Who Wants Be Millionaire.
Sometimes a big risk pays off
When most kids are seniors in college, they’re writing résumés and cruising toward graduation. Not Kevin Plank. Nine years ago, when Plank was in his last year at the University of Maryland, he began developing sportswear that now outfits most professional and college sports teams and makes a fashion statement on high-school playing fields. As the founder of Under Armour, Plank, 32, presides over a Baltimore company that employs 450 people and grossed more than $200 million last year.
Plank owes a debt to sweat. As a player on the Maryland Terrapins’ football team, he wore a cotton undershirt that turned into a soggy liability during games. Already an entrepreneur, Plank began searching fabric stores for a lightweight material that would fit snugly, wick away moisture and replace the undershirt.
Once he had found the perfect fabric, Plank paid a tailor $400 to come up with several prototypes and asked his teammates to try them out. “They said the shirt was great for football — and baseball and lacrosse, too,” says Plank. “I realized this wasn’t just a shirt but a marketing opportunity.” Visit my Who Wants Be Millionaire site.
