One of the first things we like to start within our interviews is the inspiration behind your business. What inspired you to start Regal Star Apparel? How did you decide on the name? Is there a story there?

Fashion has always been a passion of mine since high school. Every year when I would go to school shopping for clothes, I would be somewhat dissatisfied with the style of clothing popular at the time. I also noticed that many of my peers were “keeping up with the Joneses”, spending a ridiculous amount of money on high fashion brands to impress unimportant people. I wanted to create a brand that represented people who were tired of being ridiculed for their fashion sense and being made to feel insecure about the clothes they wore. My clothing would represent strength and be proud of who you are and what you like, regardless of what outside influences may think. Since these are some of the values I wanted my clothing brand to embody, the only name I thought that could capture the meaning is Regal Star. Regal means dignified and strength. And as a star shines bright in the night sky, so should the individuals that wear my clothes. As the saying goes, “Why blend in, when you were born to stand out?”

In our conversations, we’ve discussed how you’ve taken on this journey of entrepreneurship by yourself. Can you talk about how that’s been and the challenges you find in starting your own clothing line?

Hard work, dedication, consistency, and patience are some of the qualities every entrepreneur must-have. One of my biggest challenges has been staying consistent and being patient on this road to success. When you’re building a business, It is important to remind yourself that you must fall in love with the process and that the success you’re after is not going to happen overnight. It takes years of hard work, patience, and perseverance to make your dreams come true. As long as you’re doing something every day toward reaching your goals, you will be on the right track and the success will come to you. Besides that, the journey of being an entrepreneur has been fun, and quite interesting to say the least.

One of your company slogans that stands out is “Crown Yourself”. Can you talk about what you mean by that and who you want to hear that message?

“Crown Yourself” simply means to embrace your individuality regardless of your flaws. Everything you went through in your life, whether good or bad, has led you to become the person you are right now. “Crown Yourself” means totally accepting yourself and owning who are, not allowing outside influences or negative people to dictate your decisions or alter the way you want to live your life. I think if we all crowned ourselves, the world would be a better place.

Who is your audience? Who do you want to be able to reach with Regal Star Apparel?

Over the years, I’ve gathered that my target market was mostly 18-34-year-old men and women, mainly of African-American and Hispanic demographic. However, Regal Star is a people’s brand and we make clothing for everyone.

One of the challenges in establishing yourself as an apparel brand is being accessible. Online and in-stores. Can you tell us about what you’re doing to be able to help build your brand and make sure people know what it’s all about? I imagine it’s tough to be able to get in stores without being established. How is that going and what can people interested in seeing a brother accomplish his goal do to help?

Recently, I’ve been participating in pop-up shops across New York City. I figured that it would be a great way to generate sales and gain exposure for the brand at a higher volume. I’ve also been doing a photoshoot with Instagram models and willing participants and utilizing social media to market the brand. So far it has been challenging, but this is my passion and I do not plan on giving up on my dream. Soon, I plan on holding my own events around the city, including but not limited to, fashion shows, pop-up shops, launch parties, and more. I think that would take promotion and advertising for my brand to the next level. Anyone interested in helping me grow can visit our website www.regalstaronline.com and place your order for some fly clothing. They can also follow me on Instagram @regalstarapparel

Your clothing is more than just about looking good. Can you tell the readers about the message behind some of the clothing in your line and what you want them to know about it?

Two of the most important messages I want the readers to know is that do what makes them happy and work hard to make your dreams come true. That’s the concept behind my moon design t-shirt. A young boy is sitting on the moon manifesting his dreams and thinking about what must be done to make them a reality. My most recent design is the boy letting go of a heart balloon with the words Regal Star in stitches and bandaged. The messages behind this particular design are that time heals all wounds and that whatever adversity you may be facing in your life, you can overcome it and there is light at the end of the tunnel. People are going through real hardship and I would like for my brand to represent those that have made it through hard times or going through hardships and looking to overcome.

Do you have any upcoming events or shows that people can attend to be able to show their support? What’s the best way to be able to find out more about your clothing line and when you have new things coming out? What’s the best way right now to stay up to date with Regal Star Apparel?

Right now, I’m focusing on participating in pop-up events where I can get Regal Star’s name out to more people, and planning to execute my own pop-up events, and fashion shows I will continue doing photoshoots with people I think will best represent the brand. To stay up to date with Regal Star Apparel, follow us on social media @regalstarapparel on Instagram and Regal Star Clothing on Facebook. You can also visit our website for any events we will be involved in.

What’s next for Regal Star? What do you have planned apparel wise? What do you want to be able to accomplish on a whole?

Regal Star will continue its rise to becoming one of the biggest streetwear brands in the world. Right now, I am working on releasing my winter collection and Spring 2020 Collection. I’d like for Regal Star to eventually become an affordable luxury brand and accomplish what other brands have been able to accomplish, but better.

Final thoughts. What would you like to be able to leave the readers to take with them when they think about Regal Star Apparel?

To love yourselves, be proud of who you are, follow your passions and dreams, work hard to make your dreams a reality, and never stop doing what makes you happy.

One of the things I like to start with on interviews is the inspiration aspect. What inspired you to start BeautybyBree?

Beautybybree was inspired through my passion for cosmetics & my creativity. I created this brand for women & men to feel beautiful on a budget without spending tons of money.

What is the journey that leads up to you becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own business? You’re well ahead of the game as far as putting in the work to start your own business and take the necessary steps to be successful.

Being able to inspire people from many different states & countries is simply amazing and to know that I inspire people keeps me going. I love what I do for the people out there.

What are some of the challenges that you have faced in starting your business? How do you deal with them?

I would have to say the difficult part about running a business would receiving supported. Just because we are a small business and not huge like Sephora And MAC, makes it harder for us. With just being open for almost a years I’ve learned a lot, just focus on the crowd that already supports you and grow from there.

Who is your audience? Who do you want to be able to reach with BeautyByBree?

I’ve mostly targeted women & kids of all ages. I want to reach an audience of both genders but I am and will be expanding by adding items more comfortable to men’s liking via beard butter, beard oils, facial products, etc.

The beauty industry is very competitive and it’s hard to be able to separate yourself from the crowd. Online and in stores. Can you tell us about what you’re doing to help build your brand and make sure people know what it’s all about? What separates you from other brands and businesses?

What separates me from other brands and businesses is the thought and effort I put into my craft. I don’t just simply make a product and sell it. I see what’s in the product itself, test try the product on me before making it public. I refrain from using anything that was used on animals or made by animal fur. I use authentic ingredients, organic & vegan to be exact.

I see that you have handmade and homemade glosses. What other things do you make and create yourself for your customers?

For now, just glosses but I will be making body butters, lip scrubs and a lot more items that will be a surprise!

 

Congratulations on hitting 5K followers on Instagram. That’s not easy to do. Can you talk about the work that goes into being able to build a loyal following that large and how you maintain it?

Be consistent. I tell all my followers that ask me for advice, the more consistent you are with your business you will see the change. Along with being consistent you also have to be very engaging with your posts. Don’t just make it a post that you have to post, make it engaging ask questions on it, explain what the product does.

Do you have any upcoming events or shows that people can attend to be able to show their support? What’s the best way to be able to find out more about your beauty line and when you have new things coming out?

I will be hosting a pop-up shop December 7th, I’m looking for entrepreneurs for that as well.

To stay up to date with everything my Instagram is the beat way @beautybybree.___ & liking my Facebook page @bree’s beauty

Final thoughts. What would you like to be able to leave the readers to take with them? What message do you want them to think of when they think BeautyByBree?

When thinking of Beautybybree just remember. You can be beautiful & bougie on a budget.

Small Business owners & entrepreneurs these days there are more and more people branching out on their own. Venturing out into starting their own business. There are just as many who have tried and failed or tried and are still trying to figure things out. How to build their business while trying to manage a limited budget. It’s easier when you have the money to spend. You run through option after option until you find the method that works best for you.

Building a business on a limited budget requires entrepreneurs and small business owners to be smart about their money. Take calculated risks when the right opportunities come around. Plus, a whole lot of patience. Patience waiting at the right time to push to grow. Patience with marketing strategies that are solid but take time to come to fruition. It takes knowing when to let go of a strategy as well. Which is not to say that it may be a bad strategy or company. Just not the right one for where you are stage-wise in your business.

While true advertising can be hit or miss. There are more resources and options than there have ever been for promoting your business. Identifying the right ones for you in the right moment tends to separate the successful from those still trying to figure things out. It’s important to ask the right questions and be able to decipher between good and advice and just advice. Read up and gather information to make an informed decision. Example: This blog on starting your business

Crawl; Building your small business on a budget

You don’t have to jump in with both feet and blow through your savings. This where strategy proves to serve you best. Going in with a plan. While being humble and wise enough to know it’s going to take time to figure things out. There are a lot of paths that lead to the same result. Identifying the path that works best for you and your goals. That’s the one that will get you there without as much burden on your budget.

Don’t be afraid to partner with like-minded people who have similar goals. You’re not linked to them forever but you can help each other out along the way. I can’t tell you how many people want websites to sell their products/services without the budget to make it happen. This is where you can crawl before you walk. Pool resources and create something that allows you to generate revenue you can put aside and save up for your solo venture.

Take your products and services to someone who already has a website and provide a reasonable percentage for the space to sell your products. A barber rents a chair in the barbershop. Hairstylists rent chairs in beauty salons. Both are building up their brand and client list. If they have aspirations of having their own shop. They’re putting part of those profits aside so they can establish their own location. Renting space to the next person. Rinse & repeat. Pun intended…

Walk; Building your small business on a budget

Perhaps you’re further along in the process. You’ve already been working the side hustle and you want to make it more official. Take things from selling your products through someone else’s commerce store to having your own. Move from a free website platform to something customized for you. Venture out beyond selling products and services via Instagram, & FaceBook.

The benefits are you provide potential customers the confidence of knowing if something goes wrong they have a legit way to reach you. It’s an uneasy feeling doing business when you think that person could up and move shop on you at any time. You can legitimize your pricing this way as well. It’s the answer to why does this cost what it does? It’s not selling tickets out in front of the stadium for an event. It’s having a legit setup that brings peace of mind.

We all love a deal and that I got it for a ‘steal’ moment but those come with risk. It also comes with a price limit. There’s a limit to how much people are willing to spend when they don’t feel like you’re official. In the mind of the consumer because you’re not legit there should be some discount attached. Someone selling products at a table on the street isn’t going to be able to sell the product for the same price as someone with a store you can enter. The same mindset transfers to online stores and websites.

Set expectations. First impressions really do matter. However good service can win you a customer. You don’t have to have the greatest website or set up to be a good business. There are some great sites and stores that are awful with their service. People are willing to give you a shot if they feel like they can trust you and understand you and what you’re about. This is where testimonials and reviews can make the biggest difference. If you can show substance and trust. The competitor can have the best looking storefront and packaging. While still being that half-filled bag of chips. Where you’re providing more of upside by going above and beyond with your customer service and offering.

You don’t need to have the best store or website. A starter website will do provided your services are that of a bigger more established business. Start with the basics. Get up and running. Generate revenue and then upgrade to that next level situation. The loyal customers will appreciate seeing your growth and know that they’ve been part of that journey with you. One more way of building brand loyalty.

 Run; How to Build your small business on a budget

You’re officially ready to take your side hustle and turn it into a legit business entity. You’ve put your money aside. You already have a following for your business. Now it’s time to extend your reach and grow your business beyond what your efforts up to now can do.

Business is going well enough where you simply don’t have the time for the things that you use to do. You can’t stay on top of getting your post out on social media. You’re getting more orders than you can take on by yourself. You’ve established that foundation. Now you’re looking into expanding your product suite and services. Taking on larger customers. You can forecast sales at least a month or two out.

You’ve gone from being behind and playing catch up to breaking even or being ahead. What now? Now you’re in a position to start looking at changing your market strategy. Targeting specific audiences instead of everyone and hoping for the best. You can run marketing campaigns and advertising. Find out more about your target customers. Who they are and how best to reach more of them. Look at things like how to drive more traffic to your website on your own. Here’s an oldy but goody. SEO

The goal is to spend wisely and not just spend just because you can now. Marketing strategy is more important than ever. Mainly because you have more options available to you and more people know who you are. Approaching you with the greatest solutions in the world. While yes, it takes money to make money. It is also important to know smart decisions lead to long money. Spending wisely venturing out and trying different offerings and solutions.  While not being afraid to move on if they aren’t working. High priced doesn’t mean great results. The same way low pricing means it’s a great deal.

Your marketing strategy should be goal specific so that if the goals aren’t being met. Then you know it’s time to move on and try another solution. Set realistic goals. Track and follow them. Know what is moving things in the right direction and why. This way you can invest more in those aspects and less in the things not giving you the desired results.

The importance of why is not to be underestimated. It could be a great idea or solution just not the right time for it. Being able to know the difference between bad timing or a situation and something that simply doesn’t work is key. It can save you a business quarter or more worths of fees advertising without the proper results.

Crawl, Walk Run building a business on a budget is a series that will include insights from different professionals and businesses. Helping to provide a knowledge base for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

The Majority Directory was created to help promote small businesses & professionals. Our goal is to promote small business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals. Building up a directory that we can use to network, and strengthen our small business community. Create and develop connections that will help us all grow and achieve our goals.

Why register and list on a business directory?

The advantages are directly tied to entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to build their brand. Brand development cannot be stressed enough when starting your business. It’s an endless task building and developing your brand.
In working with small business owners and entrepreneurs there are things that tend to come up far too often. The lack of information and examples of what to do in order to establish and grow a business. Identifying and making the most of the resources that are out there. Learning how to go from side hustle to a fully documented business.

Building Organic Sales With Majority Directory

The clear and most obvious reason would be to expand your reach & gain exposure. Local businesses building their brand presence in areas outside of their original scope. Increasing sales opportunities and brand awareness. This directly affects your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) building up your search ranking. Moving your way up towards the 1st- page placement in search engine. Once again increasing your opportunity to get more sales. Organic sales are ideal. Customers that you don’t have to pay for advertising wise is what makes your business sustainable.

Establishing Partnerships & Connections Through The Directory

Networking opportunities with other small businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals. Creating and nurturing partnerships and connections. Speaking with small businesses and entrepreneurs access to resources is a real issue. I recently had a conversation with a team that was going to hand over half the profits due to them not having distribution connections. They had the ideas and the designs but no merchandising or vendor account to handle the sales. This should not be the cause of leaving money on the table. Developing partnerships and the proper resources take care of those roadblocks.

Brand Development With The Small Business Directory

The ability to build up a social media following also should not be underestimated. Promoting your social media presence is important. It is where you set your business messaging and seek to find new customers. Brand development/marketing telling your story. Organic business sales are the goal.

Majority Directory is here to help you establish and grow your business. Building a space where we can have a legitimate business community that supports our efforts as entrepreneurs. Welcome to Majority Directory.