Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Batliner.
Tyler, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
HAGS Clothing started during a moment when everything in my life slowed down at once. I already knew I had a tumor in my leg, but while playing soccer with my friends at Mizzou, I fractured the golf ball–sized tumor and also had my patellar tendon repaired due to ongoing issues from Osgood-Schlatter. I had to come home from Mizzou for two weeks for surgery, then return to school knowing I would be on crutches for a couple more weeks.
Recovery forced me to sit still for the first time in a long time. I spent most of my time in my childhood bedroom, and one day I came across an old yearbook that someone wrote “HAGS” which means have a great summer. I forgot about the acronym, but it was so nostalgic to see this once so familiar acronym right in front of me yet again. That’s when an idea sparked for what a great brand title “HAGS” could become.
That downtime gave me the space to start building something from scratch. I began designing, researching, and thinking about what kind of brand I actually wanted to create. At the same time, I was already running a social media platform under the name “TheRealTbat”, where I had built an audience of over 200,000 followers by posting summer-focused and lifestyle content. Creating HAGS felt like a natural extension of that. It felt like putting a brand behind the feeling and energy I was already sharing online.
HAGS originally stood for “Have A Great Summer,” but it quickly became bigger than one season. To me, HAGS means “Have a Great” something whether its a summer, Saturday, season, or whatever moment you’re in. I wanted to build a brand rooted in positivity, good vibes, and making the most out of where you are, even when life doesn’t go as planned.
Today, HAGS is a student-ran business, built around that same mindset. It’s clothing meant to fit into real life and serve as a reminder to keep things positive and to have a great something, no matter the season.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being an involved college student entrepreneur has definitely not been a smooth road. One of the largest struggles I have had along the way is the constant stress of coming up with new ideas, but also figuring out how to effectively, financially, bring those ideas to life. You don’t have a lot of extra money as a college student, so every financial decision must be well thought out and intentional.
I know that there have been many moments where I wanted to explore ideas but was unable to execute them immediately, only because of the costs that came with doing so. I had to figure out how to start small, which, in many cases, meant being patient and understanding the importance of testing, which, in many ways, strengthened the brand.
Balancing school and running the business has also been a challenge. Between schoolwork and other commitments, everything with HAGS seems to be done late at night or in the brief periods of downtime. However, this has been useful for learning how to balance my time, be disciplined and construct something slowly.
For the most part, these challenges have forced me to think smarter, rather than thinking bigger. The road to building HAGS has not been easy, but among many things it has taught me the ability to grow with limited means.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about HAGS Clothing?
HAGS Clothing is made by Tyler Batliner, a student at the University at Missouri studying journalism. Batliner also posts on his social medias under his username “TheRealTbat.” HAGS is a student-operated lifestyle apparel company focused on the idea of spreading positivity throughout our day-to-day lifestyles. Although the original vision for the company was as an acronym for “Have a Great Summer,” not only has the organization evolved into far more, but the actual acronym now represents anything with “Have a Great” in front of it, from summer to Saturday to season.
What sets HAGS apart, however, is the fact that it is so connected to its audience, because the CEO himself is in the target demographic.The brand was created by a student, for students and young people in general, and everything about the brand, including the marketing, has been extremely hands-on in nature. HAGS has been able to work with an existing digital audience through “TheRealTbat” social platform, which has made it feel like a community from the very start and not just another clothing brand to drop in the market.
Brand-wise, I am most proud of the message. We are not just about clothing, HAGS is about a mentality. All of our clothing is designed to make people enjoy the moment and stay positive.
What I hope to convey to readers is that HAGS continues to grow, to change, and to remain true to its original objective. It’s not just a name, a logo, a face. It’s a reminder to have something great, regardless of the season of life you are in.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Some of my experiences felt like bad luck, but they ultimately determined everything I had not planned. Just as I felt HAGS was beginning to pick up, one of the worst moments in my life happened in Summer ‘25. I lost my number one supporter , my grandma Memaw. Even when I felt I wanted to give up she was a woman who believed in me since day one, and I knew she always thought I was capable of achieving anything I put my mind to. Losing her was especially difficult as having her love and support was what inspired me most.
What got me through that period of my life was my family. I have been absolutely blessed to have a support system that never allowed me to give up, even during the tough times. My uncles, Ryan and Sean, are die-hard Mizzou fans. They have been with me every step of the way by helping me brainstorm ideas, handing out koozies, promoting HAGS, and really supporting the brand beyond just business. It has also been great to live on a college campus so close to my network of friends that have always had unwavering support for HAGS. Whether it is buying products and wearing them on game days to just reposting graphics, they have helped me to grow my brand beyond what I could imagine.
Pricing:
- Most of my shirts are from $20-$30
- Most of my Hoodies are from $45-$65
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hagsclothing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hagsclothing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Hags-Clothing-61579688482251/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerbatliner
- Twitter: https://x.com/hagsclothing?s=11
