At Farmington High School, students have many entrepreneurial opportunities, such as INCubatorEdu, Marketing, Personal Finance, Introduction to Business, and more. In addition, some students go above and beyond, creating businesses that can benefit them for life. Billy Fielder, a junior at FHS, recently opened his sneaker shop, welcoming all types of customers.
Fielder’s new business, Gravity Sneakers, officially opened its doors earlier this year and has already gained attention from many in Farmington. Inside The Factory, the shop features trendy, new, and used sneakers, from Nike to Jordans and classic Nike Dunks.
His passion for sneakers began as a hobby but turned into something more. With the help of supportive family, classmates, and friends, he used his skills to turn his vision into a reality.
“I’ve always been a workaholic,” Fielder said. “My love of shoes became a money-making method. I’d buy my own shoes and then sell them.”
Fielder operates the shop himself, balancing schoolwork and business responsibilities daily. From managing inventory to promoting social media, he’s involved in every step of the process.
“I don’t have a heavy workload with school, just a few classes that I need,” said Fielder. “I’m taking Introduction to Business.”
With inventory, Fielder is constantly keeping up with demand. It might be a lot of work, but he gets the job done.
“At first, you have tons of customers coming in without a lot of inventory because it’s your first week, so you have to scramble to get more,” Fielder explained.
Getting started was the most difficult part of the process for Fielder. Although becoming legal and legitimate was a challenge, Fielder stayed determined and kept striving for his goals.
“In the beginning, it was all about getting licenses,” Fielder said. “We had a few issues with the [Department of Revenue], but we got through.”
Intending to possibly expand Gravity Sneakers and gather more traction, Fielder is thinking bigger. He is proud of how far he has come and hopes to inspire other students to follow their path in running a business.
“Just go for it,” Fielder advises. “It’s never too early to start, and it’s never too late.”
Gravity Sneakers is located at 201 W 1st St, Suite 104, Farmington. Fielder is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and opens Wednesday- Sunday. Be sure to check out Gravity Sneakers on Instagram at gravitysnkrs.
