"I'm a young woman entrepreneur living in New York"
“From an early age, I knew I wanted full
control over my career. I was never one
who appreciated or welcomed being told what to do, how to dress, how to act or
where to go: I danced to the beat of my own drum in every sense of the phrase.
Growing up consisted of a lot of “me time”, sketching mini fashion figures, sewing
dresses for my dolls or bossing around a room of stuffed animals playing
“teacher”.
For
as long as I can remember I wanted to be independent, working hard, busy, and
productive. Most little girls my age had playtime that consisted of wedding
ceremonies, baking or being a mommy: mine was having my own business, driving a
car, carrying a purse and thriving off independent womanhood. I didn’t know it
then, but I had the imagination of a creator and the mind of a businesswoman.
I had two sisters close
in age but always preferred to take on playtime by myself. I guess now looking back, the desire to
control my time and the events taking place around me was an early gauge of my
future self- “a young single woman entrepreneur”.
There is never a perfect time or place to
start your business. I’ve learned this
throughout my journey as Founder and Designer of women’s contemporary clothing
brand Ollari. There will always be a million reasons to give up yet only a few to
fight. Despite the struggles, my sole
purpose in aggressively hitting the “continue” button lays within my integrity,
devotion and commitment to the passion I discovered at 7 years old: to design and
own my own clothing line that bared my namesake.
Being a young single woman entrepreneur can of
course be intimidating, scary yet empowering and fulfilling all at the same
time. The stress it brings is sometimes
unbearable and I would be lying if I said the fear of failure doesn’t linger
often in my entrepreneurial spirit.
28 years young, single
and living on my own in Astoria, NY, I struggle with the race against time on
the daily. I hold a fulltime design position for an established knitwear
company in south NJ, which I call my “bread and butter”- all while owning and
tending to my own budding business. My role
of fulltime designer by day takes up 80% of my week, leaving little time for
personal relationships and purposeless adventures. If it doesn’t grow me personally or
professionally, I don’t make time for it.
Having launched the Ollari brand 2 years ago I took on the majority of the tasks on my own, toying with the idea of having an equal or a partner to help me get through it all. After a “dress rehearsal” on sharing control, I was left with a crucial lesson to be learned- “My dream, my visions, my struggles, my rewards”. The reality is that no one will work as hard as I have had or will attaining these dreams and aspirations. I slowly learned just before Ollari turned 1 that I needed to get through this on my own. I was a strong woman and wasn’t going to go down without a fight to the top without trying by myself. I realized the grunt work needed MY elbow grease, triumphs, falls, bruises and learning curves. No one else is going to do what I can do for a brand only I can visualize.
As a young entrepreneur,
I juggle a good deal in the upkeep of my business. While designing collections
and overseeing creative aspects, growing the brand also requires consistent and
meticulous attention in other areas. Embracing all avenues of the business
aspect is a struggle I constantly face: from seeking sales, establishing brand
identity, sourcing, factory correspondence to PR & marketing, investment
opportunities and projections. The brand requires constant attention and
movement, both creatively and formally.
As we head into our 2nd year as a budding brand in the industry I do
what I can to maintain it all. I see
many more triumphs, tears, smiles, achievements, failures and excitement as the
brand prospers and grows to its full potential in the coming years. As a young
single entrepreneur, I will fall and I will rise but will always move forward
with a lesson to be learned. I’ve learned that failure is a good thing and can be an
opportunity in disguise to start again with a new angle.
My main focus as of now is to grow my empire, take failures as they
come, grow my network and do what I love, which is create beautiful collections
for women. I embrace challenge and welcome obstacles on a daily basis to earn
my keep as a future fashion influencer, because if it were easy, everyone would
be doing it.”
In New York, commuting to work is a way of life and for many, it involves
a subway, a bus, an Uber, or even a taxi. Commuting your way to your dream is
another story. It takes more than just time and hard work – it’s all about
adding your own flavor and elbow grease. New York can become a challenge and
for some like Meagan, it’s up to you to jab, jab, jab, and right hook. Because in
New York, you can never look any better.
Thanks for reading everyone
Facebook & Instagram
Mahipal SoCal - @mahipalsocal
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