Andrew McEwan was once a high school student at Lakota West. Years later, he now has his own brand, a following of 274k on Instagram, works with companies like Nike, Puma, and Adidas, and does what he loves to do, which is creating content on social media. How McEwan has been able to achieve these aspirations is through a combination of hard work, dedication, and most importantly, a love for soccer.

McEwan played many sports in his childhood, including swimming, baseball, basketball, and football.  However, in 7th grade, he fell in love with soccer. Through his club team, he had many opportunities to play around the United States.  But his experience playing in the Netherlands allowed him to see the “true passion for the game and realize it was the complete opposite in the United States. To the US, soccer was a joke, for the rest of the world it’s like a religion.”

After this realization, McEwan went from making “stupid videos” involving lipsyncing and pranks to social media posts that brought attention to soccer. “I realized the positive impact I could have” when creating videos. On Instagram, he began showcasing soccer talent and shoes that he designed and created.

In his freshman year of college at Capital University, this drive to make a positive impact, plus his growing Instagram following, made him realize that he could do something special by creating his own brand. This brand, called Strive is about “being the best possible version of yourself day after day and sharing that attitude with others.” The brand took up so much of his time that McEwan made the decision to drop out of college and pursue his business with full energy. With lots of work and dedication, he was able to make a successful business.

McEwan’s shop features his own designs. He sells customized soccer cleats and sportswear. He wanted to “make the clothing simple, clean, and futuristic.” He also often showcases his designs he and other brands create together. 

Today, McEwan is living in Los Angeles, still making social media content on his life and soccer, and believes that he is on the right path. He sees himself in the future as “living free, for others, spreading love, and preaching to Strive”. McEwan’s message to the students of Lakota West is to pursue your dreams with determination and hard work just like he did for himself. 

Website: https://mcew.co/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MCEW

Instagram: @mcew