Wild things clothing: where hustle meets heart.

There’s something so powerful about making something with your own two hands—and not just making it, but deciding exactly how the world will see it. That’s what entrepreneurship really is: freedom. The freedom and flexibility to choose your own schedule, the courage and boldness to build your own lane, and to take an idea that once started in your head and give it life.

But let’s be real—it’s not all pretty. That same freedom comes with pressure, sacrifice, and days where quitting feels easier than creating.

I had the honor of sitting down with Jaron Jones, the mind behind Wild Things, a clothing brand that has been standing strong for nine years. He’s seen the good days—the wins, the recognition—but he’s also battled through the quiet seasons—the doubts, and the internal fights every creative entrepreneur knows too well.

What follows is a conversation not just about fashion, but about faith, discipline, community, and the courage it takes to keep building when no one’s watching.

What shaped your love for fashion? How did your story begin?

So, my mom took a job at Dillard’s when she was pregnant with me in September of 1989. She was a single mother, and realized that the hardest thing to do for a kid was feed them, and put clothes on their back. So she was like, I knew I could get a discount for the clothes, which is why she applied for the Dillard’s job. She is now a manager at that same Dillard’s. So I’ve been in the mall my whole life. I grew up in the mall. That was my happy place. 

What does the design process look like for you?

I design everything myself. An idea hits—something I see, a concept—and I build from there. I’ll run it by my wife, a friend, or even a random person for an honest take. But in the end, it’s about what feels true to me, not trends. The brand has to be me.

I saw that you were able to attend InvestFest this year. How was that experience?

That experience put a battery in my back. 25,000 people who look like us, investing in other black businesses. We need more of that—more circulation, more hiring each other, more ownership. It’s not about hand-holding; it’s about building together. Everybody needs to come to InvestFest because that is our definition of DEI. We struggle with generational wealth because we can’t circulate our dollars, or we don’t hire our own. So to see InvestFest provide a platform of 25,000 people in there, and then myself as a Black entrepreneur, business owner—to see other businesses thriving—that’s what we need.

Not only do you run a business full time, but you are also a fulltime husband and father. How do you balance it all?

Not working at night. Choosing to cut my day off at 4:30 or 5:30. Or saying to my family, "Tuesdays and Thursdays, I’m going to be working from 8 to 8. But Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I’m only going to work until about 3, 3:30 — and you guys have my time until you go to sleep.” Then if I need to do something while they’re asleep, I’ll find the time, and I’ll figure it out. 

How do you feel about the hustle and grind culture? What is your take on "resting" as a full time entrepreneur?

You will lose yourself and your mind if you're not resting. I started to develop a lot of anxiety, so I started to actively search for that connection with God. Rest is needed, and rest is subjective. If you are a creative and you need to take a week off, if your balance sheet allows you to, then take that week off. It's good to hustle, but it's also good to give your brain complete rest. You don't want to overdo it. God is a provider, and you have to trust that he will provide for you.

You said you want to “get back to being the creator.” What does that mean for you right now?

Sometimes being a fulltime entrepreneur takes you away from the actual "creating" part of it. It's all business, all the time. I’ve been in all-business mode—paying for everything, moving fast, trying to keep the brand afloat. I’m taking 48 hours here and there to step back, breathe, and just make—stories, ideas, pieces. Slowing down helps me tell the story so people can truly connect.

How are you rebuilding that human connection and getting out of that 24/7 business mindset?

Being around people, having real conversations. Taking my kid to the park, and doing something as simple as looking at the sky. Setting boundaries—work days that end, family time that’s real. If business is 24/7, you’ll lose everything that actually feeds the art.

With the fashion industry being so oversaturated now, how do you continue to feel original and hold onto your brand integrity?

I don’t look at anything being oversaturated when you love it, because when you love something, you’re going to give it your all, and then you’re going to find ways to stand out. And then—the world is a billion people. People buy clothes every single day. Macy’s and Dillard’s are in the same mall. You go anywhere… in Atlanta, there’s Gucci, there’s Louis Vuitton, there’s this and that. So I don’t really look at it like that. Yeah, you can get overwhelmed by what you see on social media, but I love clothes. I love the way they make me feel. Everybody wants to hit a home run. We’re all competing. If you’re not competing, you’re not trying to work, right? But I’m competing with myself. I’m just trying to do what I’m doing—better pieces, different concepts. And how can I be a better businessman? How can I be a better creative? Can I deal with my team? Can I really be a leader so my business can grow to that next level? That’s what it’s about.  Focus on what you have—and how you can build it.

Wild Things isn’t just a brand—it’s a return to origin. Jaron Jones is choosing depth over speed, community over clout, and faith over force. In a world sprinting toward the next drop, he’s carving a slower lane where quality, story, and human connection lead. If the goal is longevity, Wild Things is proof: when you honor your first love and build with your people, the work doesn’t just sell—it perseveres.