The following is an article guest written by McComb's Jaquan Lizana, a senior who plays football and basketball and is now an entrepreneur with his own clothing line.
"My name is Jaquan Lizana and I’m a 17-year-old from McComb, Mississippi. I’m a student, an athlete, a clothing brand owner, and most importantly, a child of God. I started my brand, XCEEDING XPECTATIONS, because it’s more than just clothes to me. It stands for faith, growth, and believing in yourself even when it’s hard.
Growing up in McComb taught me how to stay humble and work for what I want. Nothing was really handed to me, so I learned early that discipline, consistency, and trusting God are important. When I decided to start my brand, I wanted it to actually mean something. Every piece I create is meant to remind people to trust God and keep pushing no matter what life throws at them.
Balancing school, sports, and running a brand hasn’t always been easy. There were moments where I felt stressed, doubted myself, or wanted to quit. But my faith kept me grounded. Instead of giving up, I kept going and used those tough moments as motivation. Starting young taught me real life lessons that I know will help me in the future.
My goal is to inspire other young people, especially kids from small towns like mine, to believe in God, believe in themselves, and chase their dreams. You don’t have to have everything figured out to start. You just have to be willing to try, and know that God will exceed all your expectations as long as you have faith and believe in him.
This is only the beginning for me, and I’m committed to trusting God, staying consistent, and continuing to exceed expectations. Eph 3:20."
