We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Charity Washington. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Charity below.

Charity, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you as a business owner?

So one of my first management positions was a Style Team Lead at Target. I came into that job as a team member then got promoted in that same store. I knew my work ethic was great, I knew how retail jobs were with floor resets and stocking and I genuinely loved what I did so it wasn’t difficult for me to excel. However, when I became a Lead, I quickly figured out that I didn’t know how to delegate tasks. I was so used to doing so much because I could (and because I’m extremely particular) but missing deadlines and feeling burnt out soon landed me in many one-on-ones with my supervisors.

In a sit down with them, they told me that my responsibilities have shifted and learning how to adequately train my team, delegate tasks to them based on their strengths, then following up would bring in better results. I also learned that at the root of delegating tasks, is trust and communication. Do you trust the people on your team? Are your expectations clear on what you need? Is your team able to come to you for what they need to make that happen?

Now I’m not going to lie and say that I don’t still try to be “Wonder Woman” sometimes but I have been reminded to ask for help. With starting my thrift store, hosting pop up shops and just day to day tasks, it’s important to reach out to my village, ask for what I need and trust that they’ll come through for me.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Charity Washington. I’m a 27 year old Personal Stylist, content creator and Thrift-Store Owner from Columbia, South Carolina.

I started my styling company, Amare Fidem, at the top of 2020 searching for a creative outlet. Having a [clothing] retail background & innate interest in fashion, I would always get asked by friends, family and strangers to help them find something to wear. While working my 9-5, I would post outfit ideas on Instagram and soon I started getting paid opportunities and went full time. AFS provides Photoshoot and Event Styling, Wardrobe Organization, Digital Look-books for ease of shopping and complete style resets. The goal of Amare Fidem is to help people develop wardrobes and “looks” that exudes confidence and creativity in their everyday life.

My thrift store, LTF Thrift, is mostly based on online for right now and started after participating in Columbia Fashion Week 2022. I was in a styling competition and had accumulated so much clothes, I decided to sell them! The goal of LTF Thrift is to celebrate the ingenuity of Black American fashion/culture while also informing people about the need for sustainability in the Fast Fashion Industry.

What I think sets me apart from others with both companies is being able to think about what others aren’t.. A lot of fashion styling is geared towards celebrities which is great but what about people that aren’t celebrities? They deserve to have a great wardrobe and the confidence that comes with that. Or with LTF, secondhand shopping is the highest it’s ever been due to economic, environmental and societal impact. My consumers want quality pieces at great prices and I’m providing that for them.

What I’m most proud of lately is the relationships I’ve been able to form and the opportunity to impact someone’s life positively.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Ok so this is kind of funny but I’m going to share it.

While I was participating in Columbia Fashion Week this past summer, I did not have a car. Having to Uber to different thrift stores before and after work was crazy expensive but I was dedicated so it had to get done. I took 10 days PTO off for my birthday/Fashion Show and got Covid right before. Yes, Covid. My birthday passed and it was the Monday before the show (the show was on Thursday). I had missed a full week, gotten new models, some of the outfits didn’t fit, so I was at square zero. That Monday morning, I got a $19.95 U-Haul cargo van and spent the day in Charlotte thrifting my little life away. I bought my print outs of all the models, their sizes , their outfit ideas & what had taken me two months beforehand, I got done in one day.

Did I win the competition, nope! But I was proud of myself for persevering in spite of obstacles. And it was an amazing experience. Charity from 5 years ago wouldn’t have kept going. I’m glad I did though, because I sold my first 4 items from LTF that same night.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele is my authenticity. Consumers, whether it’s with music, tv, clothes, etc support and align with what they feel connected to.

Contact Info:

• Website: ltfthrift.com
• Instagram: @thecharityfaith
• Facebook: Charity Washington