Entrepreneur turned hardship into a successful business

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - A local entrepreneur didn't let tragedy stop him from going after his dreams.

When Davontay Davis was seriously injured in a car accident, he decided that was his turning point and came up with the a t-shirt business named "Fresh N' Blessed."

"I'm blessed, because I could be dead right now," Davis daid. 

It was two and a half years ago when car hit him while he was walking across the street leaving his barbershop job.

"It actually cracked my skull when I came down on my head I had a minor skull fracture," Davis said. 

After a few months of recovery, he knew he had to live life differently and go after his dream. His mom had always encouraged him to be great and growing up his friends and family called him "Fresh."

"You have a fresh start, you're blessed to wake up so you're fresh and blessed right there."

One of his first customers was the rapper DMX, who he met at his mom's Arizona church.

Davis' journey has come with its challenges. After putting in his first order, the printing company shut down. He was fortunate enough to buy the heat press and learn how to make the product on his own.

He's also very smart, recruiting younger family to help.

"I'd rather teach them something that they can do positive something legal that can help you grow into a better person."

His younger sister, Kayla, already owns her own business, Kayla Got Cakez. She sells five dollar cake jars and more, bringing positivity to her community.

"I feel like what I'm doing makes other people happy. Cake is a sweet gesture for anything a death, a birthday, a wedding," Kayla said. 

Tina Thomas, with Northside Economic Opportunity Network, or NEON, helps provide business advice and space to those with drive and ambition.

"We want to create wealth in the neighborhood so people stop making their money and going out of the neighborhood to spend it," Thomas said. 

"He can't stop all the violence in the world, I can't be superman, but I can be the example of the change I want to see in the future," Davontay said. 

You can connect with Fresh N' Blessed on social media at Fresh N' Blessed.  Also go to www.freshnblessed.com.