Welcome to another exciting episode of the Black Bridge Mindset Podcast, where culture, entrepreneurship, and business fuels inspiration!
🎙️ Today, we’re thrilled to host Sandy Daniels, the creative force behind Symphony Love, a bold and culturally inspired women’s fashion brand based in Chicago. Sandy shares her fascinating journey from childhood sketches to launching Symphony Love officially in 2023, overcoming self-doubt and harnessing the power of vision boards. 🌟 Follow along as Sandy talks about her unique designs, upcoming fashion shows, and her plans for life and business coaching. Whether you're building a business, breaking barriers, or seeking some serious inspo, you're in the right place! 🔥👗
Follow Symphony Love:
- Website: symphonylove.com
Email: info@symphonylove.com
Thank you for listening!
Follow our socials!
Contact us:
- Email: blackbridgemindset@gmail.com
Hosts:
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
CJ (00:00):
Hello and welcome to the Black Bridge Mindset Podcast
where culture, entrepreneurship,and business intersect to fuel
inspiration.
This podcast celebrates thepower of diverse voices shaping
the future of business.
So whether you're building abusiness, breaking barriers,
we're just looking for someserious inspiration here in the
right place.
(00:21):
The Black Bridge mindset whereculture and entrepreneurship
collide.
Ken (00:26):
All right.
Good morning everybody.
Welcome to the Black BridgeMindset Podcast.
On this Saturday morning.
I am here with my two bestfriends, CJ and Mike.
We are excited for today'sguest.
Let me see what's happeninghere.
Festival season is starting tokick off in Atlanta.
I lied the last time whenever Isaid we do not do St.
(00:48):
Patrick's Day here in Atlanta,but I learned yesterday that
there's actually a parade.
I don't know who's going to bethere, but there is a St.
Patrick's Day parade.
So it should be a good weekend.
What's that?
Mike (01:01):
you going?
Ken (01:02):
No, I'm not going.
It's downtown.
I stick in my six block radiusunless there's a reason for me
to leave.
But a funny story is, I saw arestaurant, on Instagram that
looks really good.
So whenever you guys visit,we'll have to go.
But it's in, Sandy Spring and Iwas talking to somebody at work
and I was like, looks like I hadto go get on a plane and go to
this restaurant.
Now mind you, it's only sixmiles away, but still, dealing
(01:25):
with Atlanta traffic and tryingto get there and back.
I was asking a whole lot.
But, yeah.
Excited about today's show.
I'm gonna send it over to CJnext, to give us a little bit of
update on what he's got goingon.
CJ (01:37):
so before I do that, in Sandy Springs where we went to,
to do the shoes,
Ken (01:42):
No, that was closer to the, Tennessee border.
That was, at the Perimeter mall.
So that was like, I don't know,30 miles away.
Yeah, that was further north.
CJ (01:52):
gone for some reason, But yeah, not much going on
personally.
I've just been.
Doing the least amount of work Ican.
Like everywhere else now,storming, raining, doing all
kinds of craziness.
Just a nice day coming up.
(02:13):
I don't know, probably earlierthis, earlier in the week, I'll
be do something.
Mike (02:21):
Nice.
Yeah, you're still coming in andout a little bit.
CJ (02:24):
Alright, I'm gonna turn the gain up again.
Mike (02:27):
Okay.
CJ (02:27):
Is that, is that better?
Ken (02:29):
Yeah, and just sit closer to your mic, like you lean back
in your chair,
CJ (02:33):
I'm literally right up on it.
My guts almost touching thedesk.
I don't know what else to do.
Mike (02:41):
You're so crazy.
Ken (02:42):
Look, pretend you're at the bar, and you just, right there.
Mike (02:46):
Hey, Mr.
Bartender, give me a drink.
CJ (02:50):
right.
Mike (02:53):
Hey, I love me son.
Rihanna.
Don't come after her.
But anyway, while CJ's, doingthat my week has actually been
pretty good.
And as everyone knows, we'verecorded two shows, so that's
been awesome.
And they've been going great.
We're working, we're recordingour third show today on, it's
not St.
Patty's Day, I guess that's onMonday.
But we are dressed in green andeverybody's gonna be outside
(03:14):
acting crazy today in Chicago.
Preparing for that and I'm sure,our guest who's also here in
Chicago today, I'm sure she'sready for it too.
We'll talk to her about that.
Here in a little bit, but I'mpretty excited for our guests.
It's pretty random how we met.
We were, at a real estate meetupand you know me, I'm just going
around talking to everybody,saying hello, and she told me
(03:35):
that, she told me about herbusiness and everything, and
it's just around the time thatwe were planning and getting all
this together.
So I'm really excited to talk toher about that.
So yeah, so nothing crazy for methis week.
Just gonna enjoy the weekend,avoid the madness and, yeah.
And the weather.
It's supposed to be like 70something today, I think.
Almost 80.
It's gonna be crazy.
CJ (03:53):
I thought you were doing a trolley ride today.
Mike (03:56):
Okay, CJ, I was gonna leave that out for the people I
was gonna, let me do mybusiness.
CJ (04:03):
You can't tell me one thing and then say something
different.
Mike (04:06):
and Yes, people, I am gonna, I am gonna go to the
trolley.
They actually started at 8:00 AMthey're, and they're gonna be
bouncing around.
So once I get done, I think theydid like kegs and eggs or
something for breakfast.
And then, I'm gonna meet themafter this once we're done.
We'll see what type of statethey're in once I meet them.
But yes, I,
CJ (04:27):
You might be the Minority Bridge in, in that group.
Mike (04:30):
You ain't lying.
You ain't wrong.
You ain't lying one.
But yeah.
But, yeah, let's get started.
'cause it is eight 30 in themorning on a Saturday and we hop
on a little bit early to do micte mic checks and all that fun
stuff.
So we've had our coffee.
I think we're awake.
The sun is slowly coming out.
We had a storm last night, soit's not the brightest yet, but,
(04:53):
hopefully we'll get there.
But, yeah, as I mentioned, I amsuper excited to introduce, our
guest today.
I want everyone to meet Sandy,the creative force behind
Symphony Love, a woman ownedfashion brand dedicated to
self-love, empowerment, andinclusivity based in Illinois
Symphony Love blends boldstatement making designs with
(05:16):
cultural influences from Africa,the Middle East, and Asia.
Each piece is crafted to leave alasting impression, whether
you're heading to brunch or agala.
With a focus on confidence andindividuality, the brand ensures
every woman feels empowered inher own skin.
Join Symphony Love forUnforgettable fashion show on
April 27th, 2025 from two to6:00 PM at Water Tower Place in
(05:40):
Chicago, where style meetsstrength and self-expression.
Without further ado, the brainand beauty behind the fashion.
Sandy Daniels.
What's up Sandy?
Sandy (05:51):
Everybody, thank you for having me.
Thank you so much.
Ken (05:55):
to the show.
Mike (05:57):
Yeah.
Welcome.
And I was telling people,earlier, so we just met at a
real estate meetup.
'cause I do real estate on theside.
And remind me, do you do realestate as well or were you there
supporting your friend?
Sandy (06:10):
No, so I have a real estate company as well, and I
own property, so I was therejust to I, I want to acquire
another, investment property.
So I was there to just get, pushmyself back in it because I was
saying the longest I'm gonnaget, I'm gonna get some more
property, I'm gonna really takethis business more seriously and
not be in the background.
(06:31):
So let me go to just be inspiredby other people and get some
ideas going with that.
But I do have a real estatebusiness, so yeah.
Mike (06:39):
Awesome.
I love that.
Yeah.
If, like someone told us theother day, no one's gonna do it
for you.
So you have to put yourself outthere and do it yourself.
And that's what it takes.
And that's why I go to thosewell as well for this very same
reasons.
So tell us a little bit aboutyourself.
So are you from Illinois?
Born and
Sandy (06:58):
yes.
So born and raised in Chicago,north side of Chicago.
So I've been here my whole life.
My family is Ghanaian, I haven'tbeen back to Ghana in like over
a decade.
They're like looking for me,but, so I'm planning to go this
year.
But yeah, born and raised inChicago.
Been here my whole life.
Mike (07:18):
Nice.
That's awesome.
And just to go with that, soyou're into real estate and
you're into fashion.
So tell us a little bit abouthow you started this business,
what inspired you to get intothis?
Tell us a little bit about yourjourney to, from the beginning
to how you got here now.
Sandy (07:37):
Okay, I have been designing my outfit since I was
a kid.
I just remember that when I wasyounger I always looked, so much
more different than the otherkids.
I was taller.
I I felt like I grew, I.
Faster than everybody elsearound me.
Like I was just, out of thenorm, so everybody would see me
and they're just like, you, justlike a groan you.
(08:00):
It feels like you've been herebefore.
I always used to hear that.
I used to style myself.
I used to dress myself.
I would get up and just outfitand, if I didn't like the
outfit, I would just startsketching and just start drawing
the kind of outfit that I wantedand how I wanted to look.
And, people would laugh at meand be like, what are you over
(08:20):
here drawing this for?
You're not, you're not going towear this.
You're not going to, it's justnot what are you doing?
So one day I just put all mysketches together and before I
know I knew it, I was workingwith Taylor's, I was working
with other seamstresses.
I was bringing my fashion tolife.
And so that was the firstinstance of me seeing something
(08:43):
that I envisioned happening.
So people would always come tome when I was a kid to style
them.
Oh, how does this look together?
Or Can you gimme pointers?
Can you gimme ideas?
And it went from there.
Like I was always the one thatwas like, Sandy, just come in
here real quick and look at thisfor me.
Or I was drawing out sketchesfor people to get styles done.
(09:06):
That was before I even knew howto sew.
I just probably learned how toham.
And my mom was a seamstress aswell.
She sewed and I would watch herand I think I got that from her
as well.
And, so I've always beenfascinated with, fashion.
And then as I grew, I rememberlike even my prom dress, I drew,
I designed my prom dress myself,and I almost didn't even go to
(09:29):
prom because, I had at thattime, some personal things
happen.
Like I had lost my parents and alot of things w was happening at
that time and I was really down.
But I found that, like fashionand just drawing and being
creative is where I was able toget my outlet from and really
turn some things that was goingdownhill in my life into an
(09:52):
uphill for me.
So I've been doing thisunofficially for over a decade,
like close to 20, if not 20,since I was a preteen.
And then I just recentlyincorporated it in, 2023.
It's been like a dream that I'vebeen putting off.
Oh, you'll do it, you'll do iteventually, you'll do it next
(10:12):
year.
No, just wait.
And then I told myself in 2023,I am doing this.
I'm going in, I'm just going todo what I've always been doing
just officially and I'm goingto, put this brand out there.
Especially I felt like inChicago, we really don't have a
brand or a fashion house like I,am envisioning and it's like we
(10:35):
have that in New York or we havepeople that started off in
Chicago, but then they move offto other capitals that they feel
are fashion capitals.
So we don't really have anythinghere stamped in Chicago for
fashion.
So I wanted to make sure that, Ibranded that and we would have
our own something in Chicagothat is made here, bred here and
(10:59):
successful here and not havingto move anywhere else.
CJ (11:02):
Okay.
First of all, that is awesome.
The fact that this has beensomething within you since a kid
is crazy.
I'm curious, I get you had thisinner desire to create your own
fashion, I'm sure, but where'dthe artistic side come from?
Was it just, oh, you, it soundslike you literally have been
(11:22):
here before to just seesomething at that, at a young
age and just start drawing.
Sandy (11:30):
Yeah.
It's I don't know.
I always say that it's a giftdirectly from God because it's,
it is so strange how it cameabout.
I used to start off.
With, just weird stick figuresand drawings that weren't
perfect.
And so people always be like,what is this supposed to be in?
I don't see, they didn't see thevision, they didn't see what I
saw.
And I remember, in middleschool, I was in a art class.
(11:53):
It was like a mandatory artclass, and I used to think that
I could skate through thatclass.
I'm like, I'm not gonna reallyput anything into it.
It's art.
But my art teacher was so hardon me and she would specifically
pick on me and she'd say, I knowyou can do more than this.
I would draw like a stick figureor something.
She's no, like I know you canturn this into three DI know you
(12:17):
could put more into this.
And I, at that time, didn't evenknow I had this in me.
I'm like, how would she knowthat I knew how to draw or how
would she, but she would pushme.
And I'm telling you, I became anartist through that class.
And so that translated intoenhancing my drawings for my
fashions.
That enhanced me putting morethought and feeling behind, my
(12:40):
drawings and even envisioning,because there were some times I
would draw styles and I'mcombining fabrics that, people
would think doesn't even match.
They don't even go together.
And in my drawings, like I'mputting 3D things, like I love
everybody who sees me,especially a lot of my fashions.
I'll have something outlandish,like I'll probably have a big
bow somewhere, or I havesomething just outlandish to
(13:04):
really elevate the style.
And people used to make so muchfun of me, what in the world is
this?
Like you have a bow where, andthen so when the outfit is
created and I wear it andthey're like, oh my goodness.
Where did this come from?
And so that's a lot of thesurprise factor.
What I bring into, my designs isthat I make sure that I am, I'm
(13:29):
putting anything that Ienvision, there's no limitations
on my designs, because I'mfinding now that when you don't
put any limitations on styles,I'm seeing so many different
styles now.
People using metal, people usingall different things, just
seeing where their creationleads them to.
So I'm like, this is what I'vealways felt since I was a child.
(13:51):
But people will try to deter youand tell you to stay on a normal
path and think normally, but youhave to think outside of the box
and you really have to pushyourself.
And I felt like that gift wascreated when my teacher pushed
me, combined with kind of what Iwas already doing, as a child.
And just seeing and learning.
(14:12):
I, my mom again was aseamstress.
By the time I was growing up,she didn't sew as much, but it's
something that I recall andremember her sitting at her
sewing machine and like doinglittle hemmings, fixing little
patches.
She didn't really go intofashion design, but I know that
she was as talented where shecould have, but she decided on
(14:32):
another path.
CJ (14:33):
It sounds like you would be a, perfect contestant for
Project Runway.
Ever thought about that?
Sandy (14:39):
I hear that all the time.
You're speaking to intoexistence.
I receive it.
I receive it.
CJ (14:47):
Just the fact that you, not only do you have the vision, but
you also have the skill to, tobring that vision to life
through sketches and you can,summing you are the ultimate
contestant.
Sandy (14:58):
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I would love to representChicago.
I, any time that I can representus and represent as well, I
always try to take theopportunity, especially when I
go into a lot of these meetings,like I go into a lot of
networking events and once I sayI do fashion design, it's like a
(15:19):
shock to everyone.
You do fashion design and you'rehere in Chicago, it's oh, okay,
and it's a talking point becausethey're not used to hearing
that.
They're used to, oh, where didyou come from New York?
Are you coming from Miami?
Are you coming from likesomewhere else?
So definitely that is on thebooks for me to elevate the
brand as much as possible andmake it a household name and
(15:41):
stamp, for Chicago.
CJ (15:46):
I'm sorry I.
Something just came to mind andI've had, people in the past ask
me, I don't know why, but,they're curious.
You have this vision, you saidyou basically took what Mike
likes to call and Perfect actionto, incorporate your business,
make an LSC, and actually bringyour thoughts to, to fruition.
(16:07):
What steps did you take, one, toprepare to get your LLC and what
was the actual process?
Sandy (16:14):
Okay, this is, there's so many, there's so many layers to
this because initially I thoughtwhen I finally boosted myself up
to do it, I thought, oh, youjust file and then you have an
LLC.
But there's, so there's.
It's not complicated, but it'scomplicated in a sense that the
(16:37):
most complicated part is gettingyourself ready.
Could have filed any time, Icould have filed a decade ago,
but my mindset wasn't where itneeded to be.
I kept putting things off.
I kept convincing myself that,everybody does this.
What's gonna make me different?
I kept talking myself out of itbefore really even putting
(16:59):
myself and getting myself intothe business.
So I had to get my mindset rightand it took year, 2023, the
beginning of the year, I, toldmyself like, I need a shift.
I just need something to changehere.
And so I went to a vision board.
It was like a vision boardnetworking event.
(17:19):
That was the first time ever Ihad made a vision board in my
entire life in 2023.
And so when I went to that,networking event, that really
put in me like, you're gonna doeverything that you have on this
vision board.
This is going to be what pushesyou.
(17:40):
You have to do it.
This is what you're gonna put upand you're gonna look at and
you're going to check off thethings that you put on here that
you want to accomplish.
So one of the things I had onthere was my fashion.
Like I had my fashion probablytook up half the board and my
business, before, and I hadmoney and other things on there.
(18:01):
But what I had was a whole bunchof fashion pieces and fashion
pieces that spoke to me.
And so that is part of whathelped me get into the mindset
of you, this is your destiny.
This is what you wanna do.
You can't keep putting it offbecause it doesn't matter if you
put it off.
(18:22):
Five minutes, five years, adecade is still going to come
back up and it's going to remindyou that this is the path that
you need to be on.
I keep, I kept convincingmyself, I'm, I'm comfortable
with what I'm doing now.
I'm okay and what I'm doing, thepain is okay.
It's not that bad.
I have a roof over my head.
(18:42):
I'm grateful for what I have.
But it's okay to be grateful andwant more for yourself.
It's o okay to be grateful forwhat you have and push yourself
to do more.
And so I knew that, I wascomfortable, but I wasn't where
I wanted to be, where my passionlied.
And once I got my mindset right,forming the LLC was so easy for
(19:07):
me, forming the LLC, getting theprofessional email, getting our
virtual office together.
Getting, and the thing about itis I'm like, I'm Christian.
So a lot of what I do is basedon faith.
Even when I don't see it isbased on faith.
Me knowing that like God willprovide no matter what, it
(19:30):
doesn't matter.
So the minute I was ready and Istarted the steps, everything
fell into place.
Like everything that I wasworried about that I said, I'm
leaving it up to God, likethings like money, how much this
costs, I'm gonna have to worryabout yearly filings.
I'm gonna have to worry aboutthis.
That, that it was like, don'tworry about any of this.
(19:52):
This is what you wanna do.
It's done.
And so once you put yourself inthat mindset, it's amazing how
everything falls into place.
Before I knew it, I.
That wanted to help me.
Mike (20:06):
Isn't.
Sandy (20:07):
different opportunities that came.
They were like, oh, I wanna helpyou.
I don't wanna be in theforefront, but here's the money,
here's the capital for it.
Oh, I have some fabrics here.
Oh, I have a machine.
I know we could get this.
I have a discount.
Like, all of these opportunitieswere, I don't wanna say, came
outta nowhere because they werethere.
It was just waiting for me to beready, so a lot of things.
(20:31):
Correct.
Correct.
So a lot of things we psychourselves out.
I need this, I need a list ofthings before I could start it.
For years, that's what I wasdoing.
I kept, you know what's sofunny?
I kept saying for years, oh, Ican't open this business because
I need, what did I say I need?
I needed something so random,oh, I need to worry about
trademarking.
Oh, I need to worry about thisbefore I, and it's no, that
(20:52):
comes after or through theprocess.
I.
Or, oh, I can't open thisbecause I need to, have access
to manufacturing.
I need like a, I need to printmy own, fabrics.
I need to print exclusivefabrics that nobody has and
nobody can get.
And it's like I kept convincingmyself of all these things I
needed before I needed to, Icould start.
(21:14):
Then it's no, you don't need anyof this stuff.
Just start and then it will cometo you.
The ideas will come to you, theresources will come to you.
And so a lot of, I know youdidn't ask this, but a lot of
the beginning of the process ofeven after I started the
business was a lot of detractorsand mental things that will try
(21:34):
to block you.
Oh, you need this, and they'lltry to set you off course.
So Oh yeah, you set the businessup, but you need to come this
way and figure out, get somebodyto print fabrics for you.
And it's like you're wasting allthis time, you waste a month
trying to get somebody to printfabrics for you when.
You don't even need that.
You are like, why am I doingthis?
Let me just buy fabrics.
Let me just make what we canmake with those fabrics.
(21:57):
And then they're exclusivepieces.
When they're done.
And then eventually when you getto where you're going, you then
can have an in-house printer.
You then can have in-houseexclusive pieces and fabric to
you, but start something firstso you can get to where you're
going, and then you could worryabout those little details
(22:18):
later.
Mike (22:20):
I love all of that in.
Ken (22:22):
You mentioned, earlier about, people telling you to
stay in your own lane, you'renot gonna be able to do this.
Can you tell us a little aboutyour support system, both as you
started and even now, and howthat's, assisting you in
continuing with the success ofyour business?
Sandy (22:39):
Thank you so much for that question, because that is a
big one.
Sometimes, and I don't wanna sayI didn't have any, but sometimes
you won't have a lot or manypeople in your support system.
And I'm just being honest,especially when you are tackling
something like a business,that's when you really know who,
(23:00):
it's meant to share that dreamwith you and who is meant to
share and bask in that dreamwith you.
Because sometimes people will belike, oh, okay, you could do it.
And they're just saying it, butthey don't really believe it, so
when you go to them and you needhelp and support and really
emotional support, they're like,oh, okay, you got it.
You got it.
(23:20):
But you won't really, and that'swhy I'm saying business
sometimes opens your mind up andit has to open your circle.
That's why recently I've beenjoining a lot of networking
business, networking eventsbecause I.
It's not, it's nothing againstyour family, it's nothing
against your friends.
But unless they are on thatjourney of being an entrepreneur
(23:40):
as well, they're not going toget it.
So when you're calling them andtelling them, all these things
like, oh, this happened, I hadthis opportunity.
They're happy for you, but theycan't really, give you too much
advice if you have a bad day orif you make a bad investment or
anything like that.
They can't really do much, but,give you a few words.
(24:03):
But they don't really, they'renot in the business to know the
intricate details, and they'renot, and they're not even
interested.
And it's not even that, it'soffensive or you should be
offended.
It's just not their calling.
It's not their thing that theydo.
So if you're telling them, likesometimes I want to discuss
business things, just strictlybusiness, and just.
(24:24):
Entrepreneurship.
And then you call some friendsand they're not called to do
that, so they're over here look,we wanna talk about TV shows.
Do you see what's happening withthe government?
Do you see what's happening?
And you're like, my mind frame.
I don't even wanna think aboutthat right now.
I'm trying to think about waysin which we can enhance and do
better regardless of theseobstacles.
(24:46):
And you guys wanna kind of stickin that.
And it's not until you become anentrepreneur or you put yourself
in that mind frame that yourealize.
There are truly differentcircles for different reasons.
Not that I can't hang with themfor brunch, not that I can't
hang with them, for familyevents and different things, but
when it comes to certain issuesand things pointed directly
(25:09):
towards business and mybusinesses and all that, I just
know that I can't always includethem.
And so what I would say is mysilent partner who you know,
does not like to be in the mixat all, they're like, look, I'm
in the background completely.
But they were such a hugesupport system for me.
(25:29):
And honestly, when I told themmy vision, they were the one,
they were the only ones that didmy, they're like, you can do it.
I've already been telling youcould do this.
Which they were, when you're notin that mind frame and you're
not ready to receive it, youreally don't hear.
(25:50):
You're like, okay, thank you.
But they're like, I've beentelling you this for years.
They're like, I've been tellingyou this since I've met you, and
that's why I saw something inyou and that's why I connected
with you, and then I am behindyou full force.
And so they were a huge supportsystem for me.
(26:11):
My, friend, cousin, everybody'sour cousin, but really we're
friends.
I would say she's also anotherone that's very supportive as
well, and I find it's funny, Ifind that a lot of my support,
or circle of support is not evenin Chicago.
They're in other states, so Ican't even meet up with them,
(26:34):
their brain or different thingslike that.
They're in other places.
They're either out the country,out the state, or something like
that.
So she was very supportive aswell.
You can do this, let me know.
But again, some people will say,let me know if I can help.
And they can't really help.
Not that it's something that youshould be offended by, but
again, if they're not called todo it, they won't understand it.
They won't understand the typeof help you need.
(26:55):
They won't really know what tosay.
All they'll, they will do isthey'll be in the background.
If you do need somethingspecific from them and you can
express specifically what youneed, then they'll make
themselves available.
But other than that, they can'treally, pick your brain or get
you, to relieve any stress thatyou have.
Especially business is not easyat all.
(27:16):
There are times when you willjust need somebody to talk to,
and at times that, that circleis not meant for that, they
won't understand.
Mike (27:26):
Yeah, hearing you talk about all of this makes me think
of the, if you've heard of thephrase, your network is your net
worth.
That phrase, and It's the peoplethat you have, I.
In your network when it comes tobusiness, helps you with your
net worth, just like you said,if you go to a certain group of
friends, yeah, these friends, Ilove them.
(27:48):
I want to hang out with them,but these are my friends when I
need to decompress, when I needto just enjoy life and have a
good time.
But when I'm working on mybusiness, my net is a little bit
different because it's gonnahelp me grow and increase my net
worth.
So I think that's, that's, youhearing you talk about that
reminded me of that phrase.
(28:09):
But one of the things I wantedto go back to is you mentioned,
when you were younger, peoplewould, come to you while you
were creating your designs oryou were, doing your sketches
and everything and say what areyou doing?
And all this negative energy.
Can you compare when youreceived negative energy back
(28:29):
then versus when you receivednegative energy?
Now, because I'm assumingeveryone in business, right?
No matter if it's at thebeginning or if you're doing
really well, there's alwaysgonna be that one hater out
there that's oh, you thinkyou're so great, or you think
you're whatever.
But I'm assuming the way thatyou handled negative comments
back then versus how younegative, handle negative
(28:52):
comments now is different.
Can you speak on that for peoplewho may be looking to build
their business and they'rehearing that you can't do it, or
what are you doing?
Sandy (29:01):
Definitely, and thank you for that question.
Honestly, when I was a kid, andit wasn't until most recently or
as an adult that I, I learnedthat a lot of this has an
effect.
But as a kid, a lot of that doesstick and it does.
Really all of that is the reasonwhy there's usually a delay in
(29:22):
life.
Whatever that delay is, you lookback at something from the past
and what probably someone hassaid or done that sticks and
that can contribute to thedelay.
So as a child, when they wouldsay that, it would do something
to me like I was stillprescription and I would still
draw, but I stopped a lot.
(29:44):
I quit a lot.
Or I did not perfect my craft.
There is a huge gap where I juststopped drawing and I couldn't
even explain to myself why Istopped drawing and I felt like
something was missing in mylife, but I didn't even
correlate it to, it's becauseyou stopped sketching.
It's because you stopped beingcreative.
(30:05):
I let that whole, other peopleare doing it.
What's gonna be different withyou?
That whole mentality really eataway at my beliefs for myself as
a child growing up, and I'll sayeven in, like teenage years high
school, that whole block, I justremember myself if that whole
(30:29):
time I was not as creative untilmy art teacher was like, you,
what are you doing?
And she didn't even know me.
This was the first year I'vetaken her course.
She doesn't know me from.
Previous years.
And so she could say, last yearyou were so good.
What happened this year?
This was the first time I'mtaking her course.
And for her to say, I know youhave it in you to give me better
than this, that triggeredsomething in me.
(30:52):
'cause I'm like, I can't dobetter than this.
What is stopping me from it?
So a lot of things when I wasyounger, it did stick because
again, I was growing andbecoming who I am.
So as I'm growing, I don't know,like it's kinda like a baby
who's born and they are justaccepting anything that's given
(31:13):
to them.
You don't really know, so you'relearning through that process.
So as a lot of this wassticking, I'm taking it in and
I'm letting it stick because Idon't know who I am.
But as I'm forming my identityand as I form my identity
growing up and becomingconfident in who I am, becoming
(31:33):
confident in my skills and thegift that I have.
Now it's like when I hearnegativity, I channel that into
positivity.
I accept constructive criticism,I reflect on it.
What could I have done better?
And then I don't let it fester,or I don't let it like stay and
(31:53):
think about it for a long time.
Like I put it down, I look atit, what I could have done
better, what I could learn fromthis.
And then I quickly just move onfrom it.
I don't let it just sink in andinto I did something wrong.
Because once that stays, it'llturn into something else.
It'll channel into somethingelse.
(32:15):
So I make sure I address,everything head on, and I make
sure that I'm still confident inwho I am.
If it's something that Iabsolutely agree with and I'm
confident in it, and I trust init, I accept the feedback.
But thank you for that.
But I don't, I know that I don'thave to utilize everything that
I hear.
I know that I don't have to.
Accept everything.
(32:36):
Take what it is that you take,what you can get from what you
hear, what feedback, all ofthat.
But create your owninterpretation.
And that's what I had to learnwith life.
Take the gems that you need andmake it into your own thing.
Don't try to follow what someoneelse is doing because somebody
(32:58):
else's formula may work for themand may be a total disaster for
you.
You have to do what feels rightto you.
And that's the one thing that Isaid ha has been very helpful
for me, is doing what feelsright, going with my intuition
on things and really beingmindful that, when I hear
negativity now, it's almost likeit's not even negativity to me.
(33:21):
Now that's at the point where Iam now in life where when I hear
something that even sounds likeshade.
I'm just like, okay, thank you.
And I'm just like, oh, I'll moveon.
I don't,
Ken (33:32):
Yeah.
Sandy (33:33):
I pray over it and I move on.
It doesn't.
I don't, it doesn't affect meanymore because I know that if
you, if you sit on it and youlet it affect you, you are gonna
be going back downhill.
Back downhill,
Ken (33:48):
can we, I want to segue into the fashion, we were
talking earlier about yourwebsite and it's beautiful.
The bold, bright colors, thedifferent styles that you have.
Can you just talk about, firstdid you have any fashion icons?
And then secondly, talk aboutwhat your creative process is as
(34:12):
you're, creating the differenttypes of fashion that you're
offering to your, clientele.
Mike (34:18):
Yeah.
And let's say your company namea few times too.
Symphony Love.
Ken (34:22):
Oh, yeah.
Symphony love.
Mike (34:24):
love.
Sandy (34:25):
Love.
It's like the, perfect blend ofharmonies, which I, when I look
at our fashions, that's what Ithink, and that's why that name
came to me because we areunconventional, we blend
different colors, we blenddifferent cultures, different
cuts, and I'm a tall woman, so Ijust remember that.
(34:47):
That's part of the reason why Ihad to design a lot of my
fashions as a kid because I wastaught, I had a stature that
didn't match anybody around me.
So that's why I have the optionfor custom fits.
Yeah.
So that's why I have the optionfor custom fits because I
wanted, everybody to feel likethey could have a piece that
speaks to them.
Not go to a website and say, oh,this is gonna be too short on me
(35:10):
when it arrives, or it's gonnabe too long, or it's not gonna
fit right.
So giving that, that option anda lot of my influence, I will
say, comes from my Ghanaianculture.
It comes from differentcultures, just seeing how, like
the movement of differentfabrics, seeing how different
pieces can look on individuals,pieces that are beyond like what
(35:35):
we think about.
And so influences that I've saidis a lot of really Ghanaian
culture.
I do Versace.
I do remember my first designer,anything that I bought was
Versace glasses.
They were prescription glasses.
I'm not a big designer girl, butthey were prescription glasses.
And it just so happened thatthey were the only ones like I
went to, I went away forcollege.
(35:56):
And so that was the only placethat sold glasses.
They had versa.
And I was like, oh, okay.
This is the cheapest one.
I'll go ahead and buy it.
So I wasn't ever a brand girl toreally keep track of the
different brands.
And I wanted to make sure that Ididn't see anything where I'm
mimicking.
So a lot of the things came fromemotion.
And what, and it's funny, someof the dreams I would, some of
(36:16):
the fascists, I would dream it,like some of the outfits I wore,
I would dream that I wore thatoutfit.
And it'd be like, you arewalking around with a huge stash
or something big, this is not,or a lot of feathers, this is
not going to, but then I wouldwake up drawing it out and I'm
like.
Let me, humor myself and let meget this made and see how this
(36:36):
will look.
And it's so funny.
I'm getting it made and they'relaughing at me like, what is
this?
I remember one, one of my, myvery close friends, she, so
she's this is crazy.
This is like 10 pounds offeathers.
This is, you have all of thisgoing on.
I don't even know how this isgoing to end up looking, but I
trust your vision.
I'm gonna do it.
And then after the complete,she's I completely see what you
(37:00):
were saying.
I see it.
And so a lot of that comes fromreally not looking and seeing at
anybody's scenes because that'llinfluence you.
And then you have pieces thatlook like everyone else's.
But really, pieces that speak tome, like pieces that I would
wanna wear, is what I'm makingpieces that if I went to brunch,
I.
I'm an extra person, what Iwould wear, pieces that if I
(37:25):
went, to a party or if I went toa gala, what I would wanna wear,
how I would want to look, andjust going from there, if I see
something that I'm inspired by,I really speak to what about it
that I like and what I don'tlike, and elevate the look.
And then sometimes if the lookdoesn't work for me, I just
(37:46):
scratch the whole thing and thenI start from the beginning.
So really my inspiration comesfrom just my vision of things,
my vision of how I feel likeconfident women want to look.
Like confident individuals, ifthey're walking into a
boardroom, if they're closing adeal, if they're going to a
(38:07):
business brunch, if they'rehanging out with their girls.
Like, That level of confidenceis really where it comes from.
Walking into a room andunintentionally all the
attention, and you're just beingyou and you steal all the
attention.
That favor that you have overyou.
(38:28):
That's really the inspirationbehind the fashions is just
coming in with unspeakablefavor, unspeakable confidence,
and commanding attention of theroom without even trying,
because there's some peoplethat, and I always, when I was
younger, I would go to certainevents and I would just, I just
first of all, I'm the type ofperson that in my college years,
(38:51):
they're like, oh, let's go tothe club.
Let's go to the club.
And I'm just sitting therelooking and just.
Observing.
Like, why am I here?
Why?
And then here comes the one girlthat comes in that is just all
wants all the attention, butit's aggressively seeking the
attention.
Like by what they wear, howthey're acting, just
aggressively seeking some typeof attention.
And here I am just in thereminding my, just sitting there
(39:14):
minding my business.
And you are the person that youattract the attention just by
not just by being.
So that is the concept of what Iwanted for Symphony love is
confidence that speaks toeveryone without you even having
to lift the finger.
Your fashion is speaking out foryou, your fashion.
And what you're wearing issaying what you wanna say.
(39:36):
It's setting the tone.
The other day I was going toanother networking event and, I
called my Uber and so I go inthe Uber and he's you look like
you're on your way to, to,what'd he say?
He said, you look like you're onyour way to either, talk to a
(39:57):
crowd or do something like you,you command attention.
He said, are you the, are you,the one doing the event here?
I was.
I just had one of our pieces on.
I just walked in.
I didn't say anything, I waswalk, I was a little bit like, I
did my meditations andeverything, but I was a little
bit like nervous about somethings that I was working on.
(40:21):
So I wrote everything down.
I was this is already done.
I don't need to be wor worriedabout this.
Let me just focus on what I havetoday.
So I made sure that didn'tregister in my disposition, and
I'm just like, let me just go,let me get this done.
It's gonna be a positive day.
And he immediately was you looklike somebody important.
I.
He said that to me and I'm like,of course I'm somebody
important.
We all are.
(40:42):
We have to receive that andclaim that and walk in that.
But it was how he immediatelysaw and said, and something
spoke to the him.
And that's what I was thinkingabout with Symphony Love music,
that like a note, a musical notethat hits people before they
even hear the song, before theyeven hear the music.
CJ (41:05):
Speaking for myself.
And I may mention to this beforeyou came online, got onto your
website last night, doing alittle research, and I'm not, I
can't really describe it and doit justice, but there's one
piece as I'm scrolling it is sofire to me.
I sent it to a friend of mineand the colors, there's one, I
(41:28):
think it's like you, it's calleda kimono.
You have, you're sitting onsome, sitting on a couch, a
black couch.
It's got like teal and hot pink.
That outfit, you don't even haveto say anything.
That drew my attention and I'mimmediately sending it to a
friend of mine that I know is inthe fashion industry, you need
to get this,
Sandy (41:46):
Thank you.
Thank you so
CJ (41:48):
that piece is incredible.
Sandy (41:51):
Thank you.
Yeah, that's our, that's whatSymphony love is really about.
That's what the inspirationcomes from.
I feel like so many people arejust scared of.
Colors now and cuts.
Everything is just, oh, let's besafe.
Let's be safe, but we're notsafe over as symphony love.
And you know what's so funny?
Sometimes we'll get requests,and the more outlandish the
(42:16):
better.
There's no request that's toobig, people will go give a
design and then it's, sosometimes when you, because I've
gone through that where I have avision and then you go and you
are talking about it with a,another designer.
You're, a seamstress or Taylorand they're just like, this is
not gonna work out.
It's so defeating to hear thisis not gonna work out.
(42:37):
You haven't even done it.
How can you tell me it's notgonna work out?
So the more outlandish thestyle, the better.
And there's no limitations tofashion.
If you want to mix rhinestonesand feathers and if you wanna
use silk and all of that, evenif you wanna use polyester, you
can elevate polyester, it's allin the vision that you have and
(42:58):
the look like the overall look,which story you're trying to
tell with that piece.
So when we get requests thatcome in and they seem to them,
they're like, I know this isextra, but I'm like, have you
met me extra?
Listen, you speaking, you'respeaking to the queen of extra,
so it's not a problem at all.
(43:19):
So that's what we love when weget to tap into our, like our
designer style, like ourcreativity.
That is what I enjoy doing themost, and and then no
limitations.
So that's the African piece.
There a lot.
We have so many differentcultures on like Asian culture,
so many different, because wedon't wanna limit ourselves, and
(43:41):
we don't want to put like ablock on what we can do.
So we love that we are able towork with different cuts,
different fabrics.
Different people, that we getdifferent customers all to make
different, pieces and we caterto that, and these are elevated
pieces.
Pieces that once they're out.
(44:02):
They're those fabrics.
Some of them are so specializedthat they're pieces that it's
good to get earlier when they'reavailable.
Because once they're gone, it'sno guarantee.
We may still have the samestyle, but in another print.
And that's what we love becausewe know that, some people,
especially when I, and I learnedthis when I was in college, some
(44:23):
people hate walking around inthe same piece that somebody
else has.
I remember when we were incollege, we all used to shop
from this one mall.
And so people would be sosurprised when I would show up
and I would have a wholedifferent outfit on, and like
four of them are wearing thesame dress that they got from
the mall.
And it's girl, where did you getthis outfit from?
Tell us where you got it from,because.
(44:45):
We're all going over to the mallto Forever 21 and it's I don't,
I make my own pieces, I createmy own look.
And besides, I would not go intoa store and really get pieces
that speak to me and fit me theway I wanted to fit, which is
why Symphony Love was birthedout of that.
So a lot of that comes fromknowing people want, indivi
(45:08):
individuality.
They want to have something thatspeaks to them.
They wanna have something that'sexclusive to them and is not
around on 150 people, so I lovethat we offer that option as
well.
Mike (45:21):
Yeah, I want to go back, you spoke on confidence and I
was looking at your website andyou have custom Couture on there
as well.
So obviously you've grown intoyour confidence.
You have that confidence.
What if someone comes in andthey say, Hey, I want a custom
piece.
(45:42):
How do you, I'm assuming they,they may have the confidence to,
if they're coming in and askingfor a custom piece, they may
have the confidence, but what ifyou suggest something and
they're like, Ooh, I'm not sure.
Do you ever have to like, buildup people's confidence to, to
wear one of your pieces, or doyou customize it based on their
(46:03):
confidence level at that moment?
Sandy (46:05):
I do sometimes have to build up their confidence and
it's not even build up becauseit's confidence that they have
within themselves.
Sometimes you just need to tapinto that and then it comes out.
So I'm the kind of person, likeI'll, I had a recently had a
client.
That she is so shy that shecouldn't even verbalize really
what she wanted, but I get inthere and I'm like joking with
(46:28):
her and I'm like, figuring whoshe is.
And she's like laughing andbreaking that wall.
And then through that, she'slike telling me, I could do a
shoulder where I could do this.
I don't mind this.
So little by little she'stelling me, things that she
likes or she can do, or what herlimitations are.
And I'm like, I feel like thiswill look amazing on you.
(46:49):
Why don't you just try thispiece that we have?
And if it works, we could tweakthis.
And then, so seeing howopen-minded you do wanna respect
the person and the individualand make sure that, what they
want or what they're requestingspeaks to them.
But sometimes if they come andthey really have a blank canvas
and they're really shy, you haveto really, it's like an artist.
(47:11):
Putting paint to, or putting adrawing to paper.
You have to get those componentsto make the piece.
So in this situation, shedidn't, she's I don't really
know what I want.
I just know that I need thisfor, and I'm, and so I'm like,
girl, what do you like, wearing?
And they're just like, why?
And then they're showing me somethe stuff.
(47:32):
I'm like, if we were to give youthis or cut this here, how would
you feel about it?
I've never worn anything likethat.
And this would be new for you.
You could step out, you couldtry something new.
It doesn't work for you.
We'll know where to go fromthere, and so then, I'm like,
what color is in?
Originally, I wanna say shewanted gray.
She either wanted gray or likenavy or something, a dark color.
(47:55):
And so then I'm like, it'sgetting warmer, let's give you a
pop of color, let's just putsome color in there.
So it really just brighteneverything up.
And sometimes, even if you do asimple style and the colors is
pop, the style is, that's thestyle.
You really don't need to even domuch because the fabric and the
color speaks for itself.
(48:16):
You don't have to, it doesn'tclash, so why don't we do that?
And so when you introduce littleaspects of symphony love, and
you mix it with who they are,and it comes together, it comes,
it turns out so beautifully.
So you do have to meet in themiddle in some things.
Sometimes, we have to.
(48:37):
Get 80% and give'em 20.
Sometimes they get their 80%, weget 20.
It just depends if the personcomes in and they already, have
that personality.
Like one of our clients thatcame in, they already had, PO
that there, they were already,they knew what they wanted.
They had their picture, but whenthey bring a picture, we talked
about certain things that wecould tweak because again, we
try not to take styles or doanything like that unless it's
(48:59):
like a direct, request and theywanna direct a specific look for
something.
Other than that we do offer andput in our ideas and then we
come to a middle ground of thenew look that they want and then
we perfect that.
Mike (49:13):
I love it.
That's symphony love.
And as I mentioned earlier, yougot something big coming up.
You wanna tell us about it?
Sandy (49:20):
Nice.
We have a fashion show comingup.
April 27th, we're doing the lastevening, which is for evening
wear.
And this will be at Water TowerPlace at Fashion Bar in Chicago.
The tickets are on Eventbrite.
I think I sent you the link,Mike.
And, anybody wants to comesupport, but we'll be showcasing
(49:43):
our fashions.
We have, it will be anywherefrom 12 to 16 pieces and yeah,
we're excited.
And then it's so funny becausesince then we have already
booked two other shows thatwe're working on.
We're final.
We're still finalizing thedates.
Thank you.
We're still finalizing thedates.
I know that one is in May.
I'm waiting for the officialdate for that.
(50:05):
I can update you once I havethat.
And then we have another one.
So the one in May is the springone.
We have another one in October,and then I'm in talks for one in
November.
So
Mike (50:17):
Nice.
Congratulations and re refreshmy memory.
Is this your first fashion showthat you're doing?
Sandy (50:25):
Yes.
This is our first ever fashionshow.
Mike (50:28):
I love it.
Yeah.
We'll definitely provide thedetails on our, on all of our
socials and on this podcast aswell.
And if for anyone who'slistening to it in the future,
this is Sunday, April 27th, 2025from two to six.
So don't be listening to this on2027 and show up.
Thank you.
You about to go to a fashionshow, but we'll post a link and,
(50:50):
everything else so people couldbuy tickets and come check you
out.
Sandy (50:54):
Thank you so much.
Thank.
Ken (50:56):
Can you talk a little bit more about the process that
you're currently going throughto prepare for the fashion
shows?
Since this is your first one, myassumption is that, you're
there, there's probably thingsthat you're doing that you have
not done before.
So if you can talk about that.
Sandy (51:10):
Yes.
Thank you so much.
One thing that I had to realizeis that I can't do everything
myself.
I do need some help.
So originally, that was onething I will say I was trying to
do in the beginning of, or evenbefore that kind of held me back
because I'm like, a lot ofpeople aren't supportive.
This is something I'm gonna haveto keep secretive.
This is gonna be something thatI'm gonna have to do myself, and
(51:31):
do each part myself.
So with this show I have, I amoutsourcing, so I have hired
three designers, which I havenever done.
I've never had a, like a hugestaff.
This is a big thing for me.
I usually draw the designmyself.
I execute it myself.
I, I am, doing the behind thescenes planning and everything
(51:54):
myself.
So this is the first time I'mlike, get help, allocate
different roles so that you canreally take time to do what you
need to do.
And so it was a big process forme to mentally let, not let go
of, but hand my baby over toother people to hold for a bit,
and trust that, trust theirskill and their mindset that
(52:17):
they, what they can also bringto the table.
I have three designers.
I have an apprentice as wellthat's gonna be helping us help
us get some of our fabrics thatwe need.
Some of the different tools,there are different looks that I
wanna showcase, based on season.
So some of the looks areupcoming looks, we wanna look
ahead, we kind of wanna show aglimpse of it so we could give a
(52:37):
sample of it, but it's going tobe later on in the year.
So I wanna get those done aswell.
I want to get pieces that we'recurrently going to run on there
as well.
The main thing I will say inpreparation is helping, getting,
outsourcing, getting peoplethat, will be more hands on,
trusting and giving them tasksand not, I've never been a
(53:00):
micromanager, but just trustingthat they'll take care of it and
everything will work out so thatwe're working with models,
trying to recruit models.
And the thing with Symphony Loveis we're all, all size
inclusive.
A lot of the models that we haveare like certain smaller sample
sizes.
We are looking for a wider rangeof models just so that we can
(53:22):
showcase the different, lookswith our pieces, the different
di demographics that can wearour pieces because it is, again,
we do cater to any woman who isconfident.
It doesn't matter if your,you're studies two or 22, if
you're confident you could wearour pieces.
You are bold, we are talking toyou, we're speaking to you.
(53:45):
So we wanna make sure that wehave those models that can cater
to what I envision.
So we're working on that.
The fabric is a huge thingbecause there's been a little
bit of a delay with all of ourshipping and everything that's
going on, but we're gettingcreative with how we're getting
the fabric.
It's just being open-minded towhat we gotta do and then having
(54:07):
a backup plan in case we're notable to get what we have our eye
on.
But just again, being creative,opening our minds to different
possibilities, not, like evennot being, I will say again,
restricted not being one sidedwith our thoughts.
If something doesn't work out,that doesn't mean the whole
(54:27):
thing is done.
It just means you have toimprovise.
You just have to look foranother way.
So in, in my journey now andmoving forward, I've realized
that, just see the positive inthings.
If something's not working out,take a moment, take some time.
Just look at it from a positiveview, look at ways that you can
enhance or do somethingdifferent, and then just move
(54:48):
forward from it.
Don't harp on it too long.
So really, this is it.
It's a great opportunity.
It's the first time ever, I'mexcited and so I'm learning, the
process.
I'm pretty sure other thingswill come up as we're moving
forward, but, we'll deal with itas, as it comes along.
Mike (55:06):
Look at you.
I love it.
That's awesome.
2023, you took that step andhere you are
Sandy (55:13):
Yes.
Mike (55:15):
killing
Sandy (55:15):
it's so funny because I made the vision board beginning
of the year.
I didn't incorporate until,towards the end of the year.
So it took that much time for mymentality to get to where it
needed for me to really finetune it and get it to where it
needed to be, to to finally stepout on faith.
So that's what I would tell any,future business owner, any
(55:38):
potential business owner, anyperson that's just envisioning,
just doing things on their own.
You just have to have, thefaith, the size of a mustard
seed, it doesn't take that much,and just get it done.
Don't even think about it.
Now I'm thinking like, youshould have just done it.
You shouldn't have even thoughtabout it.
You would already be.
In business for over a decadenow.
(55:59):
Just imagine all the things thatwe talk ourselves out of doing.
So just get it done.
Don't worry about the money,don't worry about where the
resources will come from.
Don't worry about, who, wherethe helpers will come from.
Just write down what you want.
It's in the Bible.
Write down what you want.
Make it plain.
Don't use any fancy language,don't use any big words.
(56:22):
Write down what you want.
And the hardest part is figuringout what you want.
That people don't realize thatthe hardest part is figuring out
what you want, and so once youget that done, then everything
will follow.
Just you have to move.
If you're not moving, Goddoesn't know that you're ready
to get it done.
So he's waiting on you and youthink you're waiting on him.
(56:43):
He's waiting on you.
So you have to really move.
And then you'll see howeverything falls into place.
But yeah.
Symphony love.
I have a lot of things comingup, so we'll talk about that as
they come along too, because Iwill be getting into life
coaching and business coachingsoon.
And that's something that's bigfor me.
I've been working on it.
That, that's also a passion ofmine.
(57:04):
So yes,
Mike (57:06):
Yeah, I would definitely love to hear more about that as
you get that, as you startbuilding on that and getting
that together, definitely keepin touch and let us know how
that's going.
Sandy (57:14):
I.
Mike (57:15):
All right.
We're coming up on time, sothere's a couple of things that
we like to do at the end of theshow.
But first, like you, you'vedropped a lot of, I hate using
that term, like nuggets and goldnuggets, but you've dropped a
lot of knowledge on us.
You've, we need to rebrand ourown type of thing.
Should we say she dropped someOnyx?
What, what can we use?
(57:37):
She what?
She dropped some gems.
Yeah.
We'll figure it out.
That one still isn't rolling offmy tongue yet, but with that
said, we really appreciate youcoming onto the show, sharing,
everything about how you gotstarted and, building your
confidence and taking imperfectaction and your network is your
net worth.
(57:57):
Like all of these things, youcould definitely, see that
you've, you had a shift inmindset and it's gotten you from
where you were to where you arenow and one of the common
threads that we always say, it'sjust that when people take
action, things happen.
It doesn't have to be perfect.
That's exactly what we did hereat Black Bridge Mindset.
We had no idea how to set any ofthis up in the beginning.
(58:19):
We was like, Hey, let's do apodcast.
Okay, what are we gonna do apodcast on?
And then we narrowed it down.
And like you said, figuring outexactly what you wanna do is the
hard part.
Everything else is just blackand white, right?
You need to buy equipment.
Go online, buy equipment.
You need a website for this.
Go the website.
So yeah, so I really appreciateall of that.
Moving forward, Ken is gonna do,we have a section where we do
(58:44):
like lightning round questions,and Ken is gonna ask you a
couple of questions.
And actually I'll let him takeover.
But before we do that, I'm thesoundboard, I'm the sound man.
We don't got the budget for asound thing yet, so
Sandy (59:01):
It.
Mike (59:02):
light round question.
Ken (59:08):
All right.
Lightning round.
These are random questions.
And so I'm just gonna kick rightoff.
So what are, where's yourfavorite place to travel?
Sandy (59:16):
Ooh, okay.
I don't travel a lot.
That's one thing that I put on.
This year's, this year, I madenot only a vision board, I made
a vision book.
So in my book I said I was goingto travel more.
I have on there Ghana, ofcourse, I told you they're
looking for me.
I have on there Bali, I have onthere, Thailand, and I believe I
(59:40):
have green.
And there's one more place.
I have it all on my phone.
But, I would say my favoriteplace to travel is Ghana just
because that's the one placethat I've been to more than
once.
It's just I haven't been thererecently.
And then recently, I went to NewYork.
My first time ever going to NewYork.
And I actually really like NewYork.
You know how people talk.
(01:00:00):
A whole bunch of junk aboutpeople's places.
And you go there and you're justlike, New York is New York.
I guess'cause we're, fromChicago, you just fit in
anywhere, I feel.
But I felt like that with otherplaces that I went to that they
were just like, like I rememberwhen I went to Florida, they
were just like, be careful.
Down south is so different.
And I went down there and I fitright in with them.
(01:00:21):
So it just, it was like secondnature.
But I like New York too.
Ken (01:00:26):
Fantastic.
You had mentioned, just, in ourlast segment, that you're gonna
start doing life coaching, andbusiness coaching as well as a
real estate company and symphonylove.
Tell us how you are able tobalance that.
Like how do you relax?
How do you just take a stepback, take a breath, and
refocus.
Sandy (01:00:45):
Thank you for that question.
I have, I this year started agratitude journal, so I already
love to journal.
But the gratitude journal I get,that's my moment to me.
So I'm able to sit at my table,in my kitchen, make a cup of
tea, and I have my journal withme.
I'll have a good book next tome.
(01:01:07):
I'll have my laptop if I'm doingwork, but I'll take a moment to.
Pose all of that and justjournal, drink my tea, and
really write down what I'mgrateful for.
And through that, I have amoment to myself to really
assess the different things thatI'm doing, the different things
I want to do.
And in that, as I'm thinking,God, I'm also asking him for the
(01:01:30):
direction and just the room andthe capacity to do all of the
things that I wanna do.
That's sometimes what I feel alot of people forget to do.
They ask for all these things,but they don't, they forget to
ask, help me to maintain thethings that I want.
Help me to be able to take thisload, especially if these are
(01:01:51):
the things that I wanna do, andthen help me to drop off or for
things to fall off.
That is not a part of my vision.
There's a lot of people that,they'll immediately quit their
W2 job and it's you may not haveinstantaneously needed to drop
it.
It'll drop off on its own whenit needs to work it until you
need to, and then still do yourdream on the side.
(01:02:14):
And then eventually, as yourdream is elevating, the other
job will naturally fall offnaturally.
So it'll all work.
You won't have to force it.
So that's one thing that I do isjust, I sit to myself.
I pray a lot.
I meditate a lot.
I just write down what I'mfeeling and I leave it in God's
(01:02:35):
hands.
Ken (01:02:35):
Awesome.
Who has had the most influenceon your life?
Sandy (01:02:39):
My mom, and she passed away.
She passed away, a few months tome graduating from high school,
going into college.
But there's so many things thatI just hear her, I just know
what she would say, or I hearcertain term terms that she
would use that I'm just like, itgives me the umph that I need,
(01:03:01):
even on days that I'm justfeeling a certain way.
I sit to myself and I just hearher and I'm just like, I just
gotta get up and I gotta do it.
And so she, she was one of mybiggest support systems and, she
was, she had just a hilariousway of saying things and putting
things in into perspective.
And I always hear that I'm somuch like her.
(01:03:23):
So I just feel as I'm movingforward in life and I'm
accomplishing all the things Iwanna do, I know that there are
things that she would've wantedfrom me that is like the biggest
influence over everything that Ido.
Ken (01:03:35):
Last one.
And that is, do you have afavorite book or podcast that
you'd like to share with ourlisteners?
Sandy (01:03:43):
Ooh.
A favorite book.
Okay.
Okay.
My favorite book is The Book ofPsalms.
I love that book and it's, whenI was a kid, my mom introduced
it to me, like a differentmemory verses that she had me to
recite before I would go to bed,pinpoint their straight from
Psalms.
(01:04:03):
And a book that I used to loveand I still love, but I didn't
love the movie too much.
The movie kind of messed it upfor me is The Giver.
And it's a book that I wanna seeI read in, in high school.
I love that book.
That's one of my favorite books.
And then now a book that I'mreading that is really great, I
(01:04:24):
should have brought it, is, letme look at my phone so I don't
get the author wrong, but Istarted reading it and I read it
and I'm rereading it.
It's actually two.
It is.
Mike (01:04:37):
Yeah, if it's nearby, you are more than welcome to grab
it.
We can cut this
Sandy (01:04:40):
I wanna go grab it so bad and show you the cover that I
have because apparently there isdifferent versions.
It's two.
So it's the Power of A Awarenessby Neville.
It has, it's the one with thered band at the bottom.
It's like a two in one.
(01:05:00):
So it is the power of awareness,but it includes his other book,
also in the back of the book,and it's the one with the red
van.
And then, think and Grow Rich,Napoleon Hill.
Yeah, I listened to that.
I watched it and then I actuallybought the physical book and I'm
rereading it.
So those are the two.
Mike (01:05:20):
have that as well.
That is a good book.
Ken (01:05:22):
A good book.
It is.
Okay.
And lastly, can you tell ourlisteners how to get in touch
with you?
Sandy (01:05:29):
Yeah.
Our Instagram, yeah, Instagram,Twitter, X.
Now we're on TikTok is all atSymphony Love.
We couldn't get the symphonylove on its own.
Hopefully that person gives itto us.
But for now it's Symphony lovewith the underscore under it.
(01:05:51):
So that's all of our socialmedia platforms.
I am working on my, my lifecoaching, platform.
So that will be available soon.
But for now, they could followus at Symphony Love,
Mike (01:06:03):
But to be clear, your website though is just symphony
love.com.
Sandy (01:06:09):
correct?
Symphony love.com.
Yes.
Mike (01:06:12):
Perfect.
Yeah, we'll have all of
Sandy (01:06:13):
the website too.
Mike (01:06:16):
What'd you say?
Sandy (01:06:17):
We're revamping the website too.
Nobody, it's so funny.
Nobody knows this.
I, okay.
I don't know if this part isgonna be in, but I hired
somebody to do the website andthey didn't do the website.
They, completely fell off anddidn't do the website.
So I had to do the websitemyself.
I'm not an expert.
When I went to go to our site tosee all that they had done,
(01:06:42):
because we paid them, they saidthey were.
Logging in from their app.
They weren't even on a webbrowser to do it, so they were
making updates from their app.
So that's why the page waslooking wonky.
I had to go in there andbasically do every, delete
everything they did and doeverything from scratch.
And I'm not a web designer, so Ihave outsourced.
I'm getting somebody to go inthere and help us with.
(01:07:04):
Perfect.
It more so
Mike (01:07:06):
Listen, if you would not have said anything, I would not
have done any
Ken (01:07:09):
Never have known.
Mike (01:07:11):
I don't know if it looks different on the phone or
whatever, but I pull it up on mylaptop and it looks great.
I think you did a great job.
And that's a true testament,right?
Like people are like, oh, Idon't know how to do it.
Just do it.
Sandy (01:07:21):
Just do it.
Yeah, just do it.
Sometimes you not an expert atsomething, but sometimes you'll
be the more of an expert thanthe people that are the experts
that you hire.
You just have to, again, juststart it off and it'll, come
together.
Mike (01:07:36):
Nice.
Okay.
We've kept you for some, quitesome time and, there's this one
thing that we're asking all ofour guests to do at the end of
the show, and they're gigglingbecause I made this up on a whim
one day and we're gonna go withit.
It's called, and people told mewe need to work on the name, but
it's okay.
We're gonna go with it.
It's called the Wakanda PeacePause.
(01:07:56):
It's something we're gonna do atthe end of every show, and it's
something that we're just gonna,take a screen grab and post
online with all of our guests.
All right, so if you're ready,this is what the W Wakanda peace
pause is.
I'm gonna count to three.
And you're just gonna go likethis.
I'm gonna try to, and you smile,
Sandy (01:08:16):
Okay.
Mike (01:08:17):
and then you're just gonna pause for a few seconds because
it's a video.
So I'm gonna need you, everybodyto stand still so I can take a
screen, grab a bit later andpost it and use it.
All right?
Sandy (01:08:26):
Alright, let get myself ready,
Mike (01:08:28):
people who are listening that?
Sandy (01:08:31):
Let me get myself ready,
Mike (01:08:34):
Okay, so for the people who are listening, on Apple or
Spotify, they're not gonna seeit.
But for the people who are gonnasee us on YouTube, they'll see
it.
And who knows, maybe, we'll,maybe we'll have a clip or
something on socials, but ifyou're ready on the count of
three, we're gonna do theWakanda peace, pause and don't
forget to smile, Ken.
All right.
And 1, 2, 3.
(01:09:01):
Done.
Perfect.
All right, that wraps up ourepisode three.
We'd like to thank everybody forlistening to the Black Women
CJ (01:09:09):
Yes.
Thank you very much for yourtime.
Mike (01:09:11):
out to Sandy Daniels
Sandy (01:09:13):
all so
Mike (01:09:13):
Symphony Love.
Please go check her out on herwebsites and all of her socials.
And also don't forget thatSunday, April 27th, 2025 at 2:00
PM she is doing a fashion show,the very first one at Water
Tower Place here in Chicago,Illinois.
So once again, thank you somuch, Sandy.
We, like I said, we met on awhim at a real estate meetup,
(01:09:37):
and here we are.
So I'm definitely gonna hop on,get my tickets since I'm local,
the other two are out of town.
But we'll come check you outand, and share the love.
Sandy (01:09:47):
Thank you so much, Mike.
CJ.
Thank you.
Thank you for having me on.
Mike (01:09:53):
Thank you.
Hello and welcome to the Black Bridge Mindset Podcast
where culture, entrepreneurship,and business intersect to fuel
inspiration.
This podcast celebrates thepower of diverse voices shaping
the future of business.
So whether you're building abusiness, breaking barriers,
we're just looking for someserious inspiration here in the
right place.
(00:21):
The Black Bridge mindset whereculture and entrepreneurship
collide.
Ken (00:26):
All right.
Good morning everybody.
Welcome to the Black BridgeMindset Podcast.
On this Saturday morning.
I am here with my two bestfriends, CJ and Mike.
We are excited for today'sguest.
Let me see what's happeninghere.
Festival season is starting tokick off in Atlanta.
I lied the last time whenever Isaid we do not do St.
(00:48):
Patrick's Day here in Atlanta,but I learned yesterday that
there's actually a parade.
I don't know who's going to bethere, but there is a St.
Patrick's Day parade.
So it should be a good weekend.
What's that?
Mike (01:01):
you going?
Ken (01:02):
No, I'm not going.
It's downtown.
I stick in my six block radiusunless there's a reason for me
to leave.
But a funny story is, I saw arestaurant, on Instagram that
looks really good.
So whenever you guys visit,we'll have to go.
But it's in, Sandy Spring and Iwas talking to somebody at work
and I was like, looks like I hadto go get on a plane and go to
this restaurant.
Now mind you, it's only sixmiles away, but still, dealing
(01:25):
with Atlanta traffic and tryingto get there and back.
I was asking a whole lot.
But, yeah.
Excited about today's show.
I'm gonna send it over to CJnext, to give us a little bit of
update on what he's got goingon.
CJ (01:37):
so before I do that, in Sandy Springs where we went to,
to do the shoes,
Ken (01:42):
No, that was closer to the, Tennessee border.
That was, at the Perimeter mall.
So that was like, I don't know,30 miles away.
Yeah, that was further north.
CJ (01:52):
gone for some reason, But yeah, not much going on
personally.
I've just been.
Doing the least amount of work Ican.
Like everywhere else now,storming, raining, doing all
kinds of craziness.
Just a nice day coming up.
(02:13):
I don't know, probably earlierthis, earlier in the week, I'll
be do something.
Mike (02:21):
Nice.
Yeah, you're still coming in andout a little bit.
CJ (02:24):
Alright, I'm gonna turn the gain up again.
Mike (02:27):
Okay.
CJ (02:27):
Is that, is that better?
Ken (02:29):
Yeah, and just sit closer to your mic, like you lean back
in your chair,
CJ (02:33):
I'm literally right up on it.
My guts almost touching thedesk.
I don't know what else to do.
Mike (02:41):
You're so crazy.
Ken (02:42):
Look, pretend you're at the bar, and you just, right there.
Mike (02:46):
Hey, Mr.
Bartender, give me a drink.
CJ (02:50):
right.
Mike (02:53):
Hey, I love me son.
Rihanna.
Don't come after her.
But anyway, while CJ's, doingthat my week has actually been
pretty good.
And as everyone knows, we'verecorded two shows, so that's
been awesome.
And they've been going great.
We're working, we're recordingour third show today on, it's
not St.
Patty's Day, I guess that's onMonday.
But we are dressed in green andeverybody's gonna be outside
(03:14):
acting crazy today in Chicago.
Preparing for that and I'm sure,our guest who's also here in
Chicago today, I'm sure she'sready for it too.
We'll talk to her about that.
Here in a little bit, but I'mpretty excited for our guests.
It's pretty random how we met.
We were, at a real estate meetupand you know me, I'm just going
around talking to everybody,saying hello, and she told me
(03:35):
that, she told me about herbusiness and everything, and
it's just around the time thatwe were planning and getting all
this together.
So I'm really excited to talk toher about that.
So yeah, so nothing crazy for methis week.
Just gonna enjoy the weekend,avoid the madness and, yeah.
And the weather.
It's supposed to be like 70something today, I think.
Almost 80.
It's gonna be crazy.
CJ (03:53):
I thought you were doing a trolley ride today.
Mike (03:56):
Okay, CJ, I was gonna leave that out for the people I
was gonna, let me do mybusiness.
CJ (04:03):
You can't tell me one thing and then say something
different.
Mike (04:06):
and Yes, people, I am gonna, I am gonna go to the
trolley.
They actually started at 8:00 AMthey're, and they're gonna be
bouncing around.
So once I get done, I think theydid like kegs and eggs or
something for breakfast.
And then, I'm gonna meet themafter this once we're done.
We'll see what type of statethey're in once I meet them.
But yes, I,
CJ (04:27):
You might be the Minority Bridge in, in that group.
Mike (04:30):
You ain't lying.
You ain't wrong.
You ain't lying one.
But yeah.
But, yeah, let's get started.
'cause it is eight 30 in themorning on a Saturday and we hop
on a little bit early to do micte mic checks and all that fun
stuff.
So we've had our coffee.
I think we're awake.
The sun is slowly coming out.
We had a storm last night, soit's not the brightest yet, but,
(04:53):
hopefully we'll get there.
But, yeah, as I mentioned, I amsuper excited to introduce, our
guest today.
I want everyone to meet Sandy,the creative force behind
Symphony Love, a woman ownedfashion brand dedicated to
self-love, empowerment, andinclusivity based in Illinois
Symphony Love blends boldstatement making designs with
(05:16):
cultural influences from Africa,the Middle East, and Asia.
Each piece is crafted to leave alasting impression, whether
you're heading to brunch or agala.
With a focus on confidence andindividuality, the brand ensures
every woman feels empowered inher own skin.
Join Symphony Love forUnforgettable fashion show on
April 27th, 2025 from two to6:00 PM at Water Tower Place in
(05:40):
Chicago, where style meetsstrength and self-expression.
Without further ado, the brainand beauty behind the fashion.
Sandy Daniels.
What's up Sandy?
Sandy (05:51):
Everybody, thank you for having me.
Thank you so much.
Ken (05:55):
to the show.
Mike (05:57):
Yeah.
Welcome.
And I was telling people,earlier, so we just met at a
real estate meetup.
'cause I do real estate on theside.
And remind me, do you do realestate as well or were you there
supporting your friend?
Sandy (06:10):
No, so I have a real estate company as well, and I
own property, so I was therejust to I, I want to acquire
another, investment property.
So I was there to just get, pushmyself back in it because I was
saying the longest I'm gonnaget, I'm gonna get some more
property, I'm gonna really takethis business more seriously and
not be in the background.
(06:31):
So let me go to just be inspiredby other people and get some
ideas going with that.
But I do have a real estatebusiness, so yeah.
Mike (06:39):
Awesome.
I love that.
Yeah.
If, like someone told us theother day, no one's gonna do it
for you.
So you have to put yourself outthere and do it yourself.
And that's what it takes.
And that's why I go to thosewell as well for this very same
reasons.
So tell us a little bit aboutyourself.
So are you from Illinois?
Born and
Sandy (06:58):
yes.
So born and raised in Chicago,north side of Chicago.
So I've been here my whole life.
My family is Ghanaian, I haven'tbeen back to Ghana in like over
a decade.
They're like looking for me,but, so I'm planning to go this
year.
But yeah, born and raised inChicago.
Been here my whole life.
Mike (07:18):
Nice.
That's awesome.
And just to go with that, soyou're into real estate and
you're into fashion.
So tell us a little bit abouthow you started this business,
what inspired you to get intothis?
Tell us a little bit about yourjourney to, from the beginning
to how you got here now.
Sandy (07:37):
Okay, I have been designing my outfit since I was
a kid.
I just remember that when I wasyounger I always looked, so much
more different than the otherkids.
I was taller.
I I felt like I grew, I.
Faster than everybody elsearound me.
Like I was just, out of thenorm, so everybody would see me
and they're just like, you, justlike a groan you.
(08:00):
It feels like you've been herebefore.
I always used to hear that.
I used to style myself.
I used to dress myself.
I would get up and just outfitand, if I didn't like the
outfit, I would just startsketching and just start drawing
the kind of outfit that I wantedand how I wanted to look.
And, people would laugh at meand be like, what are you over
(08:20):
here drawing this for?
You're not, you're not going towear this.
You're not going to, it's justnot what are you doing?
So one day I just put all mysketches together and before I
know I knew it, I was workingwith Taylor's, I was working
with other seamstresses.
I was bringing my fashion tolife.
And so that was the firstinstance of me seeing something
(08:43):
that I envisioned happening.
So people would always come tome when I was a kid to style
them.
Oh, how does this look together?
Or Can you gimme pointers?
Can you gimme ideas?
And it went from there.
Like I was always the one thatwas like, Sandy, just come in
here real quick and look at thisfor me.
Or I was drawing out sketchesfor people to get styles done.
(09:06):
That was before I even knew howto sew.
I just probably learned how toham.
And my mom was a seamstress aswell.
She sewed and I would watch herand I think I got that from her
as well.
And, so I've always beenfascinated with, fashion.
And then as I grew, I rememberlike even my prom dress, I drew,
I designed my prom dress myself,and I almost didn't even go to
(09:29):
prom because, I had at thattime, some personal things
happen.
Like I had lost my parents and alot of things w was happening at
that time and I was really down.
But I found that, like fashionand just drawing and being
creative is where I was able toget my outlet from and really
turn some things that was goingdownhill in my life into an
(09:52):
uphill for me.
So I've been doing thisunofficially for over a decade,
like close to 20, if not 20,since I was a preteen.
And then I just recentlyincorporated it in, 2023.
It's been like a dream that I'vebeen putting off.
Oh, you'll do it, you'll do iteventually, you'll do it next
(10:12):
year.
No, just wait.
And then I told myself in 2023,I am doing this.
I'm going in, I'm just going todo what I've always been doing
just officially and I'm goingto, put this brand out there.
Especially I felt like inChicago, we really don't have a
brand or a fashion house like I,am envisioning and it's like we
(10:35):
have that in New York or we havepeople that started off in
Chicago, but then they move offto other capitals that they feel
are fashion capitals.
So we don't really have anythinghere stamped in Chicago for
fashion.
So I wanted to make sure that, Ibranded that and we would have
our own something in Chicagothat is made here, bred here and
(10:59):
successful here and not havingto move anywhere else.
CJ (11:02):
Okay.
First of all, that is awesome.
The fact that this has beensomething within you since a kid
is crazy.
I'm curious, I get you had thisinner desire to create your own
fashion, I'm sure, but where'dthe artistic side come from?
Was it just, oh, you, it soundslike you literally have been
(11:22):
here before to just seesomething at that, at a young
age and just start drawing.
Sandy (11:30):
Yeah.
It's I don't know.
I always say that it's a giftdirectly from God because it's,
it is so strange how it cameabout.
I used to start off.
With, just weird stick figuresand drawings that weren't
perfect.
And so people always be like,what is this supposed to be in?
I don't see, they didn't see thevision, they didn't see what I
saw.
And I remember, in middleschool, I was in a art class.
(11:53):
It was like a mandatory artclass, and I used to think that
I could skate through thatclass.
I'm like, I'm not gonna reallyput anything into it.
It's art.
But my art teacher was so hardon me and she would specifically
pick on me and she'd say, I knowyou can do more than this.
I would draw like a stick figureor something.
She's no, like I know you canturn this into three DI know you
(12:17):
could put more into this.
And I, at that time, didn't evenknow I had this in me.
I'm like, how would she knowthat I knew how to draw or how
would she, but she would pushme.
And I'm telling you, I became anartist through that class.
And so that translated intoenhancing my drawings for my
fashions.
That enhanced me putting morethought and feeling behind, my
(12:40):
drawings and even envisioning,because there were some times I
would draw styles and I'mcombining fabrics that, people
would think doesn't even match.
They don't even go together.
And in my drawings, like I'mputting 3D things, like I love
everybody who sees me,especially a lot of my fashions.
I'll have something outlandish,like I'll probably have a big
bow somewhere, or I havesomething just outlandish to
(13:04):
really elevate the style.
And people used to make so muchfun of me, what in the world is
this?
Like you have a bow where, andthen so when the outfit is
created and I wear it andthey're like, oh my goodness.
Where did this come from?
And so that's a lot of thesurprise factor.
What I bring into, my designs isthat I make sure that I am, I'm
(13:29):
putting anything that Ienvision, there's no limitations
on my designs, because I'mfinding now that when you don't
put any limitations on styles,I'm seeing so many different
styles now.
People using metal, people usingall different things, just
seeing where their creationleads them to.
So I'm like, this is what I'vealways felt since I was a child.
(13:51):
But people will try to deter youand tell you to stay on a normal
path and think normally, but youhave to think outside of the box
and you really have to pushyourself.
And I felt like that gift wascreated when my teacher pushed
me, combined with kind of what Iwas already doing, as a child.
And just seeing and learning.
(14:12):
I, my mom again was aseamstress.
By the time I was growing up,she didn't sew as much, but it's
something that I recall andremember her sitting at her
sewing machine and like doinglittle hemmings, fixing little
patches.
She didn't really go intofashion design, but I know that
she was as talented where shecould have, but she decided on
(14:32):
another path.
CJ (14:33):
It sounds like you would be a, perfect contestant for
Project Runway.
Ever thought about that?
Sandy (14:39):
I hear that all the time.
You're speaking to intoexistence.
I receive it.
I receive it.
CJ (14:47):
Just the fact that you, not only do you have the vision, but
you also have the skill to, tobring that vision to life
through sketches and you can,summing you are the ultimate
contestant.
Sandy (14:58):
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I would love to representChicago.
I, any time that I can representus and represent as well, I
always try to take theopportunity, especially when I
go into a lot of these meetings,like I go into a lot of
networking events and once I sayI do fashion design, it's like a
(15:19):
shock to everyone.
You do fashion design and you'rehere in Chicago, it's oh, okay,
and it's a talking point becausethey're not used to hearing
that.
They're used to, oh, where didyou come from New York?
Are you coming from Miami?
Are you coming from likesomewhere else?
So definitely that is on thebooks for me to elevate the
brand as much as possible andmake it a household name and
(15:41):
stamp, for Chicago.
CJ (15:46):
I'm sorry I.
Something just came to mind andI've had, people in the past ask
me, I don't know why, but,they're curious.
You have this vision, you saidyou basically took what Mike
likes to call and Perfect actionto, incorporate your business,
make an LSC, and actually bringyour thoughts to, to fruition.
(16:07):
What steps did you take, one, toprepare to get your LLC and what
was the actual process?
Sandy (16:14):
Okay, this is, there's so many, there's so many layers to
this because initially I thoughtwhen I finally boosted myself up
to do it, I thought, oh, youjust file and then you have an
LLC.
But there's, so there's.
It's not complicated, but it'scomplicated in a sense that the
(16:37):
most complicated part is gettingyourself ready.
Could have filed any time, Icould have filed a decade ago,
but my mindset wasn't where itneeded to be.
I kept putting things off.
I kept convincing myself that,everybody does this.
What's gonna make me different?
I kept talking myself out of itbefore really even putting
(16:59):
myself and getting myself intothe business.
So I had to get my mindset rightand it took year, 2023, the
beginning of the year, I, toldmyself like, I need a shift.
I just need something to changehere.
And so I went to a vision board.
It was like a vision boardnetworking event.
(17:19):
That was the first time ever Ihad made a vision board in my
entire life in 2023.
And so when I went to that,networking event, that really
put in me like, you're gonna doeverything that you have on this
vision board.
This is going to be what pushesyou.
(17:40):
You have to do it.
This is what you're gonna put upand you're gonna look at and
you're going to check off thethings that you put on here that
you want to accomplish.
So one of the things I had onthere was my fashion.
Like I had my fashion probablytook up half the board and my
business, before, and I hadmoney and other things on there.
(18:01):
But what I had was a whole bunchof fashion pieces and fashion
pieces that spoke to me.
And so that is part of whathelped me get into the mindset
of you, this is your destiny.
This is what you wanna do.
You can't keep putting it offbecause it doesn't matter if you
put it off.
(18:22):
Five minutes, five years, adecade is still going to come
back up and it's going to remindyou that this is the path that
you need to be on.
I keep, I kept convincingmyself, I'm, I'm comfortable
with what I'm doing now.
I'm okay and what I'm doing, thepain is okay.
It's not that bad.
I have a roof over my head.
(18:42):
I'm grateful for what I have.
But it's okay to be grateful andwant more for yourself.
It's o okay to be grateful forwhat you have and push yourself
to do more.
And so I knew that, I wascomfortable, but I wasn't where
I wanted to be, where my passionlied.
And once I got my mindset right,forming the LLC was so easy for
(19:07):
me, forming the LLC, getting theprofessional email, getting our
virtual office together.
Getting, and the thing about itis I'm like, I'm Christian.
So a lot of what I do is basedon faith.
Even when I don't see it isbased on faith.
Me knowing that like God willprovide no matter what, it
(19:30):
doesn't matter.
So the minute I was ready and Istarted the steps, everything
fell into place.
Like everything that I wasworried about that I said, I'm
leaving it up to God, likethings like money, how much this
costs, I'm gonna have to worryabout yearly filings.
I'm gonna have to worry aboutthis.
That, that it was like, don'tworry about any of this.
(19:52):
This is what you wanna do.
It's done.
And so once you put yourself inthat mindset, it's amazing how
everything falls into place.
Before I knew it, I.
That wanted to help me.
Mike (20:06):
Isn't.
Sandy (20:07):
different opportunities that came.
They were like, oh, I wanna helpyou.
I don't wanna be in theforefront, but here's the money,
here's the capital for it.
Oh, I have some fabrics here.
Oh, I have a machine.
I know we could get this.
I have a discount.
Like, all of these opportunitieswere, I don't wanna say, came
outta nowhere because they werethere.
It was just waiting for me to beready, so a lot of things.
(20:31):
Correct.
Correct.
So a lot of things we psychourselves out.
I need this, I need a list ofthings before I could start it.
For years, that's what I wasdoing.
I kept, you know what's sofunny?
I kept saying for years, oh, Ican't open this business because
I need, what did I say I need?
I needed something so random,oh, I need to worry about
trademarking.
Oh, I need to worry about thisbefore I, and it's no, that
(20:52):
comes after or through theprocess.
I.
Or, oh, I can't open thisbecause I need to, have access
to manufacturing.
I need like a, I need to printmy own, fabrics.
I need to print exclusivefabrics that nobody has and
nobody can get.
And it's like I kept convincingmyself of all these things I
needed before I needed to, Icould start.
(21:14):
Then it's no, you don't need anyof this stuff.
Just start and then it will cometo you.
The ideas will come to you, theresources will come to you.
And so a lot of, I know youdidn't ask this, but a lot of
the beginning of the process ofeven after I started the
business was a lot of detractorsand mental things that will try
(21:34):
to block you.
Oh, you need this, and they'lltry to set you off course.
So Oh yeah, you set the businessup, but you need to come this
way and figure out, get somebodyto print fabrics for you.
And it's like you're wasting allthis time, you waste a month
trying to get somebody to printfabrics for you when.
You don't even need that.
You are like, why am I doingthis?
Let me just buy fabrics.
Let me just make what we canmake with those fabrics.
(21:57):
And then they're exclusivepieces.
When they're done.
And then eventually when you getto where you're going, you then
can have an in-house printer.
You then can have in-houseexclusive pieces and fabric to
you, but start something firstso you can get to where you're
going, and then you could worryabout those little details
(22:18):
later.
Mike (22:20):
I love all of that in.
Ken (22:22):
You mentioned, earlier about, people telling you to
stay in your own lane, you'renot gonna be able to do this.
Can you tell us a little aboutyour support system, both as you
started and even now, and howthat's, assisting you in
continuing with the success ofyour business?
Sandy (22:39):
Thank you so much for that question, because that is a
big one.
Sometimes, and I don't wanna sayI didn't have any, but sometimes
you won't have a lot or manypeople in your support system.
And I'm just being honest,especially when you are tackling
something like a business,that's when you really know who,
(23:00):
it's meant to share that dreamwith you and who is meant to
share and bask in that dreamwith you.
Because sometimes people will belike, oh, okay, you could do it.
And they're just saying it, butthey don't really believe it, so
when you go to them and you needhelp and support and really
emotional support, they're like,oh, okay, you got it.
You got it.
(23:20):
But you won't really, and that'swhy I'm saying business
sometimes opens your mind up andit has to open your circle.
That's why recently I've beenjoining a lot of networking
business, networking eventsbecause I.
It's not, it's nothing againstyour family, it's nothing
against your friends.
But unless they are on thatjourney of being an entrepreneur
(23:40):
as well, they're not going toget it.
So when you're calling them andtelling them, all these things
like, oh, this happened, I hadthis opportunity.
They're happy for you, but theycan't really, give you too much
advice if you have a bad day orif you make a bad investment or
anything like that.
They can't really do much, but,give you a few words.
(24:03):
But they don't really, they'renot in the business to know the
intricate details, and they'renot, and they're not even
interested.
And it's not even that, it'soffensive or you should be
offended.
It's just not their calling.
It's not their thing that theydo.
So if you're telling them, likesometimes I want to discuss
business things, just strictlybusiness, and just.
(24:24):
Entrepreneurship.
And then you call some friendsand they're not called to do
that, so they're over here look,we wanna talk about TV shows.
Do you see what's happening withthe government?
Do you see what's happening?
And you're like, my mind frame.
I don't even wanna think aboutthat right now.
I'm trying to think about waysin which we can enhance and do
better regardless of theseobstacles.
(24:46):
And you guys wanna kind of stickin that.
And it's not until you become anentrepreneur or you put yourself
in that mind frame that yourealize.
There are truly differentcircles for different reasons.
Not that I can't hang with themfor brunch, not that I can't
hang with them, for familyevents and different things, but
when it comes to certain issuesand things pointed directly
(25:09):
towards business and mybusinesses and all that, I just
know that I can't always includethem.
And so what I would say is mysilent partner who you know,
does not like to be in the mixat all, they're like, look, I'm
in the background completely.
But they were such a hugesupport system for me.
(25:29):
And honestly, when I told themmy vision, they were the one,
they were the only ones that didmy, they're like, you can do it.
I've already been telling youcould do this.
Which they were, when you're notin that mind frame and you're
not ready to receive it, youreally don't hear.
(25:50):
You're like, okay, thank you.
But they're like, I've beentelling you this for years.
They're like, I've been tellingyou this since I've met you, and
that's why I saw something inyou and that's why I connected
with you, and then I am behindyou full force.
And so they were a huge supportsystem for me.
(26:11):
My, friend, cousin, everybody'sour cousin, but really we're
friends.
I would say she's also anotherone that's very supportive as
well, and I find it's funny, Ifind that a lot of my support,
or circle of support is not evenin Chicago.
They're in other states, so Ican't even meet up with them,
(26:34):
their brain or different thingslike that.
They're in other places.
They're either out the country,out the state, or something like
that.
So she was very supportive aswell.
You can do this, let me know.
But again, some people will say,let me know if I can help.
And they can't really help.
Not that it's something that youshould be offended by, but
again, if they're not called todo it, they won't understand it.
They won't understand the typeof help you need.
(26:55):
They won't really know what tosay.
All they'll, they will do isthey'll be in the background.
If you do need somethingspecific from them and you can
express specifically what youneed, then they'll make
themselves available.
But other than that, they can'treally, pick your brain or get
you, to relieve any stress thatyou have.
Especially business is not easyat all.
(27:16):
There are times when you willjust need somebody to talk to,
and at times that, that circleis not meant for that, they
won't understand.
Mike (27:26):
Yeah, hearing you talk about all of this makes me think
of the, if you've heard of thephrase, your network is your net
worth.
That phrase, and It's the peoplethat you have, I.
In your network when it comes tobusiness, helps you with your
net worth, just like you said,if you go to a certain group of
friends, yeah, these friends, Ilove them.
(27:48):
I want to hang out with them,but these are my friends when I
need to decompress, when I needto just enjoy life and have a
good time.
But when I'm working on mybusiness, my net is a little bit
different because it's gonnahelp me grow and increase my net
worth.
So I think that's, that's, youhearing you talk about that
reminded me of that phrase.
(28:09):
But one of the things I wantedto go back to is you mentioned,
when you were younger, peoplewould, come to you while you
were creating your designs oryou were, doing your sketches
and everything and say what areyou doing?
And all this negative energy.
Can you compare when youreceived negative energy back
(28:29):
then versus when you receivednegative energy?
Now, because I'm assumingeveryone in business, right?
No matter if it's at thebeginning or if you're doing
really well, there's alwaysgonna be that one hater out
there that's oh, you thinkyou're so great, or you think
you're whatever.
But I'm assuming the way thatyou handled negative comments
back then versus how younegative, handle negative
(28:52):
comments now is different.
Can you speak on that for peoplewho may be looking to build
their business and they'rehearing that you can't do it, or
what are you doing?
Sandy (29:01):
Definitely, and thank you for that question.
Honestly, when I was a kid, andit wasn't until most recently or
as an adult that I, I learnedthat a lot of this has an
effect.
But as a kid, a lot of that doesstick and it does.
Really all of that is the reasonwhy there's usually a delay in
(29:22):
life.
Whatever that delay is, you lookback at something from the past
and what probably someone hassaid or done that sticks and
that can contribute to thedelay.
So as a child, when they wouldsay that, it would do something
to me like I was stillprescription and I would still
draw, but I stopped a lot.
(29:44):
I quit a lot.
Or I did not perfect my craft.
There is a huge gap where I juststopped drawing and I couldn't
even explain to myself why Istopped drawing and I felt like
something was missing in mylife, but I didn't even
correlate it to, it's becauseyou stopped sketching.
It's because you stopped beingcreative.
(30:05):
I let that whole, other peopleare doing it.
What's gonna be different withyou?
That whole mentality really eataway at my beliefs for myself as
a child growing up, and I'll sayeven in, like teenage years high
school, that whole block, I justremember myself if that whole
(30:29):
time I was not as creative untilmy art teacher was like, you,
what are you doing?
And she didn't even know me.
This was the first year I'vetaken her course.
She doesn't know me from.
Previous years.
And so she could say, last yearyou were so good.
What happened this year?
This was the first time I'mtaking her course.
And for her to say, I know youhave it in you to give me better
than this, that triggeredsomething in me.
(30:52):
'cause I'm like, I can't dobetter than this.
What is stopping me from it?
So a lot of things when I wasyounger, it did stick because
again, I was growing andbecoming who I am.
So as I'm growing, I don't know,like it's kinda like a baby
who's born and they are justaccepting anything that's given
(31:13):
to them.
You don't really know, so you'relearning through that process.
So as a lot of this wassticking, I'm taking it in and
I'm letting it stick because Idon't know who I am.
But as I'm forming my identityand as I form my identity
growing up and becomingconfident in who I am, becoming
(31:33):
confident in my skills and thegift that I have.
Now it's like when I hearnegativity, I channel that into
positivity.
I accept constructive criticism,I reflect on it.
What could I have done better?
And then I don't let it fester,or I don't let it like stay and
(31:53):
think about it for a long time.
Like I put it down, I look atit, what I could have done
better, what I could learn fromthis.
And then I quickly just move onfrom it.
I don't let it just sink in andinto I did something wrong.
Because once that stays, it'llturn into something else.
It'll channel into somethingelse.
(32:15):
So I make sure I address,everything head on, and I make
sure that I'm still confident inwho I am.
If it's something that Iabsolutely agree with and I'm
confident in it, and I trust init, I accept the feedback.
But thank you for that.
But I don't, I know that I don'thave to utilize everything that
I hear.
I know that I don't have to.
Accept everything.
(32:36):
Take what it is that you take,what you can get from what you
hear, what feedback, all ofthat.
But create your owninterpretation.
And that's what I had to learnwith life.
Take the gems that you need andmake it into your own thing.
Don't try to follow what someoneelse is doing because somebody
(32:58):
else's formula may work for themand may be a total disaster for
you.
You have to do what feels rightto you.
And that's the one thing that Isaid ha has been very helpful
for me, is doing what feelsright, going with my intuition
on things and really beingmindful that, when I hear
negativity now, it's almost likeit's not even negativity to me.
(33:21):
Now that's at the point where Iam now in life where when I hear
something that even sounds likeshade.
I'm just like, okay, thank you.
And I'm just like, oh, I'll moveon.
I don't,
Ken (33:32):
Yeah.
Sandy (33:33):
I pray over it and I move on.
It doesn't.
I don't, it doesn't affect meanymore because I know that if
you, if you sit on it and youlet it affect you, you are gonna
be going back downhill.
Back downhill,
Ken (33:48):
can we, I want to segue into the fashion, we were
talking earlier about yourwebsite and it's beautiful.
The bold, bright colors, thedifferent styles that you have.
Can you just talk about, firstdid you have any fashion icons?
And then secondly, talk aboutwhat your creative process is as
(34:12):
you're, creating the differenttypes of fashion that you're
offering to your, clientele.
Mike (34:18):
Yeah.
And let's say your company namea few times too.
Symphony Love.
Ken (34:22):
Oh, yeah.
Symphony love.
Mike (34:24):
love.
Sandy (34:25):
Love.
It's like the, perfect blend ofharmonies, which I, when I look
at our fashions, that's what Ithink, and that's why that name
came to me because we areunconventional, we blend
different colors, we blenddifferent cultures, different
cuts, and I'm a tall woman, so Ijust remember that.
(34:47):
That's part of the reason why Ihad to design a lot of my
fashions as a kid because I wastaught, I had a stature that
didn't match anybody around me.
So that's why I have the optionfor custom fits.
Yeah.
So that's why I have the optionfor custom fits because I
wanted, everybody to feel likethey could have a piece that
speaks to them.
Not go to a website and say, oh,this is gonna be too short on me
(35:10):
when it arrives, or it's gonnabe too long, or it's not gonna
fit right.
So giving that, that option anda lot of my influence, I will
say, comes from my Ghanaianculture.
It comes from differentcultures, just seeing how, like
the movement of differentfabrics, seeing how different
pieces can look on individuals,pieces that are beyond like what
(35:35):
we think about.
And so influences that I've saidis a lot of really Ghanaian
culture.
I do Versace.
I do remember my first designer,anything that I bought was
Versace glasses.
They were prescription glasses.
I'm not a big designer girl, butthey were prescription glasses.
And it just so happened thatthey were the only ones like I
went to, I went away forcollege.
(35:56):
And so that was the only placethat sold glasses.
They had versa.
And I was like, oh, okay.
This is the cheapest one.
I'll go ahead and buy it.
So I wasn't ever a brand girl toreally keep track of the
different brands.
And I wanted to make sure that Ididn't see anything where I'm
mimicking.
So a lot of the things came fromemotion.
And what, and it's funny, someof the dreams I would, some of
(36:16):
the fascists, I would dream it,like some of the outfits I wore,
I would dream that I wore thatoutfit.
And it'd be like, you arewalking around with a huge stash
or something big, this is not,or a lot of feathers, this is
not going to, but then I wouldwake up drawing it out and I'm
like.
Let me, humor myself and let meget this made and see how this
(36:36):
will look.
And it's so funny.
I'm getting it made and they'relaughing at me like, what is
this?
I remember one, one of my, myvery close friends, she, so
she's this is crazy.
This is like 10 pounds offeathers.
This is, you have all of thisgoing on.
I don't even know how this isgoing to end up looking, but I
trust your vision.
I'm gonna do it.
And then after the complete,she's I completely see what you
(37:00):
were saying.
I see it.
And so a lot of that comes fromreally not looking and seeing at
anybody's scenes because that'llinfluence you.
And then you have pieces thatlook like everyone else's.
But really, pieces that speak tome, like pieces that I would
wanna wear, is what I'm makingpieces that if I went to brunch,
I.
I'm an extra person, what Iwould wear, pieces that if I
(37:25):
went, to a party or if I went toa gala, what I would wanna wear,
how I would want to look, andjust going from there, if I see
something that I'm inspired by,I really speak to what about it
that I like and what I don'tlike, and elevate the look.
And then sometimes if the lookdoesn't work for me, I just
(37:46):
scratch the whole thing and thenI start from the beginning.
So really my inspiration comesfrom just my vision of things,
my vision of how I feel likeconfident women want to look.
Like confident individuals, ifthey're walking into a
boardroom, if they're closing adeal, if they're going to a
(38:07):
business brunch, if they'rehanging out with their girls.
Like, That level of confidenceis really where it comes from.
Walking into a room andunintentionally all the
attention, and you're just beingyou and you steal all the
attention.
That favor that you have overyou.
(38:28):
That's really the inspirationbehind the fashions is just
coming in with unspeakablefavor, unspeakable confidence,
and commanding attention of theroom without even trying,
because there's some peoplethat, and I always, when I was
younger, I would go to certainevents and I would just, I just
first of all, I'm the type ofperson that in my college years,
(38:51):
they're like, oh, let's go tothe club.
Let's go to the club.
And I'm just sitting therelooking and just.
Observing.
Like, why am I here?
Why?
And then here comes the one girlthat comes in that is just all
wants all the attention, butit's aggressively seeking the
attention.
Like by what they wear, howthey're acting, just
aggressively seeking some typeof attention.
And here I am just in thereminding my, just sitting there
(39:14):
minding my business.
And you are the person that youattract the attention just by
not just by being.
So that is the concept of what Iwanted for Symphony love is
confidence that speaks toeveryone without you even having
to lift the finger.
Your fashion is speaking out foryou, your fashion.
And what you're wearing issaying what you wanna say.
(39:36):
It's setting the tone.
The other day I was going toanother networking event and, I
called my Uber and so I go inthe Uber and he's you look like
you're on your way to, to,what'd he say?
He said, you look like you're onyour way to either, talk to a
(39:57):
crowd or do something like you,you command attention.
He said, are you the, are you,the one doing the event here?
I was.
I just had one of our pieces on.
I just walked in.
I didn't say anything, I waswalk, I was a little bit like, I
did my meditations andeverything, but I was a little
bit like nervous about somethings that I was working on.
(40:21):
So I wrote everything down.
I was this is already done.
I don't need to be wor worriedabout this.
Let me just focus on what I havetoday.
So I made sure that didn'tregister in my disposition, and
I'm just like, let me just go,let me get this done.
It's gonna be a positive day.
And he immediately was you looklike somebody important.
I.
He said that to me and I'm like,of course I'm somebody
important.
We all are.
(40:42):
We have to receive that andclaim that and walk in that.
But it was how he immediatelysaw and said, and something
spoke to the him.
And that's what I was thinkingabout with Symphony Love music,
that like a note, a musical notethat hits people before they
even hear the song, before theyeven hear the music.
CJ (41:05):
Speaking for myself.
And I may mention to this beforeyou came online, got onto your
website last night, doing alittle research, and I'm not, I
can't really describe it and doit justice, but there's one
piece as I'm scrolling it is sofire to me.
I sent it to a friend of mineand the colors, there's one, I
(41:28):
think it's like you, it's calleda kimono.
You have, you're sitting onsome, sitting on a couch, a
black couch.
It's got like teal and hot pink.
That outfit, you don't even haveto say anything.
That drew my attention and I'mimmediately sending it to a
friend of mine that I know is inthe fashion industry, you need
to get this,
Sandy (41:46):
Thank you.
Thank you so
CJ (41:48):
that piece is incredible.
Sandy (41:51):
Thank you.
Yeah, that's our, that's whatSymphony love is really about.
That's what the inspirationcomes from.
I feel like so many people arejust scared of.
Colors now and cuts.
Everything is just, oh, let's besafe.
Let's be safe, but we're notsafe over as symphony love.
And you know what's so funny?
Sometimes we'll get requests,and the more outlandish the
(42:16):
better.
There's no request that's toobig, people will go give a
design and then it's, sosometimes when you, because I've
gone through that where I have avision and then you go and you
are talking about it with a,another designer.
You're, a seamstress or Taylorand they're just like, this is
not gonna work out.
It's so defeating to hear thisis not gonna work out.
(42:37):
You haven't even done it.
How can you tell me it's notgonna work out?
So the more outlandish thestyle, the better.
And there's no limitations tofashion.
If you want to mix rhinestonesand feathers and if you wanna
use silk and all of that, evenif you wanna use polyester, you
can elevate polyester, it's allin the vision that you have and
(42:58):
the look like the overall look,which story you're trying to
tell with that piece.
So when we get requests thatcome in and they seem to them,
they're like, I know this isextra, but I'm like, have you
met me extra?
Listen, you speaking, you'respeaking to the queen of extra,
so it's not a problem at all.
(43:19):
So that's what we love when weget to tap into our, like our
designer style, like ourcreativity.
That is what I enjoy doing themost, and and then no
limitations.
So that's the African piece.
There a lot.
We have so many differentcultures on like Asian culture,
so many different, because wedon't wanna limit ourselves, and
(43:41):
we don't want to put like ablock on what we can do.
So we love that we are able towork with different cuts,
different fabrics.
Different people, that we getdifferent customers all to make
different, pieces and we caterto that, and these are elevated
pieces.
Pieces that once they're out.
(44:02):
They're those fabrics.
Some of them are so specializedthat they're pieces that it's
good to get earlier when they'reavailable.
Because once they're gone, it'sno guarantee.
We may still have the samestyle, but in another print.
And that's what we love becausewe know that, some people,
especially when I, and I learnedthis when I was in college, some
(44:23):
people hate walking around inthe same piece that somebody
else has.
I remember when we were incollege, we all used to shop
from this one mall.
And so people would be sosurprised when I would show up
and I would have a wholedifferent outfit on, and like
four of them are wearing thesame dress that they got from
the mall.
And it's girl, where did you getthis outfit from?
Tell us where you got it from,because.
(44:45):
We're all going over to the mallto Forever 21 and it's I don't,
I make my own pieces, I createmy own look.
And besides, I would not go intoa store and really get pieces
that speak to me and fit me theway I wanted to fit, which is
why Symphony Love was birthedout of that.
So a lot of that comes fromknowing people want, indivi
(45:08):
individuality.
They want to have something thatspeaks to them.
They wanna have something that'sexclusive to them and is not
around on 150 people, so I lovethat we offer that option as
well.
Mike (45:21):
Yeah, I want to go back, you spoke on confidence and I
was looking at your website andyou have custom Couture on there
as well.
So obviously you've grown intoyour confidence.
You have that confidence.
What if someone comes in andthey say, Hey, I want a custom
piece.
(45:42):
How do you, I'm assuming they,they may have the confidence to,
if they're coming in and askingfor a custom piece, they may
have the confidence, but what ifyou suggest something and
they're like, Ooh, I'm not sure.
Do you ever have to like, buildup people's confidence to, to
wear one of your pieces, or doyou customize it based on their
(46:03):
confidence level at that moment?
Sandy (46:05):
I do sometimes have to build up their confidence and
it's not even build up becauseit's confidence that they have
within themselves.
Sometimes you just need to tapinto that and then it comes out.
So I'm the kind of person, likeI'll, I had a recently had a
client.
That she is so shy that shecouldn't even verbalize really
what she wanted, but I get inthere and I'm like joking with
(46:28):
her and I'm like, figuring whoshe is.
And she's like laughing andbreaking that wall.
And then through that, she'slike telling me, I could do a
shoulder where I could do this.
I don't mind this.
So little by little she'stelling me, things that she
likes or she can do, or what herlimitations are.
And I'm like, I feel like thiswill look amazing on you.
(46:49):
Why don't you just try thispiece that we have?
And if it works, we could tweakthis.
And then, so seeing howopen-minded you do wanna respect
the person and the individualand make sure that, what they
want or what they're requestingspeaks to them.
But sometimes if they come andthey really have a blank canvas
and they're really shy, you haveto really, it's like an artist.
(47:11):
Putting paint to, or putting adrawing to paper.
You have to get those componentsto make the piece.
So in this situation, shedidn't, she's I don't really
know what I want.
I just know that I need thisfor, and I'm, and so I'm like,
girl, what do you like, wearing?
And they're just like, why?
And then they're showing me somethe stuff.
(47:32):
I'm like, if we were to give youthis or cut this here, how would
you feel about it?
I've never worn anything likethat.
And this would be new for you.
You could step out, you couldtry something new.
It doesn't work for you.
We'll know where to go fromthere, and so then, I'm like,
what color is in?
Originally, I wanna say shewanted gray.
She either wanted gray or likenavy or something, a dark color.
(47:55):
And so then I'm like, it'sgetting warmer, let's give you a
pop of color, let's just putsome color in there.
So it really just brighteneverything up.
And sometimes, even if you do asimple style and the colors is
pop, the style is, that's thestyle.
You really don't need to even domuch because the fabric and the
color speaks for itself.
(48:16):
You don't have to, it doesn'tclash, so why don't we do that?
And so when you introduce littleaspects of symphony love, and
you mix it with who they are,and it comes together, it comes,
it turns out so beautifully.
So you do have to meet in themiddle in some things.
Sometimes, we have to.
(48:37):
Get 80% and give'em 20.
Sometimes they get their 80%, weget 20.
It just depends if the personcomes in and they already, have
that personality.
Like one of our clients thatcame in, they already had, PO
that there, they were already,they knew what they wanted.
They had their picture, but whenthey bring a picture, we talked
about certain things that wecould tweak because again, we
try not to take styles or doanything like that unless it's
(48:59):
like a direct, request and theywanna direct a specific look for
something.
Other than that we do offer andput in our ideas and then we
come to a middle ground of thenew look that they want and then
we perfect that.
Mike (49:13):
I love it.
That's symphony love.
And as I mentioned earlier, yougot something big coming up.
You wanna tell us about it?
Sandy (49:20):
Nice.
We have a fashion show comingup.
April 27th, we're doing the lastevening, which is for evening
wear.
And this will be at Water TowerPlace at Fashion Bar in Chicago.
The tickets are on Eventbrite.
I think I sent you the link,Mike.
And, anybody wants to comesupport, but we'll be showcasing
(49:43):
our fashions.
We have, it will be anywherefrom 12 to 16 pieces and yeah,
we're excited.
And then it's so funny becausesince then we have already
booked two other shows thatwe're working on.
We're final.
We're still finalizing thedates.
Thank you.
We're still finalizing thedates.
I know that one is in May.
I'm waiting for the officialdate for that.
(50:05):
I can update you once I havethat.
And then we have another one.
So the one in May is the springone.
We have another one in October,and then I'm in talks for one in
November.
So
Mike (50:17):
Nice.
Congratulations and re refreshmy memory.
Is this your first fashion showthat you're doing?
Sandy (50:25):
Yes.
This is our first ever fashionshow.
Mike (50:28):
I love it.
Yeah.
We'll definitely provide thedetails on our, on all of our
socials and on this podcast aswell.
And if for anyone who'slistening to it in the future,
this is Sunday, April 27th, 2025from two to six.
So don't be listening to this on2027 and show up.
Thank you.
You about to go to a fashionshow, but we'll post a link and,
(50:50):
everything else so people couldbuy tickets and come check you
out.
Sandy (50:54):
Thank you so much.
Thank.
Ken (50:56):
Can you talk a little bit more about the process that
you're currently going throughto prepare for the fashion
shows?
Since this is your first one, myassumption is that, you're
there, there's probably thingsthat you're doing that you have
not done before.
So if you can talk about that.
Sandy (51:10):
Yes.
Thank you so much.
One thing that I had to realizeis that I can't do everything
myself.
I do need some help.
So originally, that was onething I will say I was trying to
do in the beginning of, or evenbefore that kind of held me back
because I'm like, a lot ofpeople aren't supportive.
This is something I'm gonna haveto keep secretive.
This is gonna be something thatI'm gonna have to do myself, and
(51:31):
do each part myself.
So with this show I have, I amoutsourcing, so I have hired
three designers, which I havenever done.
I've never had a, like a hugestaff.
This is a big thing for me.
I usually draw the designmyself.
I execute it myself.
I, I am, doing the behind thescenes planning and everything
(51:54):
myself.
So this is the first time I'mlike, get help, allocate
different roles so that you canreally take time to do what you
need to do.
And so it was a big process forme to mentally let, not let go
of, but hand my baby over toother people to hold for a bit,
and trust that, trust theirskill and their mindset that
(52:17):
they, what they can also bringto the table.
I have three designers.
I have an apprentice as wellthat's gonna be helping us help
us get some of our fabrics thatwe need.
Some of the different tools,there are different looks that I
wanna showcase, based on season.
So some of the looks areupcoming looks, we wanna look
ahead, we kind of wanna show aglimpse of it so we could give a
(52:37):
sample of it, but it's going tobe later on in the year.
So I wanna get those done aswell.
I want to get pieces that we'recurrently going to run on there
as well.
The main thing I will say inpreparation is helping, getting,
outsourcing, getting peoplethat, will be more hands on,
trusting and giving them tasksand not, I've never been a
(53:00):
micromanager, but just trustingthat they'll take care of it and
everything will work out so thatwe're working with models,
trying to recruit models.
And the thing with Symphony Loveis we're all, all size
inclusive.
A lot of the models that we haveare like certain smaller sample
sizes.
We are looking for a wider rangeof models just so that we can
(53:22):
showcase the different, lookswith our pieces, the different
di demographics that can wearour pieces because it is, again,
we do cater to any woman who isconfident.
It doesn't matter if your,you're studies two or 22, if
you're confident you could wearour pieces.
You are bold, we are talking toyou, we're speaking to you.
(53:45):
So we wanna make sure that wehave those models that can cater
to what I envision.
So we're working on that.
The fabric is a huge thingbecause there's been a little
bit of a delay with all of ourshipping and everything that's
going on, but we're gettingcreative with how we're getting
the fabric.
It's just being open-minded towhat we gotta do and then having
(54:07):
a backup plan in case we're notable to get what we have our eye
on.
But just again, being creative,opening our minds to different
possibilities, not, like evennot being, I will say again,
restricted not being one sidedwith our thoughts.
If something doesn't work out,that doesn't mean the whole
(54:27):
thing is done.
It just means you have toimprovise.
You just have to look foranother way.
So in, in my journey now andmoving forward, I've realized
that, just see the positive inthings.
If something's not working out,take a moment, take some time.
Just look at it from a positiveview, look at ways that you can
enhance or do somethingdifferent, and then just move
(54:48):
forward from it.
Don't harp on it too long.
So really, this is it.
It's a great opportunity.
It's the first time ever, I'mexcited and so I'm learning, the
process.
I'm pretty sure other thingswill come up as we're moving
forward, but, we'll deal with itas, as it comes along.
Mike (55:06):
Look at you.
I love it.
That's awesome.
2023, you took that step andhere you are
Sandy (55:13):
Yes.
Mike (55:15):
killing
Sandy (55:15):
it's so funny because I made the vision board beginning
of the year.
I didn't incorporate until,towards the end of the year.
So it took that much time for mymentality to get to where it
needed for me to really finetune it and get it to where it
needed to be, to to finally stepout on faith.
So that's what I would tell any,future business owner, any
(55:38):
potential business owner, anyperson that's just envisioning,
just doing things on their own.
You just have to have, thefaith, the size of a mustard
seed, it doesn't take that much,and just get it done.
Don't even think about it.
Now I'm thinking like, youshould have just done it.
You shouldn't have even thoughtabout it.
You would already be.
In business for over a decadenow.
(55:59):
Just imagine all the things thatwe talk ourselves out of doing.
So just get it done.
Don't worry about the money,don't worry about where the
resources will come from.
Don't worry about, who, wherethe helpers will come from.
Just write down what you want.
It's in the Bible.
Write down what you want.
Make it plain.
Don't use any fancy language,don't use any big words.
(56:22):
Write down what you want.
And the hardest part is figuringout what you want.
That people don't realize thatthe hardest part is figuring out
what you want, and so once youget that done, then everything
will follow.
Just you have to move.
If you're not moving, Goddoesn't know that you're ready
to get it done.
So he's waiting on you and youthink you're waiting on him.
(56:43):
He's waiting on you.
So you have to really move.
And then you'll see howeverything falls into place.
But yeah.
Symphony love.
I have a lot of things comingup, so we'll talk about that as
they come along too, because Iwill be getting into life
coaching and business coachingsoon.
And that's something that's bigfor me.
I've been working on it.
That, that's also a passion ofmine.
(57:04):
So yes,
Mike (57:06):
Yeah, I would definitely love to hear more about that as
you get that, as you startbuilding on that and getting
that together, definitely keepin touch and let us know how
that's going.
Sandy (57:14):
I.
Mike (57:15):
All right.
We're coming up on time, sothere's a couple of things that
we like to do at the end of theshow.
But first, like you, you'vedropped a lot of, I hate using
that term, like nuggets and goldnuggets, but you've dropped a
lot of knowledge on us.
You've, we need to rebrand ourown type of thing.
Should we say she dropped someOnyx?
What, what can we use?
(57:37):
She what?
She dropped some gems.
Yeah.
We'll figure it out.
That one still isn't rolling offmy tongue yet, but with that
said, we really appreciate youcoming onto the show, sharing,
everything about how you gotstarted and, building your
confidence and taking imperfectaction and your network is your
net worth.
(57:57):
Like all of these things, youcould definitely, see that
you've, you had a shift inmindset and it's gotten you from
where you were to where you arenow and one of the common
threads that we always say, it'sjust that when people take
action, things happen.
It doesn't have to be perfect.
That's exactly what we did hereat Black Bridge Mindset.
We had no idea how to set any ofthis up in the beginning.
(58:19):
We was like, Hey, let's do apodcast.
Okay, what are we gonna do apodcast on?
And then we narrowed it down.
And like you said, figuring outexactly what you wanna do is the
hard part.
Everything else is just blackand white, right?
You need to buy equipment.
Go online, buy equipment.
You need a website for this.
Go the website.
So yeah, so I really appreciateall of that.
Moving forward, Ken is gonna do,we have a section where we do
(58:44):
like lightning round questions,and Ken is gonna ask you a
couple of questions.
And actually I'll let him takeover.
But before we do that, I'm thesoundboard, I'm the sound man.
We don't got the budget for asound thing yet, so
Sandy (59:01):
It.
Mike (59:02):
light round question.
Ken (59:08):
All right.
Lightning round.
These are random questions.
And so I'm just gonna kick rightoff.
So what are, where's yourfavorite place to travel?
Sandy (59:16):
Ooh, okay.
I don't travel a lot.
That's one thing that I put on.
This year's, this year, I madenot only a vision board, I made
a vision book.
So in my book I said I was goingto travel more.
I have on there Ghana, ofcourse, I told you they're
looking for me.
I have on there Bali, I have onthere, Thailand, and I believe I
(59:40):
have green.
And there's one more place.
I have it all on my phone.
But, I would say my favoriteplace to travel is Ghana just
because that's the one placethat I've been to more than
once.
It's just I haven't been thererecently.
And then recently, I went to NewYork.
My first time ever going to NewYork.
And I actually really like NewYork.
You know how people talk.
(01:00:00):
A whole bunch of junk aboutpeople's places.
And you go there and you're justlike, New York is New York.
I guess'cause we're, fromChicago, you just fit in
anywhere, I feel.
But I felt like that with otherplaces that I went to that they
were just like, like I rememberwhen I went to Florida, they
were just like, be careful.
Down south is so different.
And I went down there and I fitright in with them.
(01:00:21):
So it just, it was like secondnature.
But I like New York too.
Ken (01:00:26):
Fantastic.
You had mentioned, just, in ourlast segment, that you're gonna
start doing life coaching, andbusiness coaching as well as a
real estate company and symphonylove.
Tell us how you are able tobalance that.
Like how do you relax?
How do you just take a stepback, take a breath, and
refocus.
Sandy (01:00:45):
Thank you for that question.
I have, I this year started agratitude journal, so I already
love to journal.
But the gratitude journal I get,that's my moment to me.
So I'm able to sit at my table,in my kitchen, make a cup of
tea, and I have my journal withme.
I'll have a good book next tome.
(01:01:07):
I'll have my laptop if I'm doingwork, but I'll take a moment to.
Pose all of that and justjournal, drink my tea, and
really write down what I'mgrateful for.
And through that, I have amoment to myself to really
assess the different things thatI'm doing, the different things
I want to do.
And in that, as I'm thinking,God, I'm also asking him for the
(01:01:30):
direction and just the room andthe capacity to do all of the
things that I wanna do.
That's sometimes what I feel alot of people forget to do.
They ask for all these things,but they don't, they forget to
ask, help me to maintain thethings that I want.
Help me to be able to take thisload, especially if these are
(01:01:51):
the things that I wanna do, andthen help me to drop off or for
things to fall off.
That is not a part of my vision.
There's a lot of people that,they'll immediately quit their
W2 job and it's you may not haveinstantaneously needed to drop
it.
It'll drop off on its own whenit needs to work it until you
need to, and then still do yourdream on the side.
(01:02:14):
And then eventually, as yourdream is elevating, the other
job will naturally fall offnaturally.
So it'll all work.
You won't have to force it.
So that's one thing that I do isjust, I sit to myself.
I pray a lot.
I meditate a lot.
I just write down what I'mfeeling and I leave it in God's
(01:02:35):
hands.
Ken (01:02:35):
Awesome.
Who has had the most influenceon your life?
Sandy (01:02:39):
My mom, and she passed away.
She passed away, a few months tome graduating from high school,
going into college.
But there's so many things thatI just hear her, I just know
what she would say, or I hearcertain term terms that she
would use that I'm just like, itgives me the umph that I need,
(01:03:01):
even on days that I'm justfeeling a certain way.
I sit to myself and I just hearher and I'm just like, I just
gotta get up and I gotta do it.
And so she, she was one of mybiggest support systems and, she
was, she had just a hilariousway of saying things and putting
things in into perspective.
And I always hear that I'm somuch like her.
(01:03:23):
So I just feel as I'm movingforward in life and I'm
accomplishing all the things Iwanna do, I know that there are
things that she would've wantedfrom me that is like the biggest
influence over everything that Ido.
Ken (01:03:35):
Last one.
And that is, do you have afavorite book or podcast that
you'd like to share with ourlisteners?
Sandy (01:03:43):
Ooh.
A favorite book.
Okay.
Okay.
My favorite book is The Book ofPsalms.
I love that book and it's, whenI was a kid, my mom introduced
it to me, like a differentmemory verses that she had me to
recite before I would go to bed,pinpoint their straight from
Psalms.
(01:04:03):
And a book that I used to loveand I still love, but I didn't
love the movie too much.
The movie kind of messed it upfor me is The Giver.
And it's a book that I wanna seeI read in, in high school.
I love that book.
That's one of my favorite books.
And then now a book that I'mreading that is really great, I
(01:04:24):
should have brought it, is, letme look at my phone so I don't
get the author wrong, but Istarted reading it and I read it
and I'm rereading it.
It's actually two.
It is.
Mike (01:04:37):
Yeah, if it's nearby, you are more than welcome to grab
it.
We can cut this
Sandy (01:04:40):
I wanna go grab it so bad and show you the cover that I
have because apparently there isdifferent versions.
It's two.
So it's the Power of A Awarenessby Neville.
It has, it's the one with thered band at the bottom.
It's like a two in one.
(01:05:00):
So it is the power of awareness,but it includes his other book,
also in the back of the book,and it's the one with the red
van.
And then, think and Grow Rich,Napoleon Hill.
Yeah, I listened to that.
I watched it and then I actuallybought the physical book and I'm
rereading it.
So those are the two.
Mike (01:05:20):
have that as well.
That is a good book.
Ken (01:05:22):
A good book.
It is.
Okay.
And lastly, can you tell ourlisteners how to get in touch
with you?
Sandy (01:05:29):
Yeah.
Our Instagram, yeah, Instagram,Twitter, X.
Now we're on TikTok is all atSymphony Love.
We couldn't get the symphonylove on its own.
Hopefully that person gives itto us.
But for now it's Symphony lovewith the underscore under it.
(01:05:51):
So that's all of our socialmedia platforms.
I am working on my, my lifecoaching, platform.
So that will be available soon.
But for now, they could followus at Symphony Love,
Mike (01:06:03):
But to be clear, your website though is just symphony
love.com.
Sandy (01:06:09):
correct?
Symphony love.com.
Yes.
Mike (01:06:12):
Perfect.
Yeah, we'll have all of
Sandy (01:06:13):
the website too.
Mike (01:06:16):
What'd you say?
Sandy (01:06:17):
We're revamping the website too.
Nobody, it's so funny.
Nobody knows this.
I, okay.
I don't know if this part isgonna be in, but I hired
somebody to do the website andthey didn't do the website.
They, completely fell off anddidn't do the website.
So I had to do the websitemyself.
I'm not an expert.
When I went to go to our site tosee all that they had done,
(01:06:42):
because we paid them, they saidthey were.
Logging in from their app.
They weren't even on a webbrowser to do it, so they were
making updates from their app.
So that's why the page waslooking wonky.
I had to go in there andbasically do every, delete
everything they did and doeverything from scratch.
And I'm not a web designer, so Ihave outsourced.
I'm getting somebody to go inthere and help us with.
(01:07:04):
Perfect.
It more so
Mike (01:07:06):
Listen, if you would not have said anything, I would not
have done any
Ken (01:07:09):
Never have known.
Mike (01:07:11):
I don't know if it looks different on the phone or
whatever, but I pull it up on mylaptop and it looks great.
I think you did a great job.
And that's a true testament,right?
Like people are like, oh, Idon't know how to do it.
Just do it.
Sandy (01:07:21):
Just do it.
Yeah, just do it.
Sometimes you not an expert atsomething, but sometimes you'll
be the more of an expert thanthe people that are the experts
that you hire.
You just have to, again, juststart it off and it'll, come
together.
Mike (01:07:36):
Nice.
Okay.
We've kept you for some, quitesome time and, there's this one
thing that we're asking all ofour guests to do at the end of
the show, and they're gigglingbecause I made this up on a whim
one day and we're gonna go withit.
It's called, and people told mewe need to work on the name, but
it's okay.
We're gonna go with it.
It's called the Wakanda PeacePause.
(01:07:56):
It's something we're gonna do atthe end of every show, and it's
something that we're just gonna,take a screen grab and post
online with all of our guests.
All right, so if you're ready,this is what the W Wakanda peace
pause is.
I'm gonna count to three.
And you're just gonna go likethis.
I'm gonna try to, and you smile,
Sandy (01:08:16):
Okay.
Mike (01:08:17):
and then you're just gonna pause for a few seconds because
it's a video.
So I'm gonna need you, everybodyto stand still so I can take a
screen, grab a bit later andpost it and use it.
All right?
Sandy (01:08:26):
Alright, let get myself ready,
Mike (01:08:28):
people who are listening that?
Sandy (01:08:31):
Let me get myself ready,
Mike (01:08:34):
Okay, so for the people who are listening, on Apple or
Spotify, they're not gonna seeit.
But for the people who are gonnasee us on YouTube, they'll see
it.
And who knows, maybe, we'll,maybe we'll have a clip or
something on socials, but ifyou're ready on the count of
three, we're gonna do theWakanda peace, pause and don't
forget to smile, Ken.
All right.
And 1, 2, 3.
(01:09:01):
Done.
Perfect.
All right, that wraps up ourepisode three.
We'd like to thank everybody forlistening to the Black Women
CJ (01:09:09):
Yes.
Thank you very much for yourtime.
Mike (01:09:11):
out to Sandy Daniels
Sandy (01:09:13):
all so
Mike (01:09:13):
Symphony Love.
Please go check her out on herwebsites and all of her socials.
And also don't forget thatSunday, April 27th, 2025 at 2:00
PM she is doing a fashion show,the very first one at Water
Tower Place here in Chicago,Illinois.
So once again, thank you somuch, Sandy.
We, like I said, we met on awhim at a real estate meetup,
(01:09:37):
and here we are.
So I'm definitely gonna hop on,get my tickets since I'm local,
the other two are out of town.
But we'll come check you outand, and share the love.
Sandy (01:09:47):
Thank you so much, Mike.
CJ.
Thank you.
Thank you for having me on.
Mike (01:09:53):
Thank you.
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