If you think about what sells — all those products that advertisers push as "cool" and "in" — you know that what’s hot doesn’t always jive with your values. That’s why it’s so important to identify your company’s core values — the philosophy that guides your company’s direction — from the start.

One of the important roles of the entrepreneur is to establish the philosophy, vision, and beliefs that will guide your venture. Making sure the business’ products and associates stick to those core values takes careful and deliberate planning, not just at the beginning, but throughout the evolution of your company.

Let’s talk about clothes, for example. What’s "in" these days are baby tank tops and low-rider jeans — not exactly the ideal outfit for everyone. Just ask Keisha McDaniel.

By the time she was 10, Keisha was already 5’5, 160 pounds, and wore boys’ clothing because girls’ clothing didn’t fit her. "I kept getting picked on at school," Keisha remembers. "I played sports, so the kids would call me a tomboy."

Keisha’s mom decided to do something about it. She bought some fabric and suggested that Keisha design her own clothes. That’s how the label Pretty Tomboy was created.

"We design clothes for the not-so-average girl," Keisha says of the core values that drive her company, Pretty Tomboy Clothing in Las Vegas, NV. "We want to give athletic girls a choice."

The clothes reflect Keisha’s philosophy: Be yourself or please everyone else. "The average teenager wants to do what everyone else is doing," Keisha, now 15, explains. "But if you do that, you’re not being yourself."

As a company expands, profit motives and new employees can sway young ‘treps from the company’s philosophy. That’s when it’s more important than ever for entrepreneurs to stay true to their core values.

In the last five years, as Keisha’s business has grown, she’s added a few outside designers. She has made it a top priority that her new contract employees both understand and buy into her company’s mission.

Finding a niche like Keisha’s isn’t always easy, especially when you’re looking for one that also matches your core values. Michael Stewart, 19, founded his company on a broader philosophy.

Michael’s clothing company, Mosayk, Inc., based in Raleigh, NC, is designed to appeal to people of all races. "We wanted to create a brand that embraces everyone," he says. That’s how Michael and his business partner, Kerris Lee, came up with the company’s name. Mosayk symbolizes the coming together of different pieces. "That’s our mission," Michael says. Their Web site (www.mosayk.com) says: "Mosayk guarantees clothing that gives people of all backgrounds a sense of pride."

Mosayk, Inc. debuted at a number of trade shows, but the clothing did not have the widespread appeal they expected. "We were stuck in the urban market," Michael explains. "We needed to make a strategic move."

Michael and Kerris decided to take a whole new approach. They chose one logo, "I love NC" — the NC representing North Carolina — as the trademark for all their clothing.

"Quality clothing, unique designs — those are Mosayk’s core values," Michael explains. "Our new logo will bring love and respect for our state and open us up to a different group of customers." They are now trying to find a way to work with the North Carolina Convention and Visitors Bureau.

While Keisha’s and Michael’s core values determine what merchandise they sell, Leslie Shoup’s values center around customer service. Leslie, 18, owner of Leslie’s Xpresly Sportswear in Orrville, OH, transfers and embroiders designs on jerseys, jackets, and shirts.

"It’s our duty to keep customers happy," she says. "We try to get everything to the customer on time — even if it means staying open until midnight."

Leslie even hand-delivers her clothes. She says a new competitor just moved into town, and she’s doing everything possible to make sure her company remains unique. "I’m not too worried because we’ve been around longer, but it puts pressure on us to maintain our quality of work."

Right now, Leslie runs the business with the help of her family, but she hopes to expand the company. She worries, though, about how to encourage the same values and work ethics in her future employees.

Like Keisha and Michael, Leslie will continue to emphasize the guiding values of her company as it grows larger. It’s the only way she believes both she and her venture will find true success.