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

Annie, appreciate you joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

In the fashion industry, there is this idea of a “standard.” There are so many images that push us to think that we need to look or act a certain way. I’ve always thought that way of thinking was boring and dangerous.

One of my superpowers is to the ability to totally be myself! Every since I’ve been a little girl, I have always fought to express myself. I’ve never felt comfortable pretending to be something, or someone, I’m not. In business, I take that same approach. My brand is dedicated to making people look and feel good, as themselves! My goal, has always been to push teach, develop, and nurture personal style!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Annie Latrice, and I specialize in personal style. I offer personal styling and style consulting services, and will be offering merchandise soon, through Annie Latrice Boutique. My role, is to help my clients and customers find their voice (through clothing) and assist them with conveying their message to the world.

This work chose me. I have always been been fascinated with clothing and accessories. I was gifted with the ability to create visual art naturally, through clothing. I can envision a look and bring it to fruition. Because of this, I became my first client. I became obsessed and intentional about developing my personal style. My goal was, that every time a person looked at attire, they would see my personality.

People recognized my personal style development and reached out to me for style questions, assistance with shopping and creating looks. After recognizing that this was a gift, and not just something that came easy to me, I begin to take it seriously. I begin creating the business and educational framework for a style business, such as becoming a certified personal stylist and obtaining a Masters of Business. This framework has allowed me to accomplish my mission of cultivating individuality, by provided specialized styling services and (now) physical merchandise.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My reputation was built off of my gift, number one. I also believe, that people like that there are no gimmicks with me. What you see, is what you get. However, my dedication and quality has kept me. Being passionate, knowledgeable and providing a quality product every time, wins!

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

There are so many things that impact my business acumen. Outside of my formal business secondary education, I love Youtube! It is the best place to find information, that shows you the day to day tasks associated with business ownership.

Also, I was very encouraged by the book “All Bets On Me: The Risks and Rewards Of Becoming an Entrepreneur” by Larry Morrow. This book is written by a young black entrepreneur. It details the power of relationships and how they impact business.

Contact Info:

• Website: annielatrice.com
• Instagram: annielatrice and annnielatriceboutique
• Facebook: AnnieLatrice (Business Page)

Image Credits
Jhonatan Rodriguezo (Jazba Experiences), A.J. Crenshaw (Project Azalea), Gregory Bettis Photography