Quintin “Q” Williams Chats on Starting His Own Sports Brand, Q4 Sports

There are those who choose to follow the game, and there are those who choose to lead. It’s time to lace up, and make the choice to step away from the pack and into greatness. But it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s for the grinders — the ones doin’ work with early mornings in the gym and late nights on the court. It all boils down to what we call the “Elements Of The Game” — Team, Focus, Passion and Commitment. Together, these elements drive Q4 Sports to achieve nothing less than the extraordinary. That’s why they invest in innovative technology, push the limits of what’s possible and improve the global landscape of sports performance.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, Q4 Sports is the ultimate blend of technology, style, and performance needed to upgrade your game.

I recently had the chance to interview the co-founder, Quintin ‘Q’ Williams where he chatted on his inspiration behind starting the sports brand. Check out the interview below.

Can you please tell myself and the reader’s about yourself?

My name is Quintin “Q” Williams and I’m the Co-Founder and Chief Global Designer of Q4 SPORTS based in Los Angeles, CA. I was raised in a small rural town called Elko, GA, which I always announce proudly because there is a certain way the people of my town carry themselves…a level of self-respect and dignity.

Growing up and still till this day who or what are your inspirations?

Growing up and still till this day the two people who inspired me the most were my father and Michael Jordan. The reason why was due to their pure hard work and work ethic. I always admired how my dad got up early mornings to accomplish things around the house and farm and stayed out until late afternoons until every task was complete. Michael inspired me from childhood because of that same work ethic he applied on and off the court. The determination to be their greatest versions or simply to be THE BEST was something that always inspired me. I want to apply that same grit and motivation into my life daily.

What influenced you to create your own sports sneaker brand?

The thing the influenced me the most to create my own sports brand were two things: Passion for design and the want to challenge the status quo of the current sneaker industry, which is currently dominated by three major brands, especially in the basketball space.

Basketball has been a part of my life since an early age, so my love for the sneakers worn on court has always been there. Once I earned my first shoe internship in Brooklyn and realized that I wouldn’t be receiving royalties from my creations, I knew that I had to absorb as much knowledge and industry contacts as I possibly could to in-turn create my own. It made the most sense to me as a creator.

How did you come up with the unique name Q4 Sports?

The naming convention behind Q4 SPORTS came from thinking about the most exciting time of the game which is in the 4th quarter (Q4). That’s the time of the game where every second counts and it matters the most. If you’re winning, how do you keep the momentum to walk off with that W? Or if you’re losing, how do you rally your team to victory?

At what age did you know that you were going to be a sneaker designer?

Honestly, I didn’t know I’d be a sneaker designer until around my Sophomore/Junior year in college. Although, I’ve been drawing sneakers since around the age of 8, I never thought that I’d be able to make a career out of it only because I wasn’t exposed to individuals actually using it as a career. I was initially interested in becoming a car designer as my dad was a huge gear head, still is, and he got me to see the beauty of a car body lines. I’ve always viewed that same art of drawing body lines on a car similar to drawing a sole or upper to a sneaker. It’s a beauty art form that provokes both performance and attitude. I love seeing the flowing lines merge into something thought provoking and memorable….gives me chills and excitement every time.

Were you a former basketball player?

Yes, I’m a former basketball player. I played Varsity for Perry High School located in Perry, GA and intramurals in college in Savannah, GA.

How many sneakers does your brand have?

Q4 currently has four models available for purchase via our site www.q4sports.com. They include the Specialist ($95), 495 Lo ($110), 495 Hi ($115), and Millennium ($125). Our Player Exclusive models will launch this coming summer.

How many designs have you made since the brands inception?

I can’t count how many designs I’ve created since the brand’s inception as my mind is constantly turning of something new. But the world will see the new collection of what Q4 is bringing in the coming months!

Who are the key signature stars for your brand?

Right now our athlete roster consists of E’Twaun Moore of the New Orleans Pelicans and Langston Galloway of the Detroit Pistons. We have a few more NBA athletes that are signed with the brand, but we are waiting to announce. Stay tuned!

Are you looking at a prime star to sign with your brand?

We don’t view our athletes as “prime” over the other. There is only a limited amount of NBA athletes in the entire world. To be recognized as an NBA player, we are the “cream of the crop” and we treat our players as such. So in-turn, all of our athletes are “prime” athletes. So if I were to answer your question, YES, we are looking at more prime stars to join our brand.

Is their any new shoes or designs on the horizon we should be on the lookout for?

There are definitely new designs coming on the horizon. Be on the lookout for our slides and our off-court kicks. We’ll be bridging performance with casual.

Any advice or words of wisdom you would like to offer us fellow millennials?

If I were to give any advice to any millennials, it would be simply be FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS. What do you have to lose?! You only have one lifetime so make the most of it. Do not be afraid to “fail”. “Failing” should be looked at as learning lessons. The goal is to keep getting better and you can only do that through experience. I feel we were all born to be great….nothing less. So acknowledge that and strive to be your greatest version.

Do you have any partners or brand affiliates that you work with? How did you get them?

We ended up getting our sneakers in the NBA in such a quick manner due to developing a very unique business model. I can’t go into detail as to how it works, but in summary we have aligned with our athletes as true partners instead of the old way of simply making them walking billboards. We are empowering the athlete which is very disruptive. We are attacking from a different angle.

How does it feel to have your products endorsed by NBA players?

It feels amazing to be able to say your product is endorsed by NBA clientele. I’ve always wanted to feel this feeling and now it’s finally here….with my OWN product. Not through another corporation or company. This is what dreams and hard work are made of. We are excited to leave our mark on this game. The new kids are definitely on the block and we got next!