Throughout the month of February, which is Black History Month, the UMaine Her Campus chapter will be highlighting prominent black leaders in the UMaine community. In doing so, our chapter will not only be celebrating black history this month, but also casting a spotlight on notable black youth who will be making history themselves.
This week’s spotlight is on Jeff Spekhardt. Jeff is a fourth-year business major at the University of Maine. He was born in Fort Lauderdale, FL, but was raised in Bangor, Maine- right next door to campus! Jeff is also studying to become a certified personal trainer in hopes to train friends, family, and anyone else who wants to “challenge, learn, and build themselves through physical fitness.”
There is something extraordinary about Jeff’s journey at UMO. When he got to college, he had very little idea of what he wanted to achieve at Orono. His first semester freshman year was identical to the rest- littered in GenEd classes and making friends. However, over his first winter break, everything changed. Jeff had a “sudden urge” to design his own clothing brand: Clubhouse Clothing.
“I became obsessed and started posting mock ups on my Instagram, getting pretty good feedback. From there, I launched about 20 hats which sold out within 24 hours. I knew I had something special.”
Three plus years later, Jeff has created a business that not only sells basic apparel like t-shirts, hats, and hoodies, but has invented a staple clothing brand for all UMaine students. He has also transformed his clothing line into a “hybrid of lifestyle/fitness wear.”
“Clubhouse is tailored for people that are on the path to living, or already living a healthy lifestyle, both mentally and physically.”
Jeff has also centered his brand on the importance of community and inclusion. As Clubhouse Clothing’s website states, “We are a brand that stands for a purpose. We have all been in some sort of group – whether the group that’s associated with athletics, school, church, or even just friendly cliques. Think of Clubhouse as another one of those groups. Our goal at Clubhouse is to bring everybody together through clothing regardless of race, gender, religion, age, you name it. We hope you can be part of the Clubhouse Family.”
Jeff’s favorite memories with Clubhouse Clothing thus far have been the many times where he has been able to interact with customers and followers. Jeff has been a key brand in pop-up shops both locally or on campus. He also made a name for himself in Boston as an upcoming fashion entrepreneur. His first semester of junior year, he created a month long Halloween event in October where he hid coupons around campus.
“I always enjoy moments where I get to interact with people who support the brand.”
While reflecting on his experience at UMO, Jeff says the “community is unmatched.” Since he grew up as a local kid, Jeff remembers going to UMO hockey games when he was a toddler. He had also been to plenty of camps and events on campus while growing up, so when it came time to pick a school, Jeff stated that “UMaine just felt right.” As Jeff’s brand emphasizes the meaning of community, he is appreciative of how supportive the UMaine community has been of him.
As a young black business owner, Jeff did not realize his importance in the community was until recently. After the horrific events that occurred over the summer, Jeff made it “a goal and a duty to make sure he uses his platform to make his voice heard and demand change in our communities.”
“What a lot of people do not understand is that as a black business owner, I not only represent my business. I also represent my entire race. I learned at a young age that what I do in life both positive- and negative- impacts my race and family. I want to be able to show and inspire others that achieving your goals has nothing to do with your race, sex, relgion, etc. It’s about how much heart and passion you have.”
Jeff also recognizes his importance within the Black Lives Matter Movement.
“We as a black community are just trying to be heard. BLM means that Black lives are just important as anyone else, and therefore should not be treated any differently. Yes, at the end of the day all lives do matter, but races who are being treated differently because of the color of their skin need to be tended to more than a person that does not have to go through the same racial turmoil.”
For Jeff, Black History Month is about celebrating the African-American Culture, as well as remembering those who came before us to help shape and pave the way for us to be in the current positions we are in today. Jeff believes that black history is not just for celebrating, but also for becoming.
Jeff’s advice for other young black leaders and business owners is “to continue to pave the way, just like our ancestors did for us. We owe it to them. Grab as much inspiration from others as you can, and realize the amazing effect we can have on our culture, our loved ones, and our community.”
For More Information on Jeff or Clubhouse Clothing, here is the link to his website: https://clubhouseclothing.shop/. He also has an instagram page for his business with the handle @clubhouse_clothing. Support your local black businesses!