Episode #26: Entrepreneur Tony Madalone

Dream On Podcast

Entrepreneur, Politician, sports enthusiast and all around cool guy Tony Madalone, join Jordan and Isaiah on the twenty sixth episode of the Dream On Podcast. In this episode, Tony shares his story of growing up with nothing, and becoming a self-made entrepreneur.

About Tony Madalone

In Lorain, where he grew up with his single mother and grandparents, he began caddying at the age of 12. While caddying, he started his own landscaping company, taking care of three properties while also roofing on the weekends.

When he wasn't working, Tony was on the basketball court. He spent countless hours in the gym with aspirations of being an NBA superstar. While he didn't quite make the NBA, he did lead his high school team to the state final four and played four years at Ashland University.

By the time Tony arrived at Ashland, he already had years of work experience behind him and a burning desire to do more.

It wasn't long before he started a business in his dorm room selling vintage T-shirts on eBay.

While running his college business and earning his MBA, Tony was planning a career on Wall Street. But a trip to New York made him realize Cleveland was home.

With his new goal clearly in focus, Tony opened Fresh Brewed Tees in Cleveland, Ohio, in November of 2009. Today as CEO, he has made his mark by laying the foundation for Cleveland’s thriving apparel industry.

He has continued to build the Fresh Brewed Tee's brand, working with professional sports teams and athletes. He opened a seasonal mall location in 2012, launched Cleveland's first retail truck in the spring of 2013 and in November of 2014, opened Fresh Brewed Tees first brick and mortar store in Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Additionally, Tony owns companies in Seattle and Los Angeles.

All of this has led to much media coverage, as Tony has appeared on ESPN, TMZ, ABC News, FOX Sports and various news affiliates as well as in the Washington Post, Sports Illustrated, BuzzFeed, and Inc Magazine.

Today, Fresh Brewed Tees holds over 40 licenses, including Major League Baseball Players Association and ESPN.

While Fresh Brewed Tees started creating clothes simply revolving around Cleveland sports, it has now become a national brand. Most recently, Tony licensed his “Defend The Land” trademark to the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2017 NBA Playoffs.

While there continues to be a lot on his plate, Tony is most passionate about giving back to the community and making Cleveland a better place to live. Tony served as co-director of Ohio Homecoming and co-chair of Cleveland Rocks New Year’s Eve on Public Square. Additionally, Tony led a renovation of Hough’s Martin Luther King Jr High School.

Purchase some of Tony's swag at: https://freshbrewedtees.com/ and https://tready.shoes/. Follow Tony on Twitter & Instagram @TMadCle or visit his website at https://tonymadalone.com/

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