From very humble beginnings, Michael E. Jordan has elevated the UNRL brand with core values, quality of product, and a spirit of giving back to the community.
UNRL announced that its founder and CEO, Michael E. Jordan, has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious Entrepreneur of The Year® Award, Heartland Region, presented by Ernst & Young. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, UNRL is an athletic apparel brand that specializes in creating functional athletic clothing.
After an intensive nomination and selection process, Jordan was identified as one of 36 finalists within the seven-state Heartland region. This award honors game-changing business leaders who rise above challenges using ingenuity, courage, and ambition. Nominees are evaluated based on six criteria: entrepreneurial leadership; talent management; degree of difficulty; financial performance; societal impact and building a values-based company; and originality, innovation, and future plans.
Jordan founded UNRL in his mother’s basement seven years ago with an investment of a mere $300 and has since grown the company exponentially year after year. Today, UNRL has 19 employees and is on track to reach 8 figures in annual sales. All of this was done with hard work and entrepreneurial spirit, without any outside investment or business loans.
UNRL products are sold in various retailers throughout the country including Scheels Sporting Goods, PGA Tour Superstore, various NHL, and NFL Pro Shops. One of their most notable apparel partnerships is with the social media powerhouse Barstool Sports. UNRL takes great pride in the quality of their product and their attention to how business is operated.
“It’s an incredible honor to be selected as a finalist for this award,” said Jordan. “I don’t view this as an individual achievement, this is a testament to my team. It’s been a collective effort with 100% buy-in from every member of our team. Without that, we wouldn’t be here today. I believe we are growing this business the right way, and it is meaningful to be recognized for that. I’m very grateful for all the support Ernst & Young has provided throughout this process.”
Jordan said that he has high expectations for the UNRL brand in the future; articulating plans to surpass the $10 million annual revenue marker within 12 months and reach the $100 million milestone by 2029. In doing so, continuing to donate 15% of net proceeds to nonprofits including the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital.
“I am very competitive by nature. I’ve been an athlete my whole life,” said Jordan. “I pride myself on continuous improvement and doing things the right way to leave a positive legacy on the industry. The Entrepreneur Of the Year® Award has my respect because it’s a challenge against the best in the business, and we have something to prove. I want to win this.”
Regional winners of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award will be announced in late July. The National Entrepreneur of the Year Award will be handed out on November 13.
ABOUT THE ERNST & YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARD:
Entrepreneur Of the Year® is the world’s most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth, and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur of the Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. National Overall winners go on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur of The Year™ title.
ABOUT UNRL:
UNRL is a clothing brand that bridges the gap between functional and casual. Their clothing is designed to take you from the office to the gym, or the airport to the golf course. UNRL creates all products with three principles in mind: style, comfort, and versatility. Everything is crafted from scratch with premium hand-selected materials and tailored for a great fit. UNRL is here to instill confidence in the athlete that strives to do more.
