Josh Parks, a senior at St. Thomas and the starting running back for the football team, has a passion for fitness that extends beyond the field.
Parks is the creator of GhostFit, a clothing company focused on athletic wear. Their products include shirts, hoodies, joggers and cutoffs.
Parks first considered starting the company when he was sent a shirt by a company who wanted Parks to spread brand awareness for their product. After receiving the shirt, Parks had ideas on how to make a better product.
It was his girlfriend, Jenna Zais, who gave him the push to start working on the idea when she suggested he make his own.
Parks and Zais officially started the company in 2017 with the help of Parks’s step-brother Chuck Love, though both Zais and Love are no longer involved in the company.
“I’m learning every single day about how to create a product that people are going to enjoy,” Parks said.
It took months of researching sources for material, places to manufacture the clothing, and how to run a startup company.
“It’s easy to look at other companies and see where they are at this time or see where you think you should be, but it’s just about continuing to get better, continuing to create products that people enjoy,” Parks said.
Despite the challenges, Parks stays true to what he believes will continue to push Ghostfit to new heights.
“The one thing that we have done, and it’s one thing that I pride the business on, is that we don’t make things twice,” Parks said. “I think that that’s something I want to do because I enjoy the artistic side of business, so that’s something that’s fun for me.”
Not making the same product twice challenges Park’s creativity and keeps the current line of clothes new and exciting.
Parks is optimistic about the future of GhostFit and expects the business to grow in popularity.
“I’d like to say where we’ll be financially and everything that we’ll have out in the next year to five years, but right now is about learning and growing,” Parks said. “It’s definitely a brand that will pick up steam in the next months, years to come, so that’s what we’re excited about.”
Jack Stanek can be reached at stan5468@stthomas.edu.