Our Founder's Story.
An ever-growing pursuit to create something meaningful, discover purpose, and make a ding in the universe.
Creating The First Ever Lifestyle & Performance Retail Brand for Urban Entrepreneurs.
Tru’s diverse professional experience spans marketing, branding, sound engineering, artist management, consulting, product and software development, and design—yet his purpose remains singular: to inspire and empower people to realize their passion and purpose. This mission is the foundation of Trulvl and the reason entrepreneurs are at its core. Entrepreneurs are not just consumers—they are uniquely talented individuals with the ideas, drive, and potential to impact their lives, communities, and the world. Yet, depending on their background or socioeconomic status, they are often undervalued.
Trulvl exists to champion urban entrepreneurs, prioritizing their unique mindset, needs, and desires by designing innovative apparel, lifestyle products, and entrepreneur essentials that seamlessly blend style and function, across life and business.
Entrepreneurs deserve the same big-brand representation as athletes, yogis, outdoor enthusiasts, and even skateboarders. Entrepreneurship is not just a trend—it’s a mindset and a way of life. And Trulvl is more than a brand. It’s a movement.
This isn’t about hustle culture. It’s about who we become along the journey. Trulvl represents the pursuit of your highest potential. Our Trulvl, and everything we do, revolves around entrepreneurship—even the beautiful community of people that model our products are entrepreneurs. It’s said that entrepreneurship is lonely, but no one builds greatness alone. We are forever grateful for the incredible contributions of the entrepreneurs and fans of the brand who continue to make this vision a reality.
James Kamau Truitt, known as Tru, is a lifelong entrepreneur born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. After an honorable discharge from United States Marine Corps, he launched his first successful business at age 23—an artist management company operating in Orlando, FL and New York City. As a visual communications major in high school, Tru gravitated toward professional pursuits where creativity met strategy, leveraging his ability to see the big picture, while crafting inventive ways to bring ideas to life.
The first vision for True Level was a sports apparel company. After years of trial, error, and repeated attempts to get the venture off the ground, Tru rebranded the company as Trulvl, Inc. and relaunched while working as a full-time tech specialist at Apple, Inc. Using his salary and employee stock to fund the new business, Trulvl was officially incorporated during Juneteenth week in 2020, starting with logo tees sold to his Apple colleagues and Denver’s growing Black and small business communities.
Over the next few years, Tru immersed himself in his community—as a servant, student, and leader — completing over 25 small business programs and teaching entrepreneurship to youth and adults while refining Trulvl’s business model and product vision. During this time, he recognized that the greater majority of his customers were entrepreneurs, dreamers, and creators, much like himself—people who resonated not just with the brand’s style and aesthetic, but with its empowering messaging: