology teachers. So you're getting people welding, using metals, using electronics. So there's a, a gear in this year's world final who created a dress that it's more of a suit than a dress. She has like Christmas tree lights all through it. You know, it lights up, right? But it's just the science engineer maths element too. There's so many facets to what it is. And then the idea as well is fashion can be different for all people. And one of the things that people often ask me, why fashion and I steal a line from the Devil Wears Prada, right? Stanley Tucci has this line in The Devil Wears Prada. The fashion is the most important, our firm in the world because we all express ourselves through it every day. We're all artists in our clothes, right? That was his point. Whereas not all of us paint, not all of us make music. Not all of us sing, but we all wear clothes and we all express who we are through it. So everybody has an idea of it. It's great now that you see kids who are more in this science side of things, coming into it and going, okay, fashion just doesn't have to be about clothing in the future. And you'll see it more wearables, these kind of ideas, bits and pieces. But it's fascinating to see the innovation that it drives in. I met this younger Katie in 2012. She was 16 and Katie was the first to really use food in the designs. And I remember her, her when I, when I met her, but her dress was made at Orange Peel when, and her story was, you know, that kept rotten. And eventually Katie figured out a way to make a leather material out of it. You, there are so many. Then that inspired others. Cause we've had banana leather now and we've had coconuts and all kinds of things and passion fruit. It there've one, their passion fruit minute. And the girl from the passion fruit one was explaining to me that the way she preserved the passion for it was that she cod it wax, right? And like, and I was going, okay. Like adults wouldn't have the patience.
Natasha Miller:
00:15:02
Right.
Troy Armour:
00:15:03
To figure it out.
Natasha Miller:
00:15:03
She's, she's creating a new category. I would like for you to explain to me, I've asked you this before, I still don't understand it, and I think it's wonderful. When you are listening to this podcast, people are going to be imagining some cute, kinda not so great looking fashionable items, but when you go to the website or you go to the Instagram, your jaw will drop to the floor. They are literally couture worthy, very beautifully structured, incredible in what they've sourced and the stories that they put behind. How does that happen? I mean, these do not look like a kid's project.
Troy Armour:
00:15:42
No, they don't. No, they don't. You're right, and I remember like it was my niece at the time, One day said to me, uncle Troy, can we make a Junk Kouture dress? Right? And I have an IT company too. So we into the store room, got bubble wrap, got all these things, and after an hour or two I was going, okay, this is not easy. This is not easy. Like we did something, but I mean it, look, I couldn't show anybody the photos of that. They go, that's the ceo. Okay, we fire his ass, right? He's gone because it is not easy, but. One of the things, as I describe it, this is how I describe it to people, I call it switch, right? And when we're born, to me, the can't switch is at zero in our heads, so it means that, At four or five years old, you can put on a tile and believe you can be super mad cause the world hasn't told you you can't. And it's really the world and the culture you grew up in. So everybody's got a different culture, but that culture will definitely will start to seep into your bones and people will tell you, you can't do that. What does your parents do? You can't touch that fire. It's gonna burn you. You can't put your hand in there. You can't go over to the age of there. You're gonna, it's can't, is the word. We keep using over and over again. So as people grow older, that can't switch, goes on and on. But between the age of 13 and 18, there's still enough scope there where people don't have that can switch fully on. And it's like Katie with the orange peel I'm sure her parents told her, you know, that can't work. Like it's just gonna rot. Like, I mean, you're being an idiot, right? But the young mind is still open enough to go, I'll show you. I'll do it. I'll figure it out. And that's, I think then that's one of the elements because when we sit and talk to some of the kids. You'd go, I could never have done that. But I mean, imagination's too closed. And then this is the other thing. You become addicted to that energy. I would love it back. I would love it back. I would love to see it back or just get a little bit of it. If you could bottle it up, would be fantastic. Because the thing that we do then as entrepreneurs and as you know, is we hire people and to teach us innovation, to get innovation back in our companies, to get us thinking these things. But that age, at teenage age, they do it naturally. And then. Another element of it is, is this wanting to be cool? This is a natural driver for it because when you think of kids who partake in football or basketball, you ask, why do they push themselves every week? Why do they train and train outside school and lift weights and put, you know, to get there? Because it's not just the winning, it's the recognition that comes with all of that. And so, It's the same. They're all driving towards that same thing. So when something fails, they go, I'm gonna go again and I'm gonna go again, and I'm going and I'm gonna go again. It's just in a different field or a different mode. But then it's those mad I the middle of the night when nothing's working. And you know this in your business too, it's exact same. Right? When nothing is working and you're going, ah, "Jesus, this is not, I'm, I'm gone in the morning." Then you go, I have to try. That mad idea that I said wouldn't work. And that's sometimes the big change. And so it's the same for them when when you listen to their stories and they go, like, we were all crying going it was not gonna work. And then one of them said, we have to do this and go butcher. We thought about that. That's not gonna work. And then we try it and go, oh my God. And so it's a very entrepreneurial journey. It is a very entrepreneurial journey. And I mean, I've a big supporter of entrepreneurship as a view, like through all the things that we've done and learned ourselves in our lifetime. And I have this mantra that if you can teach people to create a job, Versus get one, then you never have anybody unemployed. Right, right. Yeah. Cause they'll just create their own job. And that's what these kids become like because that whole one year, it takes a year. Some of these designs, they will, if you listen to them, have these moments in that where they had to be resilient. They had to be relentless. They had to say, no, I can get there. You know our shows now. So the whole thing, just to give people an idea of the runway of it. So it kinda starts off at the start of school, when school goes back in August, September time, the first kind of outline is that they will create a design of what they think they're gonna create. And so that might be, they will have to write a piece about that. So they tell us whether it's inspired by nature, inspired by another designer. Alexander McQueen is very common, inspired by society, inspired by some of the stuff they see on the news or the environment, and then they have to then, kind of draw out what that looks like. And then they have to start to hunt for materials that they believe are unique, cuz that's the goal. The more unique, the more points you get. So that drives them out to go, okay, what has not been done before? Let's see what I could do with that to show other people. And then you obviously have to make it, and it's the making processes where a lot of this failure happens then. So even if you take kitties for example, I think it rotted four times, like it was moldy and all this kinda stuff. And as a normal, organic material would be. And then as Katie describes it, she ended up, and she hated science, but she ended up in science labs trying to figure out the science of food and actually got really interested in the science of food and went on to do that at college. Right. So opened up this whole door for her. Right.
Natasha Miller:
00:20:54
Wow.
Troy Armour:
00:20:54
But then her friends were wondering, what are you doing in the science lab? Like what you're don't even do science. What are you doing in there? You know, it was so something in her head went, I'm not quitting on the orange. I'm gonna work on the orange. As opposed to somebody else saying, oh no, leave that behind. And so whenever that's all done and completed, then they have a one week marketing exercise that they have to do. And I think one of the big things about that is, you know, it's all great as an entrepreneur, build a product. We all know that we all can build products day and night. If you can't sell it, there's no point in building the product. So that week long exercise is about getting them out again. There's no rules in that, right? And I've had kids email and go, oh, this person's cheating, right? And going, no. They're doing exactly what they're supposed to do. So the goal is to get as much PR traction for your design in a week. And then by doing that, you're then employing your community. You are educating them about upcycling, you're educating 'em about circularity. And believe it or not, you're getting recognition for your skills. So that then helps feed into then this event that we have. They're different sizes. Some have a thousand people, some have 5,000 people, but they get one minute on stage. That minute looks like something like, well, so we will read out the little bit of the influence that they give us at the start. So they'll say, "Hi, this is Natasha. Natasha is very, very influenced by the violin. She decided to make this out of old hairs from boats." Whatever it's right. And then they will go from there into, they have one minute of music. Which is entirely of their choosing and they choreograph something. So it's like it's performance art. And so what happens in that, and I, I'd be there like backstage.
Natasha Miller:
00:22:28
It's like runway performance art, right? So they're walking out on stage in their own couture that they developed and doing some sort of performance or just a walk.
Troy Armour:
00:22:38
Some do do the walk, right? The thing that really goes well here, right, is again, it's an elevator pitch. So we would explain to them, you've got one minute to wow an audience. If you bring that audience to his feet, the judges are gonna give you more score, right? So it's broken down into four scores. So at the end of the day, you have to score high in all of them to win. Can they speak? Remember that? One minute? One minute. It's hard to believe what people do in a minute.
Natasha Miller:
00:23:02
No, but can they speak? Is that part of their.
Troy Armour:
00:23:05
No, they can't speak. So they can use visual aids, but they cannot speak, right? So for example, I remember this Garrett came out and the whole design was based around road safety and it was seat belts and all the rest of it. But through that audience of 5,000 people, she had planted people with big light up signs that were gonna come on neon and go wear your seatbelt. So the minute she came out, these people all stood up. The place is off her go, what's going on here? Music comes on like, and she's bouncing around this place and it just builds atmosphere, right? I remember too. Oh, there was these three girls that made this dress from old ties, and the theme was that the tie was, it was a symbol of the male domination over females. And the whole theme was around, you know, that women need to break free from male domination, right? Going back five, six years ago, and there's still a big thing around this, but they used the first 30 seconds of their music to be very much like doom and gloom. And after 30 seconds, like they ripped those ties open, and underneath was this beautiful gown that they had made outta newspapers. And the music changed to Madonna, right. And they came pumping down that runway. And sure, you just, the atmosphere in the place just erupts and it all fits together in a way. But I describe the events as like a night of the opera for the 21st century. It's like a tapestry of, you know there's 60 designs. It's a tapestry of 60 stories woven together. It's like the best nightclub you've ever been. You're going to hear country music, you're going to hear classical music, you're gonna hear Taylor Swift. It's just this mixed match of stuff. And it's funny cause I've had people text me after going, please send me the running list, the music. I wanna make a playlist. Cause I just had this great night. I never thought of listening. Am they all weave together really well? But there's a massive energy that happens in that. And then from a spiritual point of view, like, I think something spiritual happens at those events, because I've described it to you before, but you know, they have a minute on stage and, and it's almost like the energy of 5,000 people transcends into them. And you know, I've heard, I've seen it before, like with.
Natasha Miller:
00:25:06
I know what that feels like.
Troy Armour:
00:25:07
You know, these big performers, like they soak the energy of the audience. Well, it's all, it's the same as that, you know? And like those kids are shaking before they go on because these are arenas that Beyonce is in. Right. Shawn Menes, I remember we were in the three arena one year, a week after Shawn Mendes, and they were in the elevator, you know, touching the elevator. Shawn touched this and you know, young Garry yourself, Sean was the hero. And to be on a stage that then that he would've been on a week ago, like, it's a big deal. You're 16 years old. But I see the smile and the change in their demeanor when they come off. And that's priceless. You know, that impact, I think, will live with them forever. That one minute. And it's this thing that you could change people's lives in a minute. Are you a published author? Have you always thought you had a book inside of you? Have other people told you you've got to write a book? If so, I highly suggest you work with us at Poignant Press. We can help you write, figure out the best publishing path, and market your book to a bestseller status. Go to poignantpress.com. That's P-O-I-G-N-A-N-T-press.com.
Natasha Miller:
00:26:17
So they all win. That's just a fact. If they're on that stage, if they're in that program, they're winning. Is there a winner or is there, are there categories of winners on these particular stage shows?
Troy Armour:
00:26:29
There are winners, so yes, and you're right too. In a way, everybody that gets there has achieved something, right? Like now there's thousands, starts out with thousands. That final show ends up at 60, so you've come far to get there. But then there is an overall world designer of the year. And then there are various things then like glamour winners. So, cause some of the designs might be outrageous. Some of the men would be red carpet ready, some would be more the stem side of things. So there would be 10 to 12 awards, different years. And like, so for example, those glamour winners then would usually go to Cannes Film Festival and do things like that where they, they would, and so kids at the start will know those awards and go, okay, "I'm going for that award."
Natasha Miller:
00:27:09
Right.
Troy Armour:
00:27:09
And its funny, the premier stuff right, came, I dunno if I ever told you the story, it came out by Look right? So many, many, many, many, many years ago, I used to give money to this charity in the UK and every year they would write to me with two tickets to a phone premier. They were extraordinary. Still had to pay for them and they were ex money, but it was the way they raised money. So one of the years, Junk Kouture was a year and a half old. I didn't want to go. And I remember saying to my wife at the time, God, I wonder if I send to the junk kids what would happen. And then she goes and do what? Because what happens to those premieres is whatever side the news crew are on, some, maybe the famous people in the movie are all on one side. And then there's kind of all the people who are either charity or who are in the PR company or who were sweeping the floor, right? They all go on the other side and they all go in the main door. The people, the other people gonna, the paparazzi pit. So I, you know what, I'm gonna try it. I'm gonna get these two, two girls to go. So, got two girls, got them, they had their dresses and all organized, sent them to London and I told them, are we lying? And Ireland, we say, are we fab? Right? I told 'em, we fab. I said to them the paparazzi was waiting on them, right? But they weren't. They were on my tickets, which were just two charity tickets. So I said, look, when you go up the red carpet, you're gonna come to the main door. Don't go in. Go straight into the paparazzi pit and pose. They'll know what to do. The paps will know what to do. You just have to pose. Right? So two cares for 16, right? Had a chaperone with them and then up they went past the main door and they went in and actually they started doing the posing. And of course you have about a hundred paparazzi people there, right? So they don't know what it's right. They would just start flashing. Cause what else can we gonna do? So of course as the light bulbs go off and two girls get more into it, they're like, Jesus. Cause like it's kinda an adrenaline rush. So the next day, I think they made three or four of the papers. Nobody knew who they were about right. And then we sent a newspapers that were in the local area. So they went out and did a whole story about these two girls that upstaged everything. Because at the time I remember Little Mix was the band that were coming outta X Factor at the time and they, the Little Mix Girls were over to ask Junk Kouture for photos and I the two, you think this was like unreal experience. So then eventually I did ring up the studio that was involved, the PR company. I said, look, that was awesome. We did it like a gorilla thing. You know, could we have a beneficial relationship where we could bring these kids every year? So we do now bring kids every year, but that sometimes you don't ask. You ask for forgiveness later. You just have to go for it.
Natasha Miller:
00:29:44
That's brilliant. You're a tricky guy. For the awards, is there a certificate or is there money one? Is there anything like that or is it just simply.
Troy Armour:
00:29:54
So there is, so the money is, there's usually money for the school and then for the kids involved, it's usually scholarship stuff, so it will be bursaries to fashion colleges is usually the number one thing. Then they'll be like, so last year, Microsoft, one of our partners, so they got surface tablets. There's different prizes for different things. As much as possible, we try to create experiences.
Natasha Miller:
00:30:13
Yeah.
Troy Armour:
00:30:14
So I know Microsoft, we're talking about taking kids to Redmond, right? Which would be really cool getting, tours of the facilities over there, you know, being part of some of the ecosystem for a day or two. But like that would be because ultimately for me, it's the opportunities that the kids can get to experience something else and then realize, cause that that's the message. You got yourself here, wasn't us. You are relentless. Your resiliency, your effort, your whenever the thing wasn't gonna work, those dark nights and you kept going, that's what got you here. If you can bring that message back to your school and your community and you can keep doing that, you will achieve whatever you want to achieve.
Natasha Miller:
00:30:52
Yeah.
Troy Armour:
00:30:52
But just what entrepreneurship's about, like you design your life.
Natasha Miller:
00:30:55
You know, one of the questions I had for you, which I have an answer for, but I wanna hear it from you. Who benefits from Junk Kouture, but I think it might be easier to say who doesn't benefit from Junk Kouture? Because it seems to have like every aspect, you know, social impact, environmental impact. The teachers benefit, the school districts benefit. All the rest of the kids benefit. The kids themselves benefit, their families benefit. The people coming to shows benefit, whether they know them or not. Then the way they're made to feel once they leave emanates into the rest of the world. I think you might have figured out a way to save the world.
Troy Armour:
00:31:40
You have a good point around the benefits part. So many people do benefit from it. Like I've never actually added that up before. There's no negative at all. There's no negative. It's built in a way that one of the big things that I wanted to do was that for the kids involved it would be free because they didn't want, like I always described it as Formula One as a sport. Like, so it kinda the same mechanics for me as I works, it explains the mechanics of it, but one of the differences was if you were in Mumbai, watching, you know, a Formula One race, and you dare to dream to be part of that. It takes millions of dollars and it takes a lot of luck and a lot of different things, but it's millions of dollars is the number one thing. Most of those drivers at the start, they're paying their way onto those teams. I wanted that, if you dare to believe that you could be in Junk Kouture next year. Is that all you need is trash and imagination. So there was no, you didn't need fancy golf clubs, you didn't need any kind of thing. You didn't need rich parents. There was a way for you to get there. And then if we can bring the mindset and like I learned so much and we both were EMP as part of EO Entrepreneurs organization, I'm learning all that stuff in my forties. But really biggest thing that I got outta EMT was the tribe. Right, and the people seeing me and being a part of that at a higher level again for me. So I mean, we're all the same as people, right? Sometimes it's the mindset and we put people on test, where we can understood the start going as this game is massive company. If I saw him in the street, I, I wouldn't think it right. He's just a normal guy. And then it was, you know, learning that from other people. So it's the same if I can bring all the stuff and when I'm sitting there, I'm learning, I'm going, how can that adapt to, into the world so that some of these kids can get the benefits of that at a much younger age and come out more for life. They're still gonna have the little traumas, the traumas that happen to them. But it's like they're not waiting until their forties to discover how to fix it. And then I've come on nurse, I've alluded them, they'll start their little companies and I would love now the next stage, and this is something that we're planning around at the moment, is been able to then, you know, like take investments and some of them, you know, and bring in mentors and so on all across the world that will ignite. All these businesses, they don't have to be in creativity, but these young people are very, very creative. And then for the mentors themselves, they're getting connected to this young, vibrant, connective energy that maybe spark ideas in them that they wouldn't necessarily have had before.
Natasha Miller:
00:34:10
Switching back to the business part of Junk Couture, what would you say today as you're sitting here is wearing on you mentally? What is the one challenge that's just. Gnawing at you cuz we talk a lot about success, but on this podcast we talk about the reality also. I mean, just name one, one thing that you are,
Troy Armour:
00:34:36
Can profile me. So growing too fast for the cash to catch up. That's been one of the things. So for example, like I had another ER who's in Vietnam who met somebody out there. All of a sudden they're on a phone to me. They wanna bring Junk Kouture to Vietnam. Another guy wants to bring it to Nigeria. I just, I a phone call a month ago. Wanna, we wanna bring this there, government wanna bring it into Nigeria and set it up in Nigeria. I, I can't, I guess I can't. No, I can't. I can't.
Natasha Miller:
00:35:04
Is it cash or is it not enough staff? What is the well barrier?
Troy Armour:
00:35:09
Well, I will be, I'll be honest with you, Natasha, one of the biggest challenges that I had was finding, it took me two years to raise 2 million of seed. Right. And then I set out last year to kind of understand how it raises Series A, which would be to more institutional investors. So that would be people who are money and door openers and had expertise. So companies who have done it before, people who have taken bits and pieces in companies that were there, they're in Formula E, they're the new one, sale, gp, whatever. And I think the thing there for me then is the belief that I can do it is one thing, can I do it? Because I remember at the start when I went out to raise a seed to, after nine months, I hadn't raised any money. And so I kept saying to myself was, "Hey, it's me. I'm the problem. I can't do it. I can't do it. I can't do it." Nobody believes in it. Nobody trusts me, whatever. And I think at the minute I'm going through that similar process because now I need bigger checks. I need checks that are million dollars, right? So I'm going through that same process going, "Okay, am I in the right rooms?" "Am I able to get into the right rooms?" You know, so like I'm getting investors at 25 and 50 grand. It's like, okay, when can I transition to that one where I can get the right kind of capital? Because capital is important. Otherwise, what happens as a CEO, you exit the business. For me, that's the way I see it. You exit the business as CEO and you become just finding capital all the time, it consumes you. Right? And then, so the creative piece that I've got, the driving the team, and helping them, you know, nurture them, bring them along, help the culture and all that then becomes second or third down the line because you're constantly going, okay, why is this taking me six months? What am I doing wrong? I have to say, like, I walk a lot of steps questioning myself around that. So that I think is the biggest challenge for me. Self belief. That, and I think you build it in steps like, it's not a straight line. I know they do these graphs like hockey sticks and all the rest of it, right? But my experience has been it doesn't grow like that. It's like a chrysalis. So you go so far and then it's almost like you go into yourself, right? And then, you know, we do things like EMP and so on and we surround ourselves with other people and then we come out the other side, able to now communicate with people who can write a million dollar check. Right? Whereas before that they're kind of going, you're not talking the right language or the confidence isn't in your voice. Whatever it is, there's something about it, right? And then, then obviously then I'll have to go again cause I'm not stopping. Right? So for me, It's how do I reach every classroom in the world? And then we drive revenue. We have a unit economics model based on the number of schools. So that will help drive revenue. But at every one of those points, I know there's gonna be the pain of me going into the old Troy and coming back out with the one who can now find people who can do 20 million checks. And the same with sales and revenue. We, we've Deloitte as a global partner in Microsoft and these people, and it's incredible. But at the same time, I look at what the Olympics gets for sponsorship, like it's $30 million a year per partner, right? And then I'm going, okay, when will I have the voice to ask somebody in a room for $30 million a year for revenue off one partner? Obviously it has to stack up as well as that you have to have strength inside. That's worth the price is.
Natasha Miller:
00:38:34
Yeah.
Troy Armour:
00:38:34
Cause it's worth it.
Natasha Miller:
00:38:36
I see you are on the trajectory to being able to ask that question someday. And one day I would like to request that all of this experience of your life and Junk Kouture gets put into not just one book, but maybe a series of books and we can talk about that later.
Troy Armour:
00:38:55
Yeah. Cuz I've been thinking about, you've mentioned to me before and I was thinking about never it. Because there are some mad stories in there, right? And crazy rooms that I find myself in. But I think one of the exciting parts is the crazy rooms that I'm going to find myself in that I don't realize yet. You know, that'll come.
Natasha Miller:
00:39:13
For more information, go to the show notes where you're listening to this podcast. Want to know more about me, go to my website, NatashaMiller.com. Thank you so much for listening. I hope you loved the show. If you did, please subscribe. Also, if you haven't done so yet, please leave a review where you're listening to this podcast now. I'm Natasha Miller. And you've been listening to FASCINATING ENTREPRENEURS.
00:00:00
If you were in Mumbai watching, you know, a Formula One race and you dare to dream to be part of that, it takes millions of dollars and it takes a lot of luck and a lot of different things, but it's millions of dollars is the number one thing. Most of those drivers at the start, they're paying their way onto those teams. I wanted that, if you dare to believe that you could be in junk couture next year. Is that all you need is trash and imagination.
Natasha Miller:
00:00:24
Welcome to FASCINATING ENTREPRENEURS. How do people end up becoming an entrepreneur? How do they scale and grow their businesses? How do they plan for profit? Are they in it for life or are they building to exit these and a myriad of other topics? Will be discussed to pull back the veil on the wizardry of successful and FASCINATING ENTREPRENEURS. My book, RELENTLESS is now available everywhere books can be bought online, including Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com, try your local indie bookstore too. And if they don't have it, they can order it. Just ask them. The reviews are streaming in and I'm so thankful for the positive feedback as well as hearing from people that my memoir has impacted them positively. It is not enough to be resilient. You have to be relentless. You can go to TheRelentlessBook.com for more information. Thank you so much. Troy Armour made a not so direct leap from IT services to fashion in a giant way with his incredibly creative, impactful, and successful company. Junk Kouture. We talk about turning fashion into sport, the benefit for everyone, and the challenges that go hand in hand with running a growing business. Now, let's get right into it.
Troy Armour:
00:01:53
I'm 48 years old now. And for 46 years old. For 46 years, this was kind of my internal struggle with who I was as a teenager. So as a teenager, I was that kid that was awful at sports and where I come from, being sporty, went with masculinity, went with your identity, went with your place in society, and, and you had a tribe with that. And when you didn't, be sporty. It was extremely difficult to be those things, so I would've often been called a gay kid, a weirdo. And for me, when I look back at it, I try to play sports five hours a day after school. Because that was my hell to climb. I was like, if I can just get in one of those teams, then I could be cool. It was like the door would open, all those things would be realized. People go, he's actually a guy, right? He can do this. And so that was the way I looked at teenage life and it was so powerful that Paul, that whenever I came to go to college, I remember two weeks before it just deciding I couldn't go. It was the thing of this is just gonna be more of the same and I can't go through that anymore. It's time for me to start my work life. I'm gonna go off and do that. And so that's what I did. I exited school when I was 17 years old. I went off and did an accountancy apprenticeship. And I think the big thing with Junk Kouture, what it's really about is the thing that was missing for me was a similar platform as a teenager that could appreciate my skills. So instead of me spending five hours trying to do something that I could never achieve, This was something that was ready built for me and it would be then ideally positioned for me to be celebrated, for me to get that tribe and just the power of being seen for who you were. I think I always go back to that with Junk Kouture. It gives these young creative kids this opportunity to be seen for your skill instead of teacher saying to you, you need to be good at your maths or whatever. What you do is excellent and it can contribute to the world. So that was one element of it. Another element then, which was a big part of growing up in rural Ireland at the time, we were very frugal. There wasn't much money to be creative in our home. Everything that we could get our hands on, we used. So I say to people like Kellogg's Cornflakes, the great thing about the Moz inside it, you could paint on that. That was our paint and paper. And we used to freak out and I mean freak out when Kellogg's had a promotion that said it's printed on the inside. Because then it was like we've lost the greatest asset that this box was. Right. Forget about the promotion. I don't wanna collect stamps for something. This, for me was the way that I could express myself. There was no staples or anywhere you could go to buy A4 paper. This was it. But as well as that, then that was a whole load of innovation in that like the, the people didn't realize and fun. So, I mean, you were using WA jam jars and you were washing the mountain, putting your pens in them. We weren't setting in notes or nothing. So when my, my mother was always. Teaching us those things as kids, we could mend our shoes, we could sew on a button, and it was just subtly those things disappeared. Now, I have to admit, I never noticed them disappear, and it was only 15 years ago. I was traveling South America and I was in this old lady's home and we couldn't speak each other's language, but she insisted on whoever was with me translating to explain to me how the table mats were made by her. And the table mats were made by taking the corks outta wine bottles, gluing them in a circle, and when they were hired, then slicing them. And that just brought me back to this idea in Ireland where we can reuse things. So, The idea of junk was how could I get kids to be creative, compete with each other, and reuse materials in a way that kind of showed that they had value more than just putting them in a bin. That was the essence, and that started out in 13 years ago Now.
Natasha Miller:
00:05:41
13 years ago, and let me just translate for those listening to America, I believe the bin is the trash can.
Troy Armour:
00:05:48
Yes. I need to be aware of that. The bin is the trash can.
Natasha Miller:
00:05:51
The bin. Yes. Wonderful story that you brought things from your childhood, both your outcast. Situation because you weren't into sports but also reuse, recycle, and you weren't really probably thinking save the planet. You were just thinking, this is where we can get the stuff to do.
Troy Armour:
00:06:11
Yeah.
Natasha Miller:
00:06:12
The artwork,
Troy Armour:
00:06:12
To be honest with you, the very first notion or push for this was, it was around a challenge that I had with myself because as a teenager at school, I did accountancy at school because you had to choose between art and accountancy and, and my parents were wisely told at the time, there's no money in the arts, right? So, you know, an accountancy, he can get a job as an accountant. So the whole real push for me at the start was kind of my pushback against that societal thing where creativity isn't valued. And sometimes you see, I use this example of the iPhone here about the great iPhone ripoff. And it was like, do you realize that an iPhone costs $10 to make and these guys are charging you eight or $900 for these things? Like it's just ripping you off. And the bit that I see that they didn't get was no. Okay. We're number one, it was the design of the iPhone that brought people to it. And as I explained that good design, like a two year old can use it. A 70 year old can use it without an instruction manual. My mom is 72, right? She couldn't use phone. She just dial people. She can get on her candy crush. Right? That's it. She doesn't, when design and creativity is done right, it speaks volumes. And that's the bet that everybody messes because everybody thinks too, when it's done, it was easy.
Natasha Miller:
00:07:36
Right?
Troy Armour:
00:07:37
But before it, it wasn't. So, and I say, people sit down and write me a head song that a billion people will stream. And they go blank. But a hit song will make people go, wow. That that's the value of creativity. Tell me
Natasha Miller:
00:07:50
about what Junk Kouture is today. What does it look like? Explain it for those who've never heard of it, because they will be wowed. Go for it.
Troy Armour:
00:07:59
So for me, it's a global impact business. And by that what I mean, so take the three words, global. We have now participants in 35 countries. We have the impact part is. It creates an impact both for people and planet. And just to go into that a little bit, so I'll give you a story. A young guy from Kerry Rural Ireland who entered the competition in 2018, didn't do very well, but saw what was needed, got that fire in his belly, went away, knitted this incredible suit. Came back the next year, one hands down. And then as part of, one of the things that I've always brought to this was, opportunities was the biggest thing for me, right? So how could I get them opportunities? So he went to Canne Film Festival, he went to the Royal Film Premier of the 1917 movies, Sam Mendes movie in London, and Prince Charles was there. All really cool things. And he is been photographed with these people in red carpet. And a year later he is been interviewed about it and the interviewer saying, you know, like, God, you're 17. Like most adults will never get to see or do any of these things, you know, but like what was the biggest thing? And this 17 year old pauses for a second and he said, actually the biggest thing for me was I found my personality. And it was, you know, in that moment I realized, This is what the impact is on young people. It's the power of being seen for who you are, and parents have written to me thanking me for what I've done for their kids and think I haven't. We created a platform that allows people to be safe and express themselves. The way they want to be. And that has a power beyond what most people can believe. So that's the impact part. And then as a business part, our business model is very much like it's known as integrated entertainment media. So that's in the world of UFC, Formula One, WWE. So it's large scale events that tour the world, sell tickets, sponsorship, media rights, licensing, and city deals. And to give you an idea now of where we are in our journey, so we were in Ireland for 11 years. And in 2021 decided to go global. So in the first year, that revenue were around 1.3 million last year. That treble so grew 300% just, just under 3.7 million. And we have a goal to, I'm not gonna say treble this year again. So under pressure with that, what I'm, you know, we're pushing the boundaries of that all the time.
Natasha Miller:
00:10:20
Okay. So, Let's talk about an individual. We don't need to say who that individual is, but let's hear how does this kid hear about this in their city or their school? What's the first step?
Troy Armour:
00:10:34
So for us, there's loads of ways they do, right? We have a, an onboard and process that we do, which is our methodology. That doesn't mean that kids don't come through other doors because they heard their cousin do it or somebody else. In our country. Our process is we have an onboarding team in each country. Their job then is to, they start with the department of Education and then from that they explain. So you got creative kids in your classrooms, they're not getting the same exposure to confidence. Try building recognition of their skills as other athletes or whatever would get. Here's a sport for them. It's completely free for your school. Plus then that bolts on this education program around sustainability and circuit art. So it's a win-win for them.
Natasha Miller:
00:11:16
Right. Is there an application or can anyone, can the head sports guy be also in Junk Kouture, too?
Troy Armour:
00:11:22
Yeah. Yeah.
Natasha Miller:
00:11:23
Okay.
Troy Armour:
00:11:23
Yeah, so, and anyone at all? Right. The opening in the market or the niche in the market is kids that don't have a sport, but that doesn't mean they're kids from all walks of life that can take part. They've got different ways to express themselves in it. So then the with Buyin from the Department of Education, and that filters down into schools. And the way the schools work for me is schools number one. Like if I take out a simple market, there's half a million kids, 13 to 18, and Ireland, I could either market to half a million kids. Or if I go, I have a thousand schools, so that reduces my surface area massively. Plus schools have all the structures in place. That means I'm structure light. I don't have to go into all that structure. And they then ha also have the child protection and the child like the ability to take kids outta school, bring them to events, and so on without me getting into all that. So that helps massively.
Natasha Miller:
00:12:12
Is there a program that somebody in each school is running and helping the kids source their ideas and source their materials?
Troy Armour:
00:12:22
So it started out at the very start, it was very much our teachers. So our teachers were kind of our, our number one market, and we would've had a lot of resources for them. And then you would've found that the costumes and the dresses and the designs that were produced were glued together. It was very much glued together. It was paper, mashy, this kinda stuff. As the years went on, we started to get teachers from home economics get involved. Then all of a sudden, and I remember it was 2017, the first time one of the outfits was completely sold on. It was a guy, he sold the whole thing and I remember the judges going, okay, we're on a different level now, right? This is totally so garment. And I mean sew when like leaves from trees and all finding ways to preserve them so they can become a material, not just, it's not, this is not material. And then what's happened in the last three or four years is more technology teachers. So you're getting people welding, using metals, using electronics. So there's a, a gear in this year's world final who created a dress that it's more of a suit than a dress. She has like Christmas tree lights all through it. You know, it lights up, right? But it's just the science engineer maths element too. There's so many facets to what it is. And then the idea as well is fashion can be different for all people. And one of the things that people often ask me, why fashion and I steal a line from the Devil Wears Prada, right? Stanley Tucci has this line in The Devil Wears Prada. The fashion is the most important, our firm in the world because we all express ourselves through it every day. We're all artists in our clothes, right? That was his point. Whereas not all of us paint, not all of us make music. Not all of us sing, but we all wear clothes and we all express who we are through it. So everybody has an idea of it. It's great now that you see kids who are more in this science side of things, coming into it and going, okay, fashion just doesn't have to be about clothing in the future. And you'll see it more wearables, these kind of ideas, bits and pieces. But it's fascinating to see the innovation that it drives in. I met this younger Katie in 2012. She was 16 and Katie was the first to really use food in the designs. And I remember her, her when I, when I met her, but her dress was made at Orange Peel when, and her story was, you know, that kept rotten. And eventually Katie figured out a way to make a leather material out of it. You, there are so many. Then that inspired others. Cause we've had banana leather now and we've had coconuts and all kinds of things and passion fruit. It there've one, their passion fruit minute. And the girl from the passion fruit one was explaining to me that the way she preserved the passion for it was that she cod it wax, right? And like, and I was going, okay. Like adults wouldn't have the patience.
Natasha Miller:
00:15:02
Right.
Troy Armour:
00:15:03
To figure it out.
Natasha Miller:
00:15:03
She's, she's creating a new category. I would like for you to explain to me, I've asked you this before, I still don't understand it, and I think it's wonderful. When you are listening to this podcast, people are going to be imagining some cute, kinda not so great looking fashionable items, but when you go to the website or you go to the Instagram, your jaw will drop to the floor. They are literally couture worthy, very beautifully structured, incredible in what they've sourced and the stories that they put behind. How does that happen? I mean, these do not look like a kid's project.
Troy Armour:
00:15:42
No, they don't. No, they don't. You're right, and I remember like it was my niece at the time, One day said to me, uncle Troy, can we make a Junk Kouture dress? Right? And I have an IT company too. So we into the store room, got bubble wrap, got all these things, and after an hour or two I was going, okay, this is not easy. This is not easy. Like we did something, but I mean it, look, I couldn't show anybody the photos of that. They go, that's the ceo. Okay, we fire his ass, right? He's gone because it is not easy, but. One of the things, as I describe it, this is how I describe it to people, I call it switch, right? And when we're born, to me, the can't switch is at zero in our heads, so it means that, At four or five years old, you can put on a tile and believe you can be super mad cause the world hasn't told you you can't. And it's really the world and the culture you grew up in. So everybody's got a different culture, but that culture will definitely will start to seep into your bones and people will tell you, you can't do that. What does your parents do? You can't touch that fire. It's gonna burn you. You can't put your hand in there. You can't go over to the age of there. You're gonna, it's can't, is the word. We keep using over and over again. So as people grow older, that can't switch, goes on and on. But between the age of 13 and 18, there's still enough scope there where people don't have that can switch fully on. And it's like Katie with the orange peel I'm sure her parents told her, you know, that can't work. Like it's just gonna rot. Like, I mean, you're being an idiot, right? But the young mind is still open enough to go, I'll show you. I'll do it. I'll figure it out. And that's, I think then that's one of the elements because when we sit and talk to some of the kids. You'd go, I could never have done that. But I mean, imagination's too closed. And then this is the other thing. You become addicted to that energy. I would love it back. I would love it back. I would love to see it back or just get a little bit of it. If you could bottle it up, would be fantastic. Because the thing that we do then as entrepreneurs and as you know, is we hire people and to teach us innovation, to get innovation back in our companies, to get us thinking these things. But that age, at teenage age, they do it naturally. And then. Another element of it is, is this wanting to be cool? This is a natural driver for it because when you think of kids who partake in football or basketball, you ask, why do they push themselves every week? Why do they train and train outside school and lift weights and put, you know, to get there? Because it's not just the winning, it's the recognition that comes with all of that. And so, It's the same. They're all driving towards that same thing. So when something fails, they go, I'm gonna go again and I'm gonna go again, and I'm going and I'm gonna go again. It's just in a different field or a different mode. But then it's those mad I the middle of the night when nothing's working. And you know this in your business too, it's exact same. Right? When nothing is working and you're going, ah, "Jesus, this is not, I'm, I'm gone in the morning." Then you go, I have to try. That mad idea that I said wouldn't work. And that's sometimes the big change. And so it's the same for them when when you listen to their stories and they go, like, we were all crying going it was not gonna work. And then one of them said, we have to do this and go butcher. We thought about that. That's not gonna work. And then we try it and go, oh my God. And so it's a very entrepreneurial journey. It is a very entrepreneurial journey. And I mean, I've a big supporter of entrepreneurship as a view, like through all the things that we've done and learned ourselves in our lifetime. And I have this mantra that if you can teach people to create a job, Versus get one, then you never have anybody unemployed. Right, right. Yeah. Cause they'll just create their own job. And that's what these kids become like because that whole one year, it takes a year. Some of these designs, they will, if you listen to them, have these moments in that where they had to be resilient. They had to be relentless. They had to say, no, I can get there. You know our shows now. So the whole thing, just to give people an idea of the runway of it. So it kinda starts off at the start of school, when school goes back in August, September time, the first kind of outline is that they will create a design of what they think they're gonna create. And so that might be, they will have to write a piece about that. So they tell us whether it's inspired by nature, inspired by another designer. Alexander McQueen is very common, inspired by society, inspired by some of the stuff they see on the news or the environment, and then they have to then, kind of draw out what that looks like. And then they have to start to hunt for materials that they believe are unique, cuz that's the goal. The more unique, the more points you get. So that drives them out to go, okay, what has not been done before? Let's see what I could do with that to show other people. And then you obviously have to make it, and it's the making processes where a lot of this failure happens then. So even if you take kitties for example, I think it rotted four times, like it was moldy and all this kinda stuff. And as a normal, organic material would be. And then as Katie describes it, she ended up, and she hated science, but she ended up in science labs trying to figure out the science of food and actually got really interested in the science of food and went on to do that at college. Right. So opened up this whole door for her. Right.
Natasha Miller:
00:20:54
Wow.
Troy Armour:
00:20:54
But then her friends were wondering, what are you doing in the science lab? Like what you're don't even do science. What are you doing in there? You know, it was so something in her head went, I'm not quitting on the orange. I'm gonna work on the orange. As opposed to somebody else saying, oh no, leave that behind. And so whenever that's all done and completed, then they have a one week marketing exercise that they have to do. And I think one of the big things about that is, you know, it's all great as an entrepreneur, build a product. We all know that we all can build products day and night. If you can't sell it, there's no point in building the product. So that week long exercise is about getting them out again. There's no rules in that, right? And I've had kids email and go, oh, this person's cheating, right? And going, no. They're doing exactly what they're supposed to do. So the goal is to get as much PR traction for your design in a week. And then by doing that, you're then employing your community. You are educating them about upcycling, you're educating 'em about circularity. And believe it or not, you're getting recognition for your skills. So that then helps feed into then this event that we have. They're different sizes. Some have a thousand people, some have 5,000 people, but they get one minute on stage. That minute looks like something like, well, so we will read out the little bit of the influence that they give us at the start. So they'll say, "Hi, this is Natasha. Natasha is very, very influenced by the violin. She decided to make this out of old hairs from boats." Whatever it's right. And then they will go from there into, they have one minute of music. Which is entirely of their choosing and they choreograph something. So it's like it's performance art. And so what happens in that, and I, I'd be there like backstage.
Natasha Miller:
00:22:28
It's like runway performance art, right? So they're walking out on stage in their own couture that they developed and doing some sort of performance or just a walk.
Troy Armour:
00:22:38
Some do do the walk, right? The thing that really goes well here, right, is again, it's an elevator pitch. So we would explain to them, you've got one minute to wow an audience. If you bring that audience to his feet, the judges are gonna give you more score, right? So it's broken down into four scores. So at the end of the day, you have to score high in all of them to win. Can they speak? Remember that? One minute? One minute. It's hard to believe what people do in a minute.
Natasha Miller:
00:23:02
No, but can they speak? Is that part of their.
Troy Armour:
00:23:05
No, they can't speak. So they can use visual aids, but they cannot speak, right? So for example, I remember this Garrett came out and the whole design was based around road safety and it was seat belts and all the rest of it. But through that audience of 5,000 people, she had planted people with big light up signs that were gonna come on neon and go wear your seatbelt. So the minute she came out, these people all stood up. The place is off her go, what's going on here? Music comes on like, and she's bouncing around this place and it just builds atmosphere, right? I remember too. Oh, there was these three girls that made this dress from old ties, and the theme was that the tie was, it was a symbol of the male domination over females. And the whole theme was around, you know, that women need to break free from male domination, right? Going back five, six years ago, and there's still a big thing around this, but they used the first 30 seconds of their music to be very much like doom and gloom. And after 30 seconds, like they ripped those ties open, and underneath was this beautiful gown that they had made outta newspapers. And the music changed to Madonna, right. And they came pumping down that runway. And sure, you just, the atmosphere in the place just erupts and it all fits together in a way. But I describe the events as like a night of the opera for the 21st century. It's like a tapestry of, you know there's 60 designs. It's a tapestry of 60 stories woven together. It's like the best nightclub you've ever been. You're going to hear country music, you're going to hear classical music, you're gonna hear Taylor Swift. It's just this mixed match of stuff. And it's funny cause I've had people text me after going, please send me the running list, the music. I wanna make a playlist. Cause I just had this great night. I never thought of listening. Am they all weave together really well? But there's a massive energy that happens in that. And then from a spiritual point of view, like, I think something spiritual happens at those events, because I've described it to you before, but you know, they have a minute on stage and, and it's almost like the energy of 5,000 people transcends into them. And you know, I've heard, I've seen it before, like with.
Natasha Miller:
00:25:06
I know what that feels like.
Troy Armour:
00:25:07
You know, these big performers, like they soak the energy of the audience. Well, it's all, it's the same as that, you know? And like those kids are shaking before they go on because these are arenas that Beyonce is in. Right. Shawn Menes, I remember we were in the three arena one year, a week after Shawn Mendes, and they were in the elevator, you know, touching the elevator. Shawn touched this and you know, young Garry yourself, Sean was the hero. And to be on a stage that then that he would've been on a week ago, like, it's a big deal. You're 16 years old. But I see the smile and the change in their demeanor when they come off. And that's priceless. You know, that impact, I think, will live with them forever. That one minute. And it's this thing that you could change people's lives in a minute. Are you a published author? Have you always thought you had a book inside of you? Have other people told you you've got to write a book? If so, I highly suggest you work with us at Poignant Press. We can help you write, figure out the best publishing path, and market your book to a bestseller status. Go to poignantpress.com. That's P-O-I-G-N-A-N-T-press.com.
Natasha Miller:
00:26:17
So they all win. That's just a fact. If they're on that stage, if they're in that program, they're winning. Is there a winner or is there, are there categories of winners on these particular stage shows?
Troy Armour:
00:26:29
There are winners, so yes, and you're right too. In a way, everybody that gets there has achieved something, right? Like now there's thousands, starts out with thousands. That final show ends up at 60, so you've come far to get there. But then there is an overall world designer of the year. And then there are various things then like glamour winners. So, cause some of the designs might be outrageous. Some of the men would be red carpet ready, some would be more the stem side of things. So there would be 10 to 12 awards, different years. And like, so for example, those glamour winners then would usually go to Cannes Film Festival and do things like that where they, they would, and so kids at the start will know those awards and go, okay, "I'm going for that award."
Natasha Miller:
00:27:09
Right.
Troy Armour:
00:27:09
And its funny, the premier stuff right, came, I dunno if I ever told you the story, it came out by Look right? So many, many, many, many, many years ago, I used to give money to this charity in the UK and every year they would write to me with two tickets to a phone premier. They were extraordinary. Still had to pay for them and they were ex money, but it was the way they raised money. So one of the years, Junk Kouture was a year and a half old. I didn't want to go. And I remember saying to my wife at the time, God, I wonder if I send to the junk kids what would happen. And then she goes and do what? Because what happens to those premieres is whatever side the news crew are on, some, maybe the famous people in the movie are all on one side. And then there's kind of all the people who are either charity or who are in the PR company or who were sweeping the floor, right? They all go on the other side and they all go in the main door. The people, the other people gonna, the paparazzi pit. So I, you know what, I'm gonna try it. I'm gonna get these two, two girls to go. So, got two girls, got them, they had their dresses and all organized, sent them to London and I told them, are we lying? And Ireland, we say, are we fab? Right? I told 'em, we fab. I said to them the paparazzi was waiting on them, right? But they weren't. They were on my tickets, which were just two charity tickets. So I said, look, when you go up the red carpet, you're gonna come to the main door. Don't go in. Go straight into the paparazzi pit and pose. They'll know what to do. The paps will know what to do. You just have to pose. Right? So two cares for 16, right? Had a chaperone with them and then up they went past the main door and they went in and actually they started doing the posing. And of course you have about a hundred paparazzi people there, right? So they don't know what it's right. They would just start flashing. Cause what else can we gonna do? So of course as the light bulbs go off and two girls get more into it, they're like, Jesus. Cause like it's kinda an adrenaline rush. So the next day, I think they made three or four of the papers. Nobody knew who they were about right. And then we sent a newspapers that were in the local area. So they went out and did a whole story about these two girls that upstaged everything. Because at the time I remember Little Mix was the band that were coming outta X Factor at the time and they, the Little Mix Girls were over to ask Junk Kouture for photos and I the two, you think this was like unreal experience. So then eventually I did ring up the studio that was involved, the PR company. I said, look, that was awesome. We did it like a gorilla thing. You know, could we have a beneficial relationship where we could bring these kids every year? So we do now bring kids every year, but that sometimes you don't ask. You ask for forgiveness later. You just have to go for it.
Natasha Miller:
00:29:44
That's brilliant. You're a tricky guy. For the awards, is there a certificate or is there money one? Is there anything like that or is it just simply.
Troy Armour:
00:29:54
So there is, so the money is, there's usually money for the school and then for the kids involved, it's usually scholarship stuff, so it will be bursaries to fashion colleges is usually the number one thing. Then they'll be like, so last year, Microsoft, one of our partners, so they got surface tablets. There's different prizes for different things. As much as possible, we try to create experiences.
Natasha Miller:
00:30:13
Yeah.
Troy Armour:
00:30:14
So I know Microsoft, we're talking about taking kids to Redmond, right? Which would be really cool getting, tours of the facilities over there, you know, being part of some of the ecosystem for a day or two. But like that would be because ultimately for me, it's the opportunities that the kids can get to experience something else and then realize, cause that that's the message. You got yourself here, wasn't us. You are relentless. Your resiliency, your effort, your whenever the thing wasn't gonna work, those dark nights and you kept going, that's what got you here. If you can bring that message back to your school and your community and you can keep doing that, you will achieve whatever you want to achieve.
Natasha Miller:
00:30:52
Yeah.
Troy Armour:
00:30:52
But just what entrepreneurship's about, like you design your life.
Natasha Miller:
00:30:55
You know, one of the questions I had for you, which I have an answer for, but I wanna hear it from you. Who benefits from Junk Kouture, but I think it might be easier to say who doesn't benefit from Junk Kouture? Because it seems to have like every aspect, you know, social impact, environmental impact. The teachers benefit, the school districts benefit. All the rest of the kids benefit. The kids themselves benefit, their families benefit. The people coming to shows benefit, whether they know them or not. Then the way they're made to feel once they leave emanates into the rest of the world. I think you might have figured out a way to save the world.
Troy Armour:
00:31:40
You have a good point around the benefits part. So many people do benefit from it. Like I've never actually added that up before. There's no negative at all. There's no negative. It's built in a way that one of the big things that I wanted to do was that for the kids involved it would be free because they didn't want, like I always described it as Formula One as a sport. Like, so it kinda the same mechanics for me as I works, it explains the mechanics of it, but one of the differences was if you were in Mumbai, watching, you know, a Formula One race, and you dare to dream to be part of that. It takes millions of dollars and it takes a lot of luck and a lot of different things, but it's millions of dollars is the number one thing. Most of those drivers at the start, they're paying their way onto those teams. I wanted that, if you dare to believe that you could be in Junk Kouture next year. Is that all you need is trash and imagination. So there was no, you didn't need fancy golf clubs, you didn't need any kind of thing. You didn't need rich parents. There was a way for you to get there. And then if we can bring the mindset and like I learned so much and we both were EMP as part of EO Entrepreneurs organization, I'm learning all that stuff in my forties. But really biggest thing that I got outta EMT was the tribe. Right, and the people seeing me and being a part of that at a higher level again for me. So I mean, we're all the same as people, right? Sometimes it's the mindset and we put people on test, where we can understood the start going as this game is massive company. If I saw him in the street, I, I wouldn't think it right. He's just a normal guy. And then it was, you know, learning that from other people. So it's the same if I can bring all the stuff and when I'm sitting there, I'm learning, I'm going, how can that adapt to, into the world so that some of these kids can get the benefits of that at a much younger age and come out more for life. They're still gonna have the little traumas, the traumas that happen to them. But it's like they're not waiting until their forties to discover how to fix it. And then I've come on nurse, I've alluded them, they'll start their little companies and I would love now the next stage, and this is something that we're planning around at the moment, is been able to then, you know, like take investments and some of them, you know, and bring in mentors and so on all across the world that will ignite. All these businesses, they don't have to be in creativity, but these young people are very, very creative. And then for the mentors themselves, they're getting connected to this young, vibrant, connective energy that maybe spark ideas in them that they wouldn't necessarily have had before.
Natasha Miller:
00:34:10
Switching back to the business part of Junk Couture, what would you say today as you're sitting here is wearing on you mentally? What is the one challenge that's just. Gnawing at you cuz we talk a lot about success, but on this podcast we talk about the reality also. I mean, just name one, one thing that you are,
Troy Armour:
00:34:36
Can profile me. So growing too fast for the cash to catch up. That's been one of the things. So for example, like I had another ER who's in Vietnam who met somebody out there. All of a sudden they're on a phone to me. They wanna bring Junk Kouture to Vietnam. Another guy wants to bring it to Nigeria. I just, I a phone call a month ago. Wanna, we wanna bring this there, government wanna bring it into Nigeria and set it up in Nigeria. I, I can't, I guess I can't. No, I can't. I can't.
Natasha Miller:
00:35:04
Is it cash or is it not enough staff? What is the well barrier?
Troy Armour:
00:35:09
Well, I will be, I'll be honest with you, Natasha, one of the biggest challenges that I had was finding, it took me two years to raise 2 million of seed. Right. And then I set out last year to kind of understand how it raises Series A, which would be to more institutional investors. So that would be people who are money and door openers and had expertise. So companies who have done it before, people who have taken bits and pieces in companies that were there, they're in Formula E, they're the new one, sale, gp, whatever. And I think the thing there for me then is the belief that I can do it is one thing, can I do it? Because I remember at the start when I went out to raise a seed to, after nine months, I hadn't raised any money. And so I kept saying to myself was, "Hey, it's me. I'm the problem. I can't do it. I can't do it. I can't do it." Nobody believes in it. Nobody trusts me, whatever. And I think at the minute I'm going through that similar process because now I need bigger checks. I need checks that are million dollars, right? So I'm going through that same process going, "Okay, am I in the right rooms?" "Am I able to get into the right rooms?" You know, so like I'm getting investors at 25 and 50 grand. It's like, okay, when can I transition to that one where I can get the right kind of capital? Because capital is important. Otherwise, what happens as a CEO, you exit the business. For me, that's the way I see it. You exit the business as CEO and you become just finding capital all the time, it consumes you. Right? And then, so the creative piece that I've got, the driving the team, and helping them, you know, nurture them, bring them along, help the culture and all that then becomes second or third down the line because you're constantly going, okay, why is this taking me six months? What am I doing wrong? I have to say, like, I walk a lot of steps questioning myself around that. So that I think is the biggest challenge for me. Self belief. That, and I think you build it in steps like, it's not a straight line. I know they do these graphs like hockey sticks and all the rest of it, right? But my experience has been it doesn't grow like that. It's like a chrysalis. So you go so far and then it's almost like you go into yourself, right? And then, you know, we do things like EMP and so on and we surround ourselves with other people and then we come out the other side, able to now communicate with people who can write a million dollar check. Right? Whereas before that they're kind of going, you're not talking the right language or the confidence isn't in your voice. Whatever it is, there's something about it, right? And then, then obviously then I'll have to go again cause I'm not stopping. Right? So for me, It's how do I reach every classroom in the world? And then we drive revenue. We have a unit economics model based on the number of schools. So that will help drive revenue. But at every one of those points, I know there's gonna be the pain of me going into the old Troy and coming back out with the one who can now find people who can do 20 million checks. And the same with sales and revenue. We, we've Deloitte as a global partner in Microsoft and these people, and it's incredible. But at the same time, I look at what the Olympics gets for sponsorship, like it's $30 million a year per partner, right? And then I'm going, okay, when will I have the voice to ask somebody in a room for $30 million a year for revenue off one partner? Obviously it has to stack up as well as that you have to have strength inside. That's worth the price is.
Natasha Miller:
00:38:34
Yeah.
Troy Armour:
00:38:34
Cause it's worth it.
Natasha Miller:
00:38:36
I see you are on the trajectory to being able to ask that question someday. And one day I would like to request that all of this experience of your life and Junk Kouture gets put into not just one book, but maybe a series of books and we can talk about that later.
Troy Armour:
00:38:55
Yeah. Cuz I've been thinking about, you've mentioned to me before and I was thinking about never it. Because there are some mad stories in there, right? And crazy rooms that I find myself in. But I think one of the exciting parts is the crazy rooms that I'm going to find myself in that I don't realize yet. You know, that'll come.
Natasha Miller:
00:39:13
For more information, go to the show notes where you're listening to this podcast. Want to know more about me, go to my website, NatashaMiller.com. Thank you so much for listening. I hope you loved the show. If you did, please subscribe. Also, if you haven't done so yet, please leave a review where you're listening to this podcast now. I'm Natasha Miller. And you've been listening to FASCINATING ENTREPRENEURS.
