UT student launches successful t-shirt business

Despite the Volunteers' struggles on the field, this football season is proving to be a successful one for an up-and-coming entrepreneur.

Rob Goldsmith is a business major who turned his love for Tennessee into a chance to expand his education beyond the walls of the classroom. The UT senior is the brains behind a blossoming t-shirt business. The idea for his top selling "Vote 14" shirt came with the announcement of Lane Kiffin as head coach.

"When he came to town, I thought there might be a good opportunity to start capitalizing off the new football era," Goldsmith said.

Now the officially licensed merchandise can be found at all Alumni Hall branches, McMillin's on the strip, and a mall in Johnson City.

"It's cool because I like to spread Tennessee spirit. I love Tennessee, I love the Volunteers, I love football, I like to support Tennessee," Goldsmith said.

"He's always been kind of a motivated kid and he told me he was going to do it and I'm like 'Go for it'," Linda Goldsmith, Rob's mother said.

"He kept having these ideas of 'I want to be my own boss, I want to run my own company' and he's been working it off and going from there," she added.

The business venture provides an education that can't be found in a textbook.

"Everyday I'm learning things, who I have to work with to get permits and get licenses, how to do stuff the legal way. It's just a great learning experience and I think it's going to help me a lot come next summer when I'm out of school," Goldsmith said.

He plans to develop shirts for other sports throughout the year.

"Unfortunately football season is only three months long, so we gotta get it while we can," Goldsmith said.

A complete listing of the merchandise can be found online at www.greattobeavol.com