Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amerika Brooks. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Amerika, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?
The name of my business is Amerika B. Style Me. Although it is a service-based business (branding, social media marketing, styling, and photography) I wanted to make sure that it reflected my personal brand as well. Initially, my brand name was Haute Amerikan Image and I changed it after about a year or two when I decided I needed something catchy and more relatable.
Of course, Amerika B. is my name and the Style Me comes from starting as a personal styling brand. After a few pivots and changes to my brand, the name stayed the same and I new it was a perfect fit. I cater mostly to millennial women of color and I wanted them to have confidence after I styled them and be able to say “Amerika B. Styled Me” when someone complimented their outfit or look.
I felt that this change was perfect for my brand and my clientele and I knew it would succeed because I took the time to really hone in on what I wanted my clients to see, feel, and take away from the initial interest in my services, learning more about my brand, working with me, and ultimately feeling comfortable enough to share with others. I was able to do this without sacrificing my personal values and still relate to the clients I wanted to serve.
It’s okay to pivot, change, and take time to sharpen your ideas and brand image. It’s your brand! Just make sure that you don’t sacrifice your core values and worth for the sake of pleasing clients. You can do both!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Erika “Amerika” Brooks and I am the Digital Fashion & Brand Stylist and Photographer of Amerika B. Style Me. I got into my industry by being creative and following my heart. I started working in the retail industry and learned how to relate to customers on a personal level and built relationships that were long lasting. By sharing a personalized experience; not just selling jewelry!
Amerika B. Style Me is a digital fashion and brand styling company that provides the tools to help millennial women of color define their style, create their image, and build their brand. My mission is to inspire women to have the confidence and freedom to be their most authentic selves and allow that to shine through their personal style and business or brand. The goal is to help you look and feel your best by helping you gain confidence, mental clarity, and self-worth through your attitude and personal style.
I created my business to help women understand that there’s no age, size, or budget that can limit your true style. I want them to know that if you look and feel your best, working from the inside out, that you can also inspire someone to do the same. Just by being exactly who you are! I love that I have an opportunity to simultaneously be successful and inspire others. I can share my business while being true to myself. Each service I provide is meant to elevate each client experience, personally and professionally.
My services include, Brand Styling (Creative Clarity Calls, Social Media Content Creation, Complete Brand Styling and Revamp), Digital Fashion Styling (Premium, Elite, and VIP Styling Packages), and Photography (Lifestyle, Brand, and Product Photography).
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Genuine care and concern for others is what helped me build my reputation. Being real about helping brands and businesses bring their ideas to life. I am motivated by seeing other women succeed by helping them discover the greatness within themselves and taking what may seem like just an ordinary idea and building it into an extraordinary brand. My initial goal was to have a successful business that I could be proud of. While that is still the case, when I made building a community of people who can trust what I say and relate to my brand a priority, things positively shifted for me.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My mission is to do away with the “mean girl” or “crabs in a barrel” factors with women in business in general. No matter the space or platform, there is more than enough room for us all to win. We all deal with insecurities, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, failure, etc. Maybe not in the same way but it is still relatable. Why not share a kind or encouraging word with someone that might be having a bad day? Why not acknowledge someone that you see working hard? Why not shout out someone’s business that may need to get their products or services in front of new faces? I think it’s time to change the narrative and it honestly starts with self.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amerikabstyleme.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amerikabstyleme/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amerikabstyleme
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-amerika-brooks-b5009658/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/amerikabstyleme
- Other: https://www.amerikabstyleme.com/portfolio
Image Credits
Amerika B. Photography