
Spectrum News 1: Nick Nguyen balances business ownership with his studies
Finance major recently opened From The Sidewalk’s storefront in Over-the-Rhine
Nick Nguyen, BBA ’23, is gaining business knowledge from two different entities: the Carl H. Lindner College of Business and From The Sidewalk, his sneaker resale business.
Nguyen, who is pursuing a degree in finance, recently opened From The Sidewalk’s storefront operation in the downtown Cincinnati neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine to complement Sidewalk’s online shop. Nguyen immigrated from Vietnam with his family in 2019 and founded Sidewalk in November 2020.
“Three years later, I made that happen,” Nguyen told Spectrum News 1. “So, it’s a great moment to look back on.”
Nick Nguyen stands in front of the wall of sneakers for sale inside From The Sidewalk's storefront.
From The Sidewalk taps into a successful industry, as the sneaker and streetwear resale market are reportedly valued at north of $2 billion in North America.
“I walk around with a chip on my shoulder,” Nguyen said. “Every day I have to prove that I have something to bring to the table. I deserve to live a better life.”
Per the U.S. Census Bureau, Nguyen — just 22 years old — is part of the 6% of business owners under 35 in America.
“I do reflect a little bit on the journey on what it has become and how fortunate I am to be in this position today,” Nguyen said. “Yeah, it’s surreal. Surreal’s the right word.”
See more from Spectrum News 1.
Featured image: Nick Nguyen inside From the Sidewalk’s storefront in Over-the-Rhine. All photos by Gavin Vargas.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research 1 institution by the Carnegie Commission and is ranked in the National Science Foundation's Top-35 public research universities. UC's medical, graduate and undergraduate students and faculty investigate problems and innovate solutions with real-world impact. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Lindner alum dives into the dumpster business
May 19, 2022
His future was set. John Hollis, BBA ’22, would join Integrity Express Logistics full-time as a freight broker once he graduated following the spring 2022 semester with a marketing degree.
Nick Nguyen’s sneaker reselling business finds more-than-solid...
August 16, 2022
It wasn’t long ago that Nick Nguyen and his family were struggling to make ends meet. In September 2019, Nguyen and his parents immigrated from Vietnam.
Lindner student’s startup is helping other student businesses...
November 14, 2022
Preston Rhodes has held a long-standing interest in digital assets. The third-year finance major founded the UC Cryptocurrency Club nearly two years ago and recently interned with a blockchain startup. Over the summer, Rhodes came across a software as a startup (Saas) business model that piqued his interest, leading to the founding of his first company, Neoteric Solutions.