ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

E Prep '13

Breon Ramsey ‘13, an E Prep Cliffs Alumnus, went on to graduate St. Edwards High School in 2017. He now attends Kent State University where he studies marketing, a fitting major for the CEO of HYPE Marketing. It is no surprise Breon launched and has been running his own business while simultaneously earning his degree. Entrepreneurship runs in the family! “Before going to Breakthrough my mom owned her own daycare and was an entrepreneur. I grew up learning about how to run your own business and I started my own business painting sneakers before I even attended E Prep,” said Breon.

 

During his time at E Prep, Breon recalls being presented with opportunities to learn about entrepreneurship and how to launch a business. “We attended events at University School and at Case Western Reserve University, which really set the tone for how I wanted to launch my own career,” continued Breon. “My classes at E Prep instilled important lessons like proper posture and appropriate note-taking, all of which proved useful later in life. At a young age, I learned what a SWOT analysis is and how it can benefit a business owner.”

 

Breon also notes that his time at E Prep provided much in the way of real-world learning. Even at a young age, students are presented with opportunities to learn about finances and how to manage them. “E Prep gave us the extra push – the extra help to succeed,” said Breon.

 

Early on Breon knew he wanted to work for himself. In Eighth Grade he threw his first sneaker convention and got connected with the nonprofit Cleveland’s Got Sole. By the time Breon reached High School, he was hired by Nike to assist with direct marketing. His work with Nike helped to solidify his interest in the marketing industry and the idea for We Know Hype Marketing was born. It started with an app in 2016 and then parlayed into more of a traditional marketing practice. Breon formed an LLC in 2019 and has grown into a full service social media and digital marketing agency. One of his bigger clients is Classic MotorCars, where he runs social media campaigns for all their dealerships.

 

“I work with smaller startups as well – lots of people that started their own small business during the pandemic,” said Breon. “Our bread and butter is digital marketing - search engine optimization (SEO), digital ads, pay-per-click, Google ads, and social media advertising. We also provide branding and design to our clients.”

 

In addition to finishing up his degree and working full time on his business, Breon is a member of the Alumni Leadership Council. “Our mission is to help students with whatever route they take – going into high school, figuring out the right college, or career. We are here to provide insight, mentorship, and support.”

 

Check out some recent media coverage Breon and his business partner Thias Fritz secured on Spectrum News 1 about the success of their business during the pandemic.