Black women are opening successful businesses every day. Go, sis go! We’re strong, smart, clever, and powerful. Women, in general, are capable of moving mountains. Just imagine the black girl magic you can tap into if you commit to a promise..
I Made a Promise and I had to Commit to Keeping My Word
The desire to make a significant impact within the plus-size community as well as keep a promise I made myself – to live a life so full and so rich, there would be something to write in my obituary – led to the birth of Plurvy, fashion for the plus and curvy.
My journey as an entrepreneur has a direct correlation with my growth as an individual. Learning to love myself, to listen to myself and to not care about what other people think, are all exercises I put into practice daily. These exercises not only allowed me to be me and continue to grow; they allowed me to trust my gut and move without boundaries.
Life Comes Full Circle
Plurvy is not only a collection of expressive clothing, but a method of giving back to the community that has given so much to me. Watching women fully embrace their curves, their imperfections and celebrate their bodies, has inspired me.
I always find it funny when things come full circle. I believe we all have a destiny to fulfill and if we do not, the burden then belongs to the next generation. From the outside looking in, fashion may seem random for me, but it is not. I have always had a love of clothing, style, and decor. In fact, both of my grandmothers are beautiful seamstresses. I myself took up sewing from an early age. My first sewing machine was an old hand-me-down. I would make costumes that consisted of skirts and halter tops. Pair that mini- seamstress of yesterday with the burning fire of entrepreneurship of today and you get a little seed, just waiting to blossom. The person that I am today was always present within me, she just needed time to grow.
It makes me smile to think about the little child that would save her money to purchase discounted fabrics and make decorative pillows. I would sit in my room creating for hours, learning by trial and error. When I emerged, I had pillows to sell to family and friends.
Time to Get Serious
I started my first business in my early twenties, it was a staging and decorating company. As it grew, so did my love for entrepreneurship. The years continued to compound, as did my skills as a businesswoman. KanShe Staging, a tiny sole-proprietorship grew into Southern PaSH LLC, a marketing and consulting firm, which is now PaSH Inc., a holding company for an imprint, a marketing firm, a production company, two digital publications, and a fashion house.
The fashion house, PaSH Threads, debuted with Pluvy, a fashion brand for plus and curvy women. I felt it was important to support the community that has helped shape and mold me into who I am today.
It has taken eight years to get to the place that I am currently and I still have many miles left to run. The journey as an entrepreneur is sometimes carved by a path sprinkled with sticky thorns, slippery slopes, and uneven terrain. The only guarantee one can count on as an entrepreneur is spiritual, mental and emotional growth.