Fashionable threads spread positive vibes: Sudbury's The Positive Inception designed to support others.

• Author: McKinley, Karen
• Position: SUDBURY

If clothing makes a statement, then Ryan Benoit's line is all about encouraging people to be their own role model.

The founder and CEO of The Positive Inception Clothing and Apparel is busy these days, growing his business and speaking at engagements about how he turned his brand from a hobby to a full-time job.

The whole idea, he said, is to show how exciting it is to follow a passion.

"Inception means to start something new, and to start something, you have to have positive thoughts and intentions," Benoit said.

"I wanted to create something that would help people be more positive and realize their full potential, go for what they want in life and dream big."

The product line has grown to include hoodies, shirts, sweaters and jackets, as well as accessories like hats and lanyards. All of it is geared towards encouraging people to do their best.

Even the budding seed in the logo represents progress and change.

To make a seed grow, it needs water, light and something to nurture it, Benoit said. Humans are like seeds, he explained, as they need others to help them grow, live challenges and experiences to become the person they are today.

Inspiration for Benoit's work comes from his own life experiences with cerebral palsy and using a wheelchair. Despite his physical challenges, Benoit didn't let them be barriers to his goals.

"No matter what your limitations, you can achieve anything you want if you believe in yourself," he said.

Despite his success, he never expected to become an entrepreneur, even when he started selling his clothing line while studying sports administration at Laurentian University.

"I was always passionate about business. This was originally a side business and a hobby, and I always loved fashion, so I put two and two together," he said.

While designing his clothing, he focused on producing something with a positive message to help people realize their full potential.

Although he had been struggling during the first two years of school, the business helped him concentrate on his grades and gave him a goal for when he was finished.

"I didn't really know what I want ed to do after school, so I kept going with this."

He used what he learned from the business side of his education to give him a good base and knowledge to run his company.

By his third year, Benoit was selling his clothing line at school and to family and friends. The brand became more popular as word got out around campus. After graduating from Laurentian in...