Entrepreneur Johnny Earle, also known as Johnny Cupcakes, came to Creighton as a part of his college lecture series. Earle shared the experiences he has had in creating his Johnny Cupcakes clothing line, and gave advise about how to be successful in your own brand as well and how to make it stand out.

Here are the top 15 of Earle’s recommendations.

15. Use an email list to communicate with customers

14. Have a business plan

13. Make customers feel involved in the company with a blog, webisodes, contests, etc.

12. Do unordinary things to make your business stand out

11. Take risks, you don’t want to end up kicking yourself for missing an opportunity

10. Use small catalogs, they’re easier to carry and fit into women’s purses

9. Make sure your product is well packaged

8. Utilize social media

7. When you create a logo, keep it simple so it will be easily absorbed

6. Get a physical sample of things (business cards, products, etc.) before approving the design

5. Don’t rush, first impressions are important

4. Get as much advice and help as you can

3. Utilize the resources you have available to you

2. To have longevity with your product, you will have to make sacrifices

1. Enjoy what you do