September 28, 2023 • 16 mins
If you've been tuning into this podcast, you know I've been very adamant about hitting a big milestone, which was to present a collection this month in September during Fashion Week. Well long story short, that didn't happen.
I’m not going to lie, I felt defeated, but that feeling lasted for a short period of time. Because I realized I’m exactly where I need to be. There is so much more for me to observe and learn over the next few months so I’m ready for Fashion Week in February!
Topics Covered:
- Remaining Focused On My Goals
- Taking Time Off To Rest & Reset
- Beyonce Renaissance Tour & Bey Good Foundation
- Setting Goals and Taking Action
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Sponsors:
Thanks to Pamoja for supporting Diaries of a Modern Trailblazer
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Stephanie (00:01):
I am Stephanie Evans and this is Diaries of a Modern
Trailblazer.
Take note of the journey and beinspired to forge your own
amazing path.
Hello, hello! I hope thateveryone has had an amazing week
(00:24):
thus far.
I want to kick off by reading mydaily affirmation, which, I'm
going to be honest, I don't saythis out loud every day, but,
you know, at the end of the day,it's there when I need it.
(00:45):
And this was something that Ireally needed to lean on this
month.
So here it goes.
I will remain focused on mygoals.
Even if I have a moment ofdifficulty, I will not give up.
I know success comes withconsistency.
(01:06):
I know that I will make it.
Things will get better.
No problem, no challenge willstop me.
Everything I deserve is comingmy way.
I'm reading it because I hadthat moment of difficulty, and
if you've been tuning into thispodcast, you know I've been very
(01:29):
adamant about hitting a bigmilestone, which was to present
a collection this month inSeptember during Fashion Week.
Well, long story short, thatdidn't happen.
But at the end of the day, Irecognize I'm exactly where I
(01:50):
need to be.
I came across an Instagram postearlier this month that said,
You don't have to know whatcomes next.
There's peace in knowing thatGod has a plan, and he has You
exactly where he wants You.
(02:12):
I've been working throughsampling this collection of bags
for what feels like a very longtime.
And quite frankly, I thought Iwould have all of my samples by
now, today.
But they're still a work inprogress and there's always a
(02:37):
lesson to be learned throughthis process.
Like as I'm building out thisbusiness, I'm learning about the
importance of settingexpectations.
And, you know, it's not onlylimited to business.
It expands on personalrelationships as well, and just
(02:59):
making sure that communicationis clear, details are laid out,
you know, like just putting allof that detail and
communication, communication,communication, communication in
building strong foundationalrelationships across the board.
(03:24):
Um, I'm progressing and I'mbeing optimistic throughout the
process, knowing that thingswill get better at the end of
the day.
And you know what?
I got an update from mymanufacturer this morning and,
(03:47):
and it gave me a huge boost ofconfidence that we're moving in
the right direction, which isextremely exciting.
So despite this delay, well, letme take a step back when I knew
that the September milestonewasn't going to happen, I
(04:10):
honestly did begin to feeldefeated.
You know, but in the back of mymind, I knew that I could not
press pause.
I knew that there were otherthings that I could continue to
(04:32):
do independently to make surethat I set myself up, set Pamoja
up for success in the future.
I recognized that things were abit rushed.
And I wasn't necessarily goingto be able to prepare in the way
that I honestly wanted toprepare and present myself with
(04:57):
potential wholesale buyers,press, media, whomever else.
So this just feels like a newbeginning and another
opportunity for me to do it inthe right way, when putting the
brand forward.
(05:18):
So I'm really happy about that.
I see this as an opportunity,knowing that I have more time
when February comes, becausethat is a new milestone now.
And during that process, Ibelieve it may have been last
(05:42):
month or earlier this month thatsomehow an ad for Wholesale
Growth podcast came up and I waslike, wow, that sounds
interesting because that'sreally what I'm looking to do as
a form of growth because, youknow, if people don't know about
(06:09):
Pamoja, if customers don't knowabout Pamoja, then how am I
supposed to grow?
And for me, I'm looking atwholesale as an avenue to
broaden my distribution.
(06:30):
And one of the interesting statsthat was quoted in that podcast
came from Forrester, where Ibelieve it's projected in 2024,
72 percent of sales are going tooriginate in store because the
(06:52):
in store experience is stillvery much so important.
And knowing that I'm buildinggreat quality multifunctional
bags that are designed to last,that story is really going to
come to life when the customer,when you are in the store and
(07:16):
you see it for yourself.
And it's just like, yeah, that'sthe bag.
That's the one for me.
So yeah, I'm really excited forthat.
Um, anyway, so in the interim,while sample making is
happening, I'm planning, and I'mbeing strategic, and I'm being
(07:41):
intentional, and as a result, Itruly believe that nothing is
going to stop me.
You know, it just makes me thinkand reflect that, again, these
things are in our head.
And we are the ones preventingourselves from doing what it is
(08:05):
that we need to be doing inorder to progress in life.
In order to do the things thatwe want to do, the things that
we're meant to do.
Not necessarily placing blame onothers in the process.
Also another thing that Irecognize in this process Like,
(08:29):
I intended to take a week offbecause, in my mind, I was going
to be in New York and workingand actively engaging in a
showroom, you know, but eventhough that didn't happen,
(08:51):
because I knew I missed themark, I still planned on taking
a week off, and I took a weekoff towards the end of
September.
I did a staycation to focus onmyself and be intentional around
that.
I spent time working on strategyfor Pamoja, but at the same
(09:17):
time, I also spent timepampering myself.
I had a massage one day.
Another day I got facial,another day I got a manicure and
a pedicure, and then one of myfriends came into town as we
(09:42):
were going to attend the Beyonceconcert last Sunday in Houston,
which was phenomenally amazing,by the way.
And I also attended the Bey GoodLuncheon for the Black Parade
Route, which is part ofBeyonce's Foundation.
(10:05):
And it was kind of a full circlemoment because, um, Ivy McGregor
is the director of the Bey GoodFoundation, and Mama Tina was
the guest speaker, and, I wentto a retreat in March called the
(10:29):
Secret Sauce to Success Retreat.
And again, um, Mrs.
Tina Lawson, she was the keynotespeaker being interviewed by Ivy
McGregor.
And so it was really, reallycool that I got to see the two
(10:50):
of them twice.
Once in March, another time inSeptember, and, like, I, I got
to talk to, um, Mama Tina inMarch, and then I got to follow
(11:11):
up and talk to Ivy McGregor inSeptember, um, last Friday.
And so if you actually go to, ifyou're on our podcast page on
the Pamoja site, you'll see thepicture of myself in Ivy
McGregor from the luncheon,which was so, so amazing.
(11:36):
And I got to network withindividuals who are growing
their businesses just like mebeing in a room full of people
that are working towards similargoals and being inspired and it
was great and it was what mysoul needed nourishment for.
(12:01):
On top of that, there were,there was a folder full of
resources, for all of us withour businesses to take advantage
of, which I'm still spendingtime looking through it and it
is a folder of abundance.
(12:21):
So the past week, Last week wasfull of joy, full of optimism,
and knowing at the end of theday, no problem or challenge
will stop me, because everythingI deserve is coming my way.
(12:44):
I am worthy of great things, andI know that's all on the
horizon.
You are worthy of great thingsand you just have to put it out
there, you know.
I'm here now, but it's onlygoing to get better moving
(13:07):
forward.
And I think about what's next.
It's truly, truly exciting asI'm working through the strategy
and putting those things down ina deck.
And knowing, for example, I wantto be part of the Black in
Fashion Council showroom inFebruary.
(13:30):
The first step is writing downthat goal.
But the next step is figuringout, how am I going to get
there?
Who do I reach out to, to evenbe considered for an opportunity
like that?
Well, lo and behold, I'm part ofa group chat that was created
(13:51):
after participating in theHarlem Fashion Row designer
retreat that happened last year.
Um, all of us decided to create,well, actually one of the
designers came up with a greatidea to create a group chat in
(14:13):
WhatsApp for us to just continueto stay connected.
And talk about what it is we'redoing and share resources and
really continue to lift eachother up.
And it's been amazing.
So one of the designers in thegroup chat, Krystal Phillips,
she mentioned that she wasparticipating in the Black in
(14:35):
Fashion Council showroom thismonth, and when I saw that, oh
my gosh, I immediately DM'd herand told her that's exactly what
I want to do.
Like I wrote that down and I amso happy and excited for you.
(14:58):
Congratulations, by the way.
I want to hear about yourexperience and definitely want
to connect and learn how did youget the opportunity to
participate in the Black inFashion Council showroom?
And how was that experience?
(15:20):
And guess what?
I'm talking to her about thisexperience on Friday, September
28th and getting the update.
So there is more to come.
I'm super excited about that.
And it just goes to showanything is possible.
(15:43):
To be able to connect withsomebody who has had the
opportunity to do something I aminterested in doing that I set
as a goal.
It just feels like it's placingme that much closer to achieving
(16:05):
it.
So in hindsight, I'm exactlywhere I need to be because I
needed more time.
And when I get there, it's goingto be great.
You have to believe.
(16:26):
You have to have faith and youhave to stay consistent in what
it is that you're looking toachieve in life.
And that's a wrap.
So own it and make moves.
One day, I want to share yourjourney on this podcast.
I am Stephanie Evans and this is Diaries of a Modern
Trailblazer.
Take note of the journey and beinspired to forge your own
amazing path.
Hello, hello! I hope thateveryone has had an amazing week
(00:24):
thus far.
I want to kick off by reading mydaily affirmation, which, I'm
going to be honest, I don't saythis out loud every day, but,
you know, at the end of the day,it's there when I need it.
(00:45):
And this was something that Ireally needed to lean on this
month.
So here it goes.
I will remain focused on mygoals.
Even if I have a moment ofdifficulty, I will not give up.
I know success comes withconsistency.
(01:06):
I know that I will make it.
Things will get better.
No problem, no challenge willstop me.
Everything I deserve is comingmy way.
I'm reading it because I hadthat moment of difficulty, and
if you've been tuning into thispodcast, you know I've been very
(01:29):
adamant about hitting a bigmilestone, which was to present
a collection this month inSeptember during Fashion Week.
Well, long story short, thatdidn't happen.
But at the end of the day, Irecognize I'm exactly where I
(01:50):
need to be.
I came across an Instagram postearlier this month that said,
You don't have to know whatcomes next.
There's peace in knowing thatGod has a plan, and he has You
exactly where he wants You.
(02:12):
I've been working throughsampling this collection of bags
for what feels like a very longtime.
And quite frankly, I thought Iwould have all of my samples by
now, today.
But they're still a work inprogress and there's always a
(02:37):
lesson to be learned throughthis process.
Like as I'm building out thisbusiness, I'm learning about the
importance of settingexpectations.
And, you know, it's not onlylimited to business.
It expands on personalrelationships as well, and just
(02:59):
making sure that communicationis clear, details are laid out,
you know, like just putting allof that detail and
communication, communication,communication, communication in
building strong foundationalrelationships across the board.
(03:24):
Um, I'm progressing and I'mbeing optimistic throughout the
process, knowing that thingswill get better at the end of
the day.
And you know what?
I got an update from mymanufacturer this morning and,
(03:47):
and it gave me a huge boost ofconfidence that we're moving in
the right direction, which isextremely exciting.
So despite this delay, well, letme take a step back when I knew
that the September milestonewasn't going to happen, I
(04:10):
honestly did begin to feeldefeated.
You know, but in the back of mymind, I knew that I could not
press pause.
I knew that there were otherthings that I could continue to
(04:32):
do independently to make surethat I set myself up, set Pamoja
up for success in the future.
I recognized that things were abit rushed.
And I wasn't necessarily goingto be able to prepare in the way
that I honestly wanted toprepare and present myself with
(04:57):
potential wholesale buyers,press, media, whomever else.
So this just feels like a newbeginning and another
opportunity for me to do it inthe right way, when putting the
brand forward.
(05:18):
So I'm really happy about that.
I see this as an opportunity,knowing that I have more time
when February comes, becausethat is a new milestone now.
And during that process, Ibelieve it may have been last
(05:42):
month or earlier this month thatsomehow an ad for Wholesale
Growth podcast came up and I waslike, wow, that sounds
interesting because that'sreally what I'm looking to do as
a form of growth because, youknow, if people don't know about
(06:09):
Pamoja, if customers don't knowabout Pamoja, then how am I
supposed to grow?
And for me, I'm looking atwholesale as an avenue to
broaden my distribution.
(06:30):
And one of the interesting statsthat was quoted in that podcast
came from Forrester, where Ibelieve it's projected in 2024,
72 percent of sales are going tooriginate in store because the
(06:52):
in store experience is stillvery much so important.
And knowing that I'm buildinggreat quality multifunctional
bags that are designed to last,that story is really going to
come to life when the customer,when you are in the store and
(07:16):
you see it for yourself.
And it's just like, yeah, that'sthe bag.
That's the one for me.
So yeah, I'm really excited forthat.
Um, anyway, so in the interim,while sample making is
happening, I'm planning, and I'mbeing strategic, and I'm being
(07:41):
intentional, and as a result, Itruly believe that nothing is
going to stop me.
You know, it just makes me thinkand reflect that, again, these
things are in our head.
And we are the ones preventingourselves from doing what it is
(08:05):
that we need to be doing inorder to progress in life.
In order to do the things thatwe want to do, the things that
we're meant to do.
Not necessarily placing blame onothers in the process.
Also another thing that Irecognize in this process Like,
(08:29):
I intended to take a week offbecause, in my mind, I was going
to be in New York and workingand actively engaging in a
showroom, you know, but eventhough that didn't happen,
(08:51):
because I knew I missed themark, I still planned on taking
a week off, and I took a weekoff towards the end of
September.
I did a staycation to focus onmyself and be intentional around
that.
I spent time working on strategyfor Pamoja, but at the same
(09:17):
time, I also spent timepampering myself.
I had a massage one day.
Another day I got facial,another day I got a manicure and
a pedicure, and then one of myfriends came into town as we
(09:42):
were going to attend the Beyonceconcert last Sunday in Houston,
which was phenomenally amazing,by the way.
And I also attended the Bey GoodLuncheon for the Black Parade
Route, which is part ofBeyonce's Foundation.
(10:05):
And it was kind of a full circlemoment because, um, Ivy McGregor
is the director of the Bey GoodFoundation, and Mama Tina was
the guest speaker, and, I wentto a retreat in March called the
(10:29):
Secret Sauce to Success Retreat.
And again, um, Mrs.
Tina Lawson, she was the keynotespeaker being interviewed by Ivy
McGregor.
And so it was really, reallycool that I got to see the two
(10:50):
of them twice.
Once in March, another time inSeptember, and, like, I, I got
to talk to, um, Mama Tina inMarch, and then I got to follow
(11:11):
up and talk to Ivy McGregor inSeptember, um, last Friday.
And so if you actually go to, ifyou're on our podcast page on
the Pamoja site, you'll see thepicture of myself in Ivy
McGregor from the luncheon,which was so, so amazing.
(11:36):
And I got to network withindividuals who are growing
their businesses just like mebeing in a room full of people
that are working towards similargoals and being inspired and it
was great and it was what mysoul needed nourishment for.
(12:01):
On top of that, there were,there was a folder full of
resources, for all of us withour businesses to take advantage
of, which I'm still spendingtime looking through it and it
is a folder of abundance.
(12:21):
So the past week, Last week wasfull of joy, full of optimism,
and knowing at the end of theday, no problem or challenge
will stop me, because everythingI deserve is coming my way.
(12:44):
I am worthy of great things, andI know that's all on the
horizon.
You are worthy of great thingsand you just have to put it out
there, you know.
I'm here now, but it's onlygoing to get better moving
(13:07):
forward.
And I think about what's next.
It's truly, truly exciting asI'm working through the strategy
and putting those things down ina deck.
And knowing, for example, I wantto be part of the Black in
Fashion Council showroom inFebruary.
(13:30):
The first step is writing downthat goal.
But the next step is figuringout, how am I going to get
there?
Who do I reach out to, to evenbe considered for an opportunity
like that?
Well, lo and behold, I'm part ofa group chat that was created
(13:51):
after participating in theHarlem Fashion Row designer
retreat that happened last year.
Um, all of us decided to create,well, actually one of the
designers came up with a greatidea to create a group chat in
(14:13):
WhatsApp for us to just continueto stay connected.
And talk about what it is we'redoing and share resources and
really continue to lift eachother up.
And it's been amazing.
So one of the designers in thegroup chat, Krystal Phillips,
she mentioned that she wasparticipating in the Black in
(14:35):
Fashion Council showroom thismonth, and when I saw that, oh
my gosh, I immediately DM'd herand told her that's exactly what
I want to do.
Like I wrote that down and I amso happy and excited for you.
(14:58):
Congratulations, by the way.
I want to hear about yourexperience and definitely want
to connect and learn how did youget the opportunity to
participate in the Black inFashion Council showroom?
And how was that experience?
(15:20):
And guess what?
I'm talking to her about thisexperience on Friday, September
28th and getting the update.
So there is more to come.
I'm super excited about that.
And it just goes to showanything is possible.
(15:43):
To be able to connect withsomebody who has had the
opportunity to do something I aminterested in doing that I set
as a goal.
It just feels like it's placingme that much closer to achieving
(16:05):
it.
So in hindsight, I'm exactlywhere I need to be because I
needed more time.
And when I get there, it's goingto be great.
You have to believe.
(16:26):
You have to have faith and youhave to stay consistent in what
it is that you're looking toachieve in life.
And that's a wrap.
So own it and make moves.
One day, I want to share yourjourney on this podcast.
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