By Jill Nawoyski (’17)
Jill Nawoyski (’17) (left) and Justin Juliano (’15) at Cabrini’s Homecoming Weekend in 2014
Business major Justin Juliano ’15 has had a passion for his field of study from a young age.
From the time he obtained his first summer job at 12 years old selling newspapers outside of a bakery every Sunday, he has remained busy and business-minded in all aspects of his life.
During one trip to the beach in 2011—at age 17—it dawned on him that he wanted to start his own business. The rest is history.
An avid beach goer in Ocean City, NJ, Juliano accumulated a large number of beach tags, which you purchase in order to access the beach, most commonly found in New Jersey.
While sitting on the beach with his family one day, he had the idea to create souvenirs out of the many changing beach tag designs over the years.
“Vacationers loved the idea and I was sold in a just a few short weeks,” Juliano said. “Once I had proof that my concept had legs, I knew that I had to create a business out of it.”
Juliano’s souvenir business, Tag-R-Up, started in August 2011 and his items can be found in some local shops around the city or purchased on his website.
To date, he has created different products including beach towels, doormats, dog leashes, Christmas stockings, bracelets, and throw pillows, which are designed with beach tags dating from 1976 to the present.
Merchandise from Juliano’s business features beach tags from Ocean City, NJ.
Being in college is hard enough as it is, let alone trying to run a business simultaneously. Besides having a strong academic standing and being extremely involved, Juliano even managed to be able to graduate from Cabrini a semester early.
He found a great support system at the College in both the Business Department and the Center for Student Engagement and Leaderhip (SEaL). Both helped him to blossom into the student and businessman that he is today.
“Everyone always pushed me and kept me going,” Juliano said. “Even when I was feeling overwhelmed, I felt that I could go to anyone in these two departments for assistance.”
On top of being a full-time student, he had to worry about the aspects of running a business, such as ordering new products, checking orders, and taking stock. Juliano’s family was always there when times got tough.
“The help from my parents was greatly appreciated,” Juliano said. “Sometimes on school nights, there would be an assembly line in my office packing boxes and fulfilling orders.”
Justin’s mother Angela Juliano said, “He places 110 percent into everything he does and he is just the kind of person that is comfortable in his own skin always. There is not anything he can't accomplish and this is his mantra.”
Juliano’s business has definitely kept him busy throughout the years.
“I like to occupy my time and having my own business keeps me busy,” Juliano said. “This also helps me to make more connections for what might come next in my life.”
Juliano even received a call from a casting director for the hit television show Shark Tank. He created a pitch video explaining his product and shipped the video and paperwork off to California. Although he did not make it past round two, he still felt accomplished.
“Sometimes I still find myself wondering ‘what if I had been on live television pitching my idea?’” Juliano said. “But the journey taught me so much.”
The next step in this entrepreneur’s business? Well, let’s just say that you might start seeing other Jersey beach towns represented on Tag-R-Up souvenirs.