Mike Allard, 23 and Stacy Nichols, 24
www.esoterikenterprise.com
Denver
This pair began making what they call "high-end grunge" as a weekend hobby while students in Colorado. Since 2006 they've been engaged in trying to turn that look into a profitable business. Allard and Nichols still do everything themselves out of their Denver apartment—buying clothes from a California manufacturer, distressing them, adding their own designs, and distributing the products through their Web site. In the future, they plan to sell sport coats and jeans. Esoterik's first year sales hit $1,000 and Allard expects to be profitable within a year.