Northern Star: Isaiah Watts
If you're looking to refresh your shoes, follow Bless Your Soles on Instagram, @blessyoursolesss.
DULUTH, Minn.- As if being a student-athlete wasn’t enough already, try adding entrepreneur to the list. UMD men’s basketball’s Isaiah Watts does that and then some.
“I got a bottle of shoe cleaner, started cleaning shoes and just got better at it. I started offering to do it for free for my friends and as I got better and better people were like ‘you should start charging to do it,” says Watts.
Watts is the owner of Bless Your Soles, a shoe cleaning service he started just over two years ago. Since then, Watts says he’s transformed well over two hundred kicks to looks new again and even has plans in place for the future of the company.
“Nationwide for sure. As of right now, I’m trying to find good college spots because, typically that’s usually our customers, college students because they care about their fashion. I actually recently ordered a new set of stickers and it’s going to have a QR code, so you can scan it, it’ll be glow in the dark so hopefully in the dark you’ll be able to see it as well. So, with that you’ll be able to scan the QR code and then it’ll bring you straight to the BYS Instagram,” says Watts.
Watts is no stranger to the grind. Back in 2019, he joined the Bulldogs basketball program as a walk-on and quickly earned his way on to the floor. This season, Watts was awarded by receiving a scholarship.
“He’s had a great impact on us, on a lot of different levels. I was a walk-on when I was in college so I kind of know what that grind can be like sometimes and to his credit he’s really worked through it. He’s going to be in our rotation this year, in his fourth season and he’s progressively gotten better and better and has had a really positive spark to our team,” says UMD men’s basketball head coach Justin Weick.
“Everybody on the team has something they feel they need to prove. The for me was being able to prove that I belong on a D2 court, bare minimum. So, literally from the beginning to where I am now, I’ve worked as hard as I can for it so, I’d say that all made me proud to be a Bulldog,” says Watts.
Watts wants to remind anyone that their dream is possible. So long as you’re willing to put in the work.
“Whatever you want to do, follow it, because with me and my personal experience, with shoes, cleaning those, starting a business. Going to college, being a college athlete, all that stuff you have to want to do, so you have to have the confidence to be able to do that and then consistency is another thing you hvae to work towards. If you have confidence and consistency you’ll definitely find yourself in the place you want to be,” Watts says.
The Bulldogs will open their season hosting the annual American Family Insurance Classic, tipping off Friday at Romano Gym. If you’re looking to refresh your shoes, follow Bless Your Soles on Instagram, @blessyoursolesss.
