InState Magazine

Abu Fofanah, a 20-year-old junior at Penn State is not only a

student, but also a rising entrepreneur. Fofanah is the designer

of a clothing line called Motivational Apparel or MoAp for short.

Although he is majoring in Supply Chain and minoring in Information

Systems Technology, Fofanah refers to himself as a thinker and

lives by the quote “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work

hard.” Last summer, Fofanah began his clothing brand with inspiration

from Special Olympics athletes.

InState: Where are you from?

Abu Fofanah: I live in Yeadon, which is a small town outside of

Philadelphia in Delaware County. However, I went to boarding school

in north Philadelphia at Girard College.

IS: What does MoAp stand for?

AF: MoAp is a retail clothing brand that aims to empower individuals through a youth- oriented culture and lifestyle.

IS:How did the Special Olympics inspire your clothing line?

AF: The athletes of the Special Olympics taught me that life has no limitations except the ones you make. It was very inspiring being around them. I didn't know I would start a clothing company, but it was something my friends and mentors suggested afterwards.

IS: How would you describe your apparel (athletic, street-wear, etc)?

AF: I would describe my apparel as more comfort casual. We joke around and say that it's so flexible that one can wear it to hang out, go out, or work out.

IS: Describe the most challenging moments of starting MoAp.

AF: The most challenging moment of starting MoAp was not knowing how to start a company and getting people to take me seriously. I did a lot of research on my own, but having the right mentor would have given me so much more value in the beginning. No one took me seriously. I would tell them about my company and they would ignore what I said. But over time, those same people are asking me to

speak to their organizations and classes.

IS: What is the most rewarding part about creating MoAp?

AF: First, donating to the Special Olympics. Second, is seeing the final product you've worked so hard on people This means that others also think what you have is a good.

IS: What is something you want people to know about MoAp?

AF: I want people to know that we all have challenges in life, so don't give up. Overcoming challenges is how you react to the situation, defy the odds, and break through. Our logo is a torch because we believe with our apparel, we can light the flames of many individuals to help them overcome challenges through the message of our brand.

IS: How many people do you have on your team and what kinds of positions do they

AF: As of right now, I have 5 people on my team at PSU. They range from marketing, PR, Event Planner, Social Media & IT.

IS: How was the launch of MoAp?

AF: The launch of MoAp was a little bit rocky, we didn't anticipate some of the problems we would occur with the website we were using. But once that was fixed, everything else went smoothly. The launch was highly anticipated and everyone has been waiting for some new MoAp.

IS: What is your ultimate goal with MoAp?

AF: My ultimate goal with MoAp is to create jobs while in college. Everyone is not meant for the corporate culture. I also want to be able to combine the aspects of fashion and philanthropy. As of right now, we only donate a portion of our proceeds to the Special Olympics, but I hope we can take on other organizations as we grow.