Being confident means being able to deal with the setbacks life throws at us and making the most of out of them. Joshua Adam Brueckner, founder of Brooklyn-based custom neckties company, SKINNYFATTIES, has majored in that domain... with an honorary mention!

The 26 year-old’s motto is a twist on an old standby: "When life gives you lemons, make a damn good Southside Cocktail… with extra gin", and is just the type of philosophy that made me want to learn more about the man; about what it takes to defy the odds and start a successful niche business in a failing economy.

In 2012, out of a job and on the hunt for employment, Brueckner began tailoring old neckties hidden in the back of his closet to wear to his interviews. While none of the interviews panned out, his work on his ties inspired Brueckner to take his designing and tailoring skills more seriously. He began redesigning more and more ties that he sold at various pop up sales and artist markets in Brooklyn. Confident and proud of his products, Joshua began posting before and after photos of his handiwork on Instagram and reaching out to fashion bloggers. People started to take notice, and pretty soon the city’s most respected fashion bloggers were sharing his photos with the masses. In a matter of weeks, Time Out New York was featuring his business!

Brueckner was pleasantly surprised by all the public support, to say the least, and came to a realization: “This is cool and it’s getting press. How can I stop?”

“There is really a need out there. I think that’s what really built the confidence to do this in me.”

-J. Brueckner

The Time Out profile led a flock of new clients to the young designer’s door. Men appreciate his concept because it allows them to get ties made that suit their unique body size. Many send Brueckner their own ties to be redesigned, while some prefer to order custom creations directly from his website.

With growing demand and positive feedback he continues to get from fashion-conscious males around the world, Brueckner has gained the confidence and fan-base he needs to start challenging the big players controlling fashion today... I mean, who steps into the necktie game thinking they can actually shake things up?

Instead of following the lead of brands that come up with styles and sizes based on today’s “ideal” body, Joshua has chosen to empower all men by letting them decide on the size of tie that’s right for them – much like a great tailor creates suits specifically for his clients’ body type. His idea has resonated with men the world over, a fact which has in turn made him even more devoted to this mission: “There is really a need out there. I think that’s what really built the confidence to do this in me.”

Of course, confidence can only take you so far. Self-assurance alone isn’t enough to run a business. For Brueckner, resourcefulness was also key to his success. Starting from nothing with no previous experience in running a company has demanded a lot of energy and ingenuity from Josh, who personally manages all customer service, operations, and design work for SKINNYFATTIES (this on top of some tailoring work and overseeing three employees to maintain the craftsmanship SKINNYFATTIES has become renowned for).

So what is confidence according to Brueckner, the man who has managed to turn his lemons into one hell of a Southside Cocktail?

“It starts with accepting who you are and being able to express yourself without giving much regard to what people think… When people are confident they exude a feeling of self-acceptance and I think that that resonates with those around and them (...) It’s really about embodying self-expression.”

We’ll take his word for it. After all, he’s got a pretty good track record.