Have you ever wanted to start your own business, but had no clue where to start? Have you and your friends ever had an idea that might just be crazy enough to work?
Meet Thomas Remmen, Co-Founder of Daybreake, a New York based clothing brand. Remmen is a junior economics major in the Jack Welch College of Business and Technology (WCBT) at Sacred Heart University. He and his best friend, Long Island University student Jack Ryan, started this business together.
“We did not really know what we were doing,” said Remmen. “There’s not really a cool story on how, but we both just really wanted to do something like this and give it a shot.”
Founder Thomas Remmen (right) wearing Daybreake merch with Caroline Reda (middle) and Joe Cilea (left).
Contributed by Thomas Remmen, ’26
Being from different areas of New York, Brooklyn and Breezy Point, the founders wanted their brand to represent the diverse community and culture of their home. Each of Daybreake’s products feature designs inspired by iconic New York City images like the Brooklyn Bridge, the waterfront, and the skyline.
“Being open-minded toward new opportunities in life and being a part of your community is the foundation of our brand and it is the lifestyle we present to our audience,” said Ryan. “The two of us wanted to create something that was ours and leave our footprints on the world.”
Remmen and Ryan started out by selling t-shirts out of their cars at school. Today, their products can be purchased on their website and in select retailers in New York, and they even have a vendor’s license with Sacred Heart.
Remmen accredits a great deal of his success to the “entrepreneurial spirit” that SHU fosters in its students.
“I think there’s a shared mindset here. There are a lot of kids who want to find out what they really like to do,” said Remmen. “I think there’s an entrepreneurial spirit at this school that is different from a lot of places, and that’s helped me out a lot.”
Alongside his classes, Remmen is also a WCBT mentor, helping students acclimate to college life and inform them of the unique opportunities SHU provides its students within the college.
From his time at SHU, Remmen has learned that business is more about the “connections you make and the people” rather than the “technical stuff.” This is a mindset that he and Ryan have tried to represent with their business, stating that Daybreake is, “where comfort meets style and community thrives.”
Friends and family are encouraged to wear their products and join the Daybreake community to help spread the brand’s positive message.
“Its vibrant colors and uplifting messaging inspire me to chase my dream with enthusiasm,” said junior Ethan Moise.
“Do not be afraid and go out there and be passionate about it,” said Remmen. “If you focus and put the work in, things will work out for you.”
To learn more about Daybreake visit daybreakeclothing.com or find them on Instagram @daybreake_.
