Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Schutt.
Hi Whitney, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My entrepreneurial story actually started back in 2019 when I was cut from my NFL Cheerleading team after my rookie season. The heartbreak and rejection wasn’t something I had dealt with to that degree yet before. That situation ended up being one of the most pivotal time-periods in my life (more to come on that). To set the stage, I was still at Target headquarters at the time I didn’t make it back on the team. I had started at Target in the Fall of 2017 – right before my rookie season started. I learned the challenging balance of juggling a full-time career, being an NFL Cheerleader, and keeping up with outside passions/time with family and friends — NO easy feat! After getting cut from the team, I continued at Target over the next few years – building on my career in the merchandise world and moving up on the buying team – gaining tons of experience along the way. I poured myself into my career at Target – however, something in me wasn’t complete. I longed to be back on the field and have my “other” job back as an NFL Cheerleader as well. I thought to myself: “Am I really going to do this?”… “Am I going to put myself back out there, just to get cut again?”. Of course. There was not one day since getting cut that I didn’t think about having my spot back and being able to do what I love again. So, I decided I was going to take a leap of faith and audition to earn my spot back. I ended up making it back on the team for my second season in the summer of 2021. While I navigated having my NFL Cheer job back – I was also navigating my career at Target. Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, I always had that fire in me to start something of my own. I also knew I possessed the grit and determination to do so. So, in the fall of 2022 I left my stable and consistent job at Target to embark on a wild adventure as an entrepreneur. By this time, I was in my 3rd season as and NFL Cheerleader and had just been named a Captain. I remember feeling overwhelmed with everything that was on my plate, and anxious about heading down an entirely new path to starting my business. Then I remembered, “I’ve been here before.” I know what it is like to work for something, achieve it, then lose it. I have experienced failure, rejection, and hit the bottom. The experience of getting cut from the team now was my greatest asset. Even if I fail at starting my own business, I know I will bounce back and be re-directed in another direction, for something even greater. These are the thoughts that kept me sane while navigating the early days of business. I set out to start my own Marketing Agency post-target. I enjoyed taking new clients, exciting projects and learning what I liked and disliked about the industry during 2023. I had made merch in 2022 when I was first starting my business, Whit Design – but this was only for me. I decided I would make more merch and this time give it out to family and friends to get the word out. I created hats in July 2023 with Whit Design on them… little did I know these hats were going to take the business an entirely different direction. The hats took off and all of the sudden we’re taking orders from out of state and shipping hats across the country. I looked at my husband and said “what is going on?”… He said “just let it happen and don’t overthink” (easier said than done for me!) The fall and winter of 2023 was all about building my marketing business, shipping out hats, and wrapping up my fourth season as a Cheerleader. Heading into 2024 I said: “my only goal for the business this year is to break up the marketing side and the merchandise side of the the business… things are way too confusing”. I never saw the hats taking off in such a big way and I gave myself a ton of time to process and navigate. I knew I had a “good problem” on my hands… I would eventually need to pick a lane: either I go all in on the marketing side of the business – or I go all in on the merchandise side of the business. However, that was a problem for 2025. I made sure I set 2024 up to enjoy my fifth and final season as a Cheerleader and let myself think long and hard about what side of Whit Design gives me energy, and what side do I want to commit to in 2025. I decided to create a separate website for the merchandise side to keep things organized in my brain (enter shopwhitdesign.com). I gave the merchandise side of the business the name Whit Design, and updated the marketing side to Whit Design Agency. As I gave myself more time to entertain the idea of having a merchandise company, I found that it really did fulfill me and make me so happy. I get to pull from my 5 years of retail experience at Target, and creating the strategy for the merchandise side is truly like riding a bike for me. December of 2024 came and I knew I needed to make a decision – marketing or merchandising for Whit Design. I decided the time is NOW to make the merchandise side of the business happen. We are putting the marketing agency to bed for awhile in 2025 and leaning in on expanding Whit Design into a full scope clothing and accessories brand. We’re going all in.. and when I go all in on something I don’t back down. Heck, I’ve been here before. I have experienced the unknown of putting myself out there and knowing rejection could be the outcome. But what do I do? I do it anyway, because I know growth stems from getting uncomfortable and whatever happens is meant to be. 🙂
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Clearly not a smooth road! I think I shared a lot in the history of the business on this. But I can single-handedly say failing in other areas of my life has prepared me to start and run my own business. My path has not been straight, and for that I am thankful. I am grateful because it has prepared me to do hard things, believe in myself, and trust I will come out on the other side better than I was before.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
2025 is going to be a huge year for the evolvement of Whit Design. I am currently raising capital to take the business to the next level (see, I told you I go big or go home) ;)… Whit Design is all about staying true to who you are, finding that grit to write your own story and even when things go poorly, knowing you are in control of you own destiny. You have the power to shape how your story ends – no one else. This missions and core ethos of the brand comes from my own experiences and my inner personality.
I am everyone’s biggest cheerleader. I think we live in a world of competition and comparing ourselves to the person next to us. I have worked hard to keep my blinders on my own path and stay the course on my own story. I am able to do that because I am confident in my own story and my own path, and I know this inspires other to do the same. Life is more fun and enjoyable that way. I see potential in people and I truly get jacked up thinking about how incredible they are/or they could be when they reach their true potential. I can’t help but share that with them – to motivate them to make it happen and build others up in an authentic way.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Sometimes the hardest thing in your life will become your greatest asset down the line. The difficult moments in life are the ones that actually shape our stories and who we are going to be. Awards, accolades, and achievements are great – but life comes down to grit and determination. A lot of times those qualities are formed in someone after they fall flat on their face. I was given an opportunity to either sulk in the defeat of not making it back on my dream team – or use that hard situation to fight back and come back better than I was before.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shopwhitdesign.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopwhitdesign/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-schutt-b30584130/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@whitney.schutt
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@whitney.schutt?lang=en
