Updates and the stresses behind running a brand.

Welcome to our Second Official journal—we hope you enjoy it.

 We document our week as it unfolds, sharing everything we’re working on for Magnus each day. If you’re looking for the key updates, just scroll past the weekly recap.

*tap on the arrows to expand and collapse*

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

---

Maintaining a Brand While Living a Full Schedule

We wanted to take a moment to talk about the challenges of running Magnus while balancing a busy life. As we mentioned in our first journal, Magnus is run by founder Sam Magnus Carlson. This entry comes directly from him:

---

I wanted to share a bit about my life and the reality of running this brand. At times, it can be incredibly stressful. I’m currently a full-time student at Savannah College of Art and Design, juggling a packed schedule of classes and assignments. Things pile up quickly. Fortunately, being at an art school means that everything I learn—design principles, branding, marketing—I can directly apply to Magnus. Still, the time spent on schoolwork naturally limits how much I can get done for the brand. But this is a necessary step in building something bigger.

On top of school, I’m also a member of SCAD’s athletic swim team. Our swim schedule is intense, with double workouts almost every day, pushing my body to its limits. I just finished my season at NAIA Nationals in Indiana, where we placed second overall. I’m incredibly grateful for swimming—it gives me a break from art, keeps me in shape, and gives me time to think. Without swimming, Magnus wouldn’t exist.

Beyond school and swimming, I prioritize my relationships. I make it a point to stay connected with my family, embrace time with my friends, and maintain a strong relationship with my girlfriend of two and a half years.

And then, there’s Magnus. I handle everything—the marketing, the website, the Instagram, the design, the finances. Some days, it feels overwhelming, like I’m barely keeping up. Other days, I feel completely in control, on top of the world. It’s a rollercoaster, but one I’m grateful for. Every challenge, every moment of stress, is part of the journey.

At the end of the day, I know I’m built for this. I crave more—more projects, more connections, more commitment to my sport and my work. It’s a lot, but it also brings me an immense amount of joy. -Sam

---

Major updates

Knit Sweater:

We’ve received our first sample from the manufacturer! Currently taking a short vacation in New York City, but once back home, we’ll spend a few days reviewing the sample in person. In the meantime, we’ve gotten photos of Sam’s brother and mom wearing the sweater—it looks great. Since this is just a sample, some adjustments may be needed. Based on the photos, we’re considering extending the length slightly, as it might be a bit too cropped for our liking. These are just photos though, and it may appear different than we think.

The sweater is made from 100% cotton, with the sample weighing in at 1.3 lbs—a substantial, heavy-knit feel, which is exactly what we envisioned. The fabric texture looks amazing in pictures, and we’re beyond excited to see it in person next week.

We’re pretty set on this manufacturer—they offer the best communication and benefits. From what we’ve seen, they produce high-quality work and can support us not just with this project, but with future ones as well. The other manufacturer has been slower, less professional, and lacking in communication, making this decision even clearer.

We also asked you all on our Instagram which hang tag you preferred for the sweater, and this was the winner!

This was also the one we were leaning towards, but it was a close vote—the black hang tag was only a few votes behind!

We appreciate all your votes! Community is the backbone of Magnus, so we're thrilled you were involved in this decision.

Brand Shirts:

Our brand shirt arrived in the mailbox just as we were leaving! We're really excited to check out the quality and make sure the design is something we want to move forward with. We’ll keep you updated once we’re back home in Savannah.

The coming week

This week, we’re still on break—spending a few more days in NYC before heading home to Utah for a bit. While in Utah, we’ll pick up our sample, review it, and figure out what needs to be adjusted. After that, it’s back to Savannah for our final quarter of the school year.

Next week’s journal won’t follow the usual format since we’re on break, but we’ll still be writing. We’re considering a deep dive into the sweater—sharing sketches, process insights, setbacks, and more.

We hope you enjoyed this journal and are excited for the content to come. We truly appreciate everyone who takes the time to read, support, and be part of our community. Until next time!

-Magnus