Part 1 with Marcus Hall of Marc Nelson Denim

Marc Hall (0:13)

And so, that was a deal at Austin East, and this is another thing that we talked about with the schools, is honing in on kids' talents and giving them options to immediately make money.

So, if you could sew at a high school, you could go to Levi's and start making money, because they're just paying by the piece and how many things you have. So, that was important, and so, that was the interest for me was, if I wanted to have a sew, I could go over to Levi's and make money.

Paul Sponsia (0:42)

From the IT Company, it's Made Right Here, the stories of East Tennessee founders, creators, and builders. From the idea behind it to the impact it had on the community, their employees, and their personal lives, we're taking you behind the scenes of the movements they built.

We all had something that we wanted to do when we were a kid, all of us, firemen, police officer, something. The question is, are we doing that now?

Hey, it's Paul Sponsia with the IT Company. Today, on today's episode, we've got Marc Hall from Marc Nelson Denim, and Marc knew from an early age that he wanted to be in fashion, and that's what he's done, and he's kept doing it. And his story is awesome. It's not white picket fences. It's not idyllic. It's not the great American perfect story that we've heard. It's tough. It's rough.

It's twists and turns. And in this first episode of two, we're going to hear just about his growing up, kind of the hard things, the influences of his grandfather, the tough stuff with his mom and dad, and just a great story. So tune in, listen, you're going to love it.

Marc Hall (2:05)

My father was a George, and his dad was a George, so my grandfather was a George.

My mom got married at a young age, right here in Knoxville, Tennessee. They moved away for a little while, but after I was born, but I was born here and primarily raised. They moved to Sandusky, Ohio, where my dad's parents were from, but my mom said it was too cold, so we gotta get back down.

Paul Sponsia (2:30)

She didn't like Cedar Point.

Marc Hall (2:31)

She didn't want to ride the rides.

They've got great roller coasters, man. But no, we were back in Knoxville. And so I was born and raised in East Knoxville. My mom and dad then divorced before I don't even recall being in the house with my mom and dad. So yeah, so that was at a young age. Rough divorce. And the way I grew up was, you could blindfold me in Knoxville area and I can find my way because every time my mom, my dad found out where we lived, my mother would move. Yeah, she didn't, she was a bitter divorce and she didn't want him to have any activity in my life.

And I have an older brother and a younger brother and a younger sister.

Paul Sponsia (3:14)

All from your parents?

Marc Hall (3:15)

So we all have different parents. Different parents. And I didn't know that me and my oldest brother, the perception was we had the same father until we got in high school. And that's a story in itself.

And then, yeah, the story came out that my mom, when she went away to college, got pregnant. And then when my father and her met, my oldest brother was about two years old. And he just took the seat of being both the right dad.

Paul Sponsia (3:44)

So he didn't know and you didn't know that he had a different father.

Marc Hall (3:48)

So the kid, the children didn't know that we, yeah. But it was very strange that I was the second child and I was named after my dad and he was the older child. And we were like, oh wow, yeah, right. We're gonna take you in.

And so at a football game, he was a star football player. He went to Austin East, as a matter of fact. His senior year kid came up to him and goes, hey, we're brothers.

And he was like, what are you talking about? Like, yeah, we're brothers. And then he told him, you're dad and we have the same dad. And then just now in reality, he was like, no wonder, you know, this is crazy.

Paul Sponsia (4:23)

At a football game? While he was playing football?

Marc Hall (4:25)

After the football game. Oh my God.

So you get this guy to come up to you.

Paul Sponsia (4:28)

What a rough way to learn.

Marc Hall (4:29)