Meet Charles Harris: Union Ironworker & Clothing brand owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Charles Harris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charles, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
My balance continuously change each day or week being a fulltime union Ironworker and a full time father and a fulltime clothing brand owner. Its a difficult thing to balance most times but. What keeps me level headed and continue to balance is pre planning just like on the job site pre planning is crucial so I took that and applied that to my life. But there are time where the unexpected can happen but just like bruce lee said “be water my friends” I adapt.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The real everyday people is based upon the working class blue collar folks. We are the backbone of this country I believe with out us there will be no homes, electricity, water or shelter. Now just think about that for a second I’m not saying it in a bragging way. But in a different perspective normally the general public see us a dirty rugged looking people. But we are no different from your 9 to 5 or market place bagger we are just your regular everyday people call it you’re modern super heroes. That what’s different with “The real everyday people” I love to highlight spread a message of hey! we are more than just construction guys or women, Take pride in what we do as we do it for the masses. Clothing is just another way of a connection. I’ve gotten to this point with the brand by following 3 things I instilled myself with learning from the my trade. 1. show up 2. shut up and learn 3. repeat step 1. this is what kept me going curiosity of what if. And this wasn’t easy as I had to learn and search how to build a brand or what a brand is. But I just never gave up I kept pushing continuously. I learned that it is true what they say hard work does pay off believing in the unseen it will be seen. The brand is made for the working class but aren’t we all working? what I pride this brand on is helping and reaching out to the people and make them feel and know they are apart of a family or greater being than themselves this is what this brand is. More than clothing but our story.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My own itinerary for my good friend coming to visit would be around Los Angeles we would go to echo park which is my neighborhood then after go to see some views of Los Angeles such as angles tear drop which you can see the dodger stadium/field and f the dtla buildings. then head over to little tokyo grab some beers at angel city brewery which is really great place. Now if there is time head over to a place I liked going as a kid to see actual street art which is called “thugs mansion” in the art district sort of hidden but a great building artist from all over the world been here. Then at night head over to thai town there is a hole in the wall restaurant with a funny owner who just makes jokes and upsell you at the same time its great which is called “Pailin Thai Cuisine” food is super good! the next day head over to Santa Monica for half the day then over to Venice beach and join in on the drum circles they have that shit is a crazy vibe then later that night head over to wilshire grand building all the the way up to the sky deck. Where there is a bar and a really dope view its a legit 360 view of Los Angeles.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I honestly look up to a lot of people but to break it down to a few my parents they taught me what life was really like at a young age who to trust, what to know and how to be self reliant. ” My cousin who at a younger age asked me what do you want to be when you grow up” I answered back then a bus driver haha but then he said ” no you want to be the guy who owns the bus that the driver drives” ever since then it changed my mindset on how I view business and people. Lastly my Daughter honestly with out her consistently pumping me up telling me how great the brand is I don’t Know how far I would of came.

Website: www.trepwear.com
Instagram: therealeverydaypeople

Image Credits
Charles, Tara garner