As Individuals Jennifer and Scott Hochstadt Hold Their Own. Together They Form a Powerhouse

In the decade since, they started a family while also creating separate apparel businesses. And while their brands couldn’t be more different, Jen and Scott share an entrepreneurial spirit and drive—qualities that motivate both their personal success and their support of each other.

Scott’s interest in athletics and sportswear originated with his father, a lacrosse player who worked for Champion for 17 years. Growing up in the world of sports and entertainment, Scott attended conventions, all-star weekends and Super Bowl games with his dad, often visiting the locker rooms of pro sports teams. Following in his father’s footsteps, he became an All-American in lacrosse for the University of Maryland.

Also an artist, Scott created a logo and brand for his senior project—a stick figure named Adrenaline. Scott describes the character as a “Jordan for lacrosse” that remains relevant in the sport today. Soon he was designing apparel and logos for small lacrosse stores before getting drafted to play professional lacrosse in Canada.

Several years later in San Diego, a woman noticed Scott’s lacrosse shirt and approached him. It was local mom Jeanne Roth, who mentioned that there was little to no lacrosse in California. She asked if he’d work with some of their kids. Though he explained that he was just visiting and didn’t even bring his lacrosse stick, he still gave her his number. That serendipitous interaction turned into a great opportunity.

The Roths put Scott up in their guesthouse so he could begin coaching for Torrey Pines. He also conducted a preseason camp but didn’t intend to return. Instead he set off on an exhibition tour in Europe with plans to move back to Maryland to coach lacrosse for the University of Maryland and start his graphic design business.

But the West Coast wasn’t done with him. He received a proposal by email from a group of parents asking him to teach lacrosse to their kids. The opportunity to start something new proved too big to ignore, and he returned to California.

“Scott hasn’t just built a brand; he has built a culture. He thinks about the whole package, from the logo and branding to the slogans that surround it. He’s also really good at sustaining genuine relationships—most of the people in his life have been around for many years. He keeps his word and does what he says he’s going to do.”

For the next 13 years Scott grew the sport, visiting just about every school from San Diego to Los Angeles. When he took up the opportunity to play for the Hollywood Lacrosse Club, he went from the slow beach life of San Diego to living in an apartment on Sunset Boulevard.

Scott created leagues, camps, travel programs and recruiting events. He also worked with the entertainment industry, getting the sport in movies such as American Pie and TV shows like House and 90210. The business grew into the largest lacrosse organization in the world and launched a pro lacrosse tour, which sold to Major League Lacrosse (MLL).

Ever the entrepreneur, he recognized that the preppy lacrosse apparel needed a West Coast refresh. He launched his senior project brand Adrenaline to all his youth teams, adding a needed flair to their jerseys. Adrenaline took off. It became so popular, even kids who didn’t play lacrosse began wearing it.

Then Scott set his sights on creating a universal sportswear brand. Through connecting to some major power players across the sports world, such as legends Steve Nash, Jim Moore Jr. and Willie McGinest, he attacked the gap in the market and created Legends.

“I had to learn the business side on the fly,” shares Scott. “I am dyslexic, and in school I was fully focused on art because I couldn’t do certain math and language classes. I was into the visual side of things and leaned more toward marketing and telling stories because that’s the way my brain works.”

Due to the noncompete with MLL, Legends was restricted to only socks and uniforms for the first year. With the help of investor Chad Faulkner, he launched his line as the official apparel provider for the Sports Academy, established by Chad and Kobe Bryant. Together Scott and Chad sought to create high-end, street-inspired products with limited runs to keep the demand high—a Supreme meets Lululemon.

They officially launched in June 2018, securing some heavy-hitting celebrity investors including Baker Mayfield, Matt Barnes and music artist Quavo from Migos. Legends worked on creating pop-up and charity events for top athletes and currently collaborates with the Lakers, Patriots, Clippers and Brooklyn Nets as well as the players association.

LeBron James, James Harden and Justin Bieber have all sported Legends apparel. Unlike some other companies, Legends doesn’t pay their investors, influencers, athletes or celebrities to wear their clothes; they want them to want to wear the brand and get involved in the creative process. Legends values being a pillar of the community, doing good and being involved in philanthropic causes.

“Scott hasn’t just built a brand; he has built a culture,” shares Jen. “He thinks about the whole package, from the logo and branding to the slogans that surround it. He’s also really good at sustaining genuine relationships—most of the people in his life have been around for many years. He keeps his word and does what he says he’s going to do.”

Legends’ breakout year coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. While the shutdown undoubtedly helped the athleisure industry, most of the company’s success is due to Scott’s hard work behind the scenes. In a market as tough and explosive as the sport of lacrosse, Legends has burst through to announce itself as a new player on the global stage. Says Scott, “We’re in a good spot, but we haven’t even scratched the surface of what we are going to do.”

When Scott started Legends, Jen helped out by doing some of their photography. A native of Sacramento, her entrepreneurial dad and teacher mom influenced her “get-it-done” attitude from a young age. Her playdates often included a brainstorming session for new businesses she wanted to create.

Though she loved her small town, she also craved the buzz and excitement of a big city. During college at Arizona State University, she earned an internship as an executive assistant on set for a FOX reality TV show and fell in love with production. She spent 10 years in the industry, working for FOX, NBC, MTV, Food Network and Sci-Fi. She worked her way up to producer but always wanted to start her own business.

When she became a mother to their first child, Camden, things began to change for Jen. She felt less inspired to put in the crazy hours required to produce shows and wanted to focus more on her son. Always a lover of fashion, Jen enjoyed dressing Cam. But finding cute boy clothes that didn’t come with a high price tag was difficult.

Closely involved as Scott began building the Legends brand, she suggested that he introduce some baby or kid items to take advantage of the gap she observed in the market. As Scott was focused on streamlining their menswear collection at the time, it never materialized.

Undeterred, Jen decided to test her theory. When Legends set up a pop-up at Homie Manhattan Beach, she saw her opportunity. She created a child’s tracksuit that became a best seller.

That early success inspired her to create Baby Barn, cofounded with another local resident, Brian Scott. They envisioned well-made, elevated essentials for babies, toddlers and kids—all developed by parents. Jen and Brian managed to design an aesthetically pleasing, high-quality brand without the exorbitant cost—setting it apart from others in the marketplace. Their choice of a neutral, earthy palette makes mixing and matching easy.

Jen says she was simply designing what she wanted for herself and her children. By meeting her own needs, she also found solutions for others. She offers items in a bundle, so her customers get more for their buck.

Originally the brand was designed for babies up to 12 months, but success has motivated them to take the age range up to 5 years old. Baby Barn’s customers have grown with the brand. In a time of disposable fashion, Jen’s purpose was to create clothing that is easy to live in and then proudly pass on for others to enjoy.

Everything Jen learned in production has translated into running her business. It taught her a lot about problem-solving, being organized and the importance of having a self-starter attitude.

In the past year, Jen and Scott were blessed to welcome their second child, Olivia—a bright light during a tumultuous time. Somehow the Hochstadts have found a way to juggle parenting and running successful businesses during one of the most challenging years ever for fashion. No doubt the post-pandemic era will welcome new wins for this dynamic couple.