Entrepreneurial Danville Teen Markets T-shirts, Decals, Stickers Worldwide

DANVILLE, CA- Not many 16-year-olds can say they have successfully established three companies, but a junior at Monte Vista High School can.

Danville-born and raised, Casey Rickey has been creating and marketing printed graphic materials internationally since he was 11 when he started his first decal production company.

“I started working in a YouTube community of artists that traded internationally in France and Europe,” Rickey explained, “I started using an inkjet printer producing stickers and decals with a company I called Custom Graffiti Sticker Prints.”

He produced his own designs, as well as custom designs, selling about 10,000 decals and stickers to his online market over nearly two years before he made his first jump to developing a new company.

“I started receiving requests for custom graphic work for window decals, banners, flyer designs, and began outsourcing for printing at 13,” he said, explaining that this is how Danville City Signs evolved, a company Rickey still operates today.

After operating primarily online for another two-years, Rickey says he wanted to establish a corner niche market for a personal experience with his clients, so he began focusing on t-shirt designs and sales to high school peers.

“I established High School Ink almost two-years ago when I was 15,” he explained, “That’s where I am putting my energy now for shirt printing at Monte Vista High School.”

Rickey primarily creates and sells t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, and tank tops now, where sales have taken off and continue to grow.

“I average about three to four orders per month, producing 30-100 shirts per order,” he said.

As the son of two entrepreneurs, building successful businesses is in his blood.

“My Dad has a business call Down Pat Music where he produces infomercial music and jingles for clients such as Billy Mayes, and my mom stayed home and has an Etsy store called The Stamping Shop where she sells communion, wedding, and bridal jewelry,” says Rickey.

After graduating next year he plans to stay in the state for college and has a vision of creating a small shop wherever he lands.

“I am going to keep my business at home while I figure out logistics of getting a space,” he explained, “I’m also not stuck on this industry- I am willing to explore other markets and directions. I would like to keep this income to help pursue other avenues as they come to me while I study entrepreneurial business in college.”

In his free time, Rickey enjoys creating an annual haunted house.

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“I love decorating, I was 11 the first year when I built panels and made a true tunnel haunted house,” he explained, “In 2013 I had a six-room walk around haunted house all painted with a victorian haunted house theme- complete with music and full prop atmosphere in actors and makeup. I worked for the entire summer to set it up.”

In 2014 he moved the haunted house from his house to another house, but says it did not occupy enough space so it was reduced to a tunnel style space with fewer interactions.

In 2015, he worked with the high school drama department at Monte Vista to create a full-fledged haunted house with a 100-panel, 23-room maze.

“I built my dream with the stage-craft crew,” he said, “We raised $2,500 in profit for the drama and leadership departments over a two night opening with a $5 admission.”

Be on the look out this fall as Rickey heads up a three-night show where he hopes to raise $10,000 for the school.

Photos courtesy of Casey Rickey