We recently connected with Shontae Wilson and have shared our conversation below.
Shontae, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
I was blessed to have many celebrities and models promote her clothing. I was also invited to be on set of Growing Up Hip Hop ATL Season 2 “Secrets In The A”, have my clothing featured in a Netflix movie called “Out Of Bounds” and had several casting interviews for future shows. My online boutique A&B Trendz is slowly becoming successful and I’m extremely proud and motivated to keep striving.
My hopes and dreams is to get my story out and help someone by giving them hope and motivation that they can do anything in this world that they dream of despite their disability, background, or education.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m a 31 years old divorced single mom of two handsome boys and I’m happy to be able to tell my store in hopes of motivating others and making a positive different. At birth, I passed away but was brought back due to meconium aspiration but due to the lack of oxygen to her brain, I was left with a learning disability causing her to be placed into special education classes from elementary to high school. I graduated high school with a “special diploma”. I was bullied all my life and tried to commit suicide several times in my teens. At the age of nine, I was molested by a family member and I was always told I wouldn’t be anything in life.
I tried to get my GED but failed and ran out of hope of trying to succeed. Florida requires a GED in order to attend a college or trade school if you received a special high school diploma.
In 2013, I became a mother and wife. I knew I had to do something to help provide so I started a mobile boutique selling clothes out of her trunk. I was given counterfeit money and set up to be robbed. That became very dangerous so in 2017, I started an online boutique called A&B Trendz.
Months into starting the online boutique, I was blessed to have many celebrities and models promote her clothing. I was also invited to be on set of Growing Up Hip Hop ATL Season 2 “Secrets In The A”, have my clothing featured in a Netflix movie called “Out Of Bounds” and had several casting interviews for future shows. My online boutique A&B Trendz is slowly becoming successful and I’m extremely proud and motivated to keep striving.
My hopes and dreams is to get my story out and help someone by giving them hope and motivation that they can do anything in this world that they dream of despite their disability, background, or education.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
In 2013, I started funding my business from my biweekly paychecks from regular employment as a school bus driver. I would purchase merchandise through wholesale sellers and resale my products. It wasn’t easy and left me with very low income starting out, It was a real struggle until my business grew. I was selling from the back of my trunk so purchasing or renting a store front wasn’t needed at the time, my mobile boutique was good enough and cost efficient. As my business grew, I begin to get business loans to purchase inventory, pay employees, purchase advertisements etc. Funding my business has been one of my biggest challenges.
Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?
In 2013, I was just starting my mobile boutique selling clothing from the trunk of my car which was extremely dangerous. One day, I got a call from a female customer to purchase club clothing because she was going out that night and needed something to wear so I agreed to meet with her at a local Walmart parking lot. Upon arrival, There were two females waiting outside of their car for me. I got out my car, went to my trunk and got the outfit she wanted. The females kept changing their minds on what outfit they wanted and trying to stall time. I got frustrated but remained professional. One of the females called a guy to come to the location we were. I was puzzled to why she called a guy to come so I asked were they going to purchase anything. They stated “yes” and before I knew it, A guy pulled up speeding up to my vehicle hanging half way out of the car, the females jumped back as if he was going to hit them with the car and I got nervous. My at the time Husband got out of the passenger side of my vehicle and they guys in the car sped off. I ended that sale and left immediately and never did business with them again. They tried to rob me. Another incident was being given fake money by females. I made so many sales that day that I wasn’t sure who did it but the moral to the stories are its extremely dangerous selling clothing locally. After these things happened to me, I started my online boutique called A&B Trendz. Selling locally wasn’t worth losing my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shopabtrendz.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Shopabtrendz/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/shopabtrendz
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCkLO-MQBD2M2HWpUr6YRxvQ
- Other: We Gladly Accept Any Donations, Gifts, Or Love And Appreciate Any And Everything Given! Cash App: $Abtrendz Paypal: [email protected]
Image Credits
Shontae Wilson- A&B Trendz Owner Amar’e Brayden Kaylani