We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cherika Hart-Ratchford a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Cherika, thanks for joining us today. Looking back, what’s an important lesson you learned at a prior job?

Macys was the place that I learned the basics of real customer service. We were trained to provide every customer with outstanding customer service. There were days that customers would get upset, loud, and disrespectful. We were trained not to tolerate it but we also knew how to respond. In retail, it’s a fast pace so most customers are not patient. I learned how to multi-task with customer service and how to either complete a sale rather they were purchasing then or coming back to purchase. This is how I run my business now. I make sure that I’m prepared to answer and respond when my clients have questions. If I know I can’t be a help or assist them, I don’t waste their time. I advise immediately. Sometimes I’m able to refer them to others. When you treat people right, there is a high chance they will return to support even if the initial contact was not a sale.

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 background and context?

Designs by Estell embodies the true meaning of quality personalized fashion. Through a mixture of custom embroidery and tees made with love, she introduces the beauty and art of Designs by Estell.

Cherika was born into a family of master seamstresses. Her grandmother, Estell whom she was named after, was a seamstress who designed everything from quilts to school uniforms. Maturing in a family of creative minds, it was only natural for Cherika to gravitate towards fashion.

As a child, she observed unique sewing techniques. As she got older, her common pass time included studying designs and designing bows to afford a sewing machine that would catapult her dream into a reality. With her love for all things fashion, she went on to creating designs that catered to tall women like herself and mom’s on the go. After investing in formal classes, she launched her own line, Designs by Estell.

Designs by Estell is a custom brand geared towards mothers with impeccable style. Her designs are creative with a mixture of feminism, romanticism and modernity. Designs by Estell reflects her continual inspiration from art, fashion story-telling, and her deeply rooted passion for self-expression. Designs By Estell has recently added a signature handbag line which launched at her first Fashion Over Fear™️ Fashion Show which is most proud of.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The pandemic hit my business hard in the beginning. I was in the middle of planning my first first show and everything was postponed. I didn’t know which way to turn so I begin to research what people were actually doing everyday. People were on ZOOM everyday. Work and school were all on zoom. I got creative and hosted Crown Wrap Parties (Headwraps) where I actually mailed them their wraps and showed them live on the zoom, how to wrap it on various ways. It was fun and it gave the the ladies something fun today while being in quarantine. I also began to sell items that people could use on zooms such as wraps and ball caps. Mask of course were my top seller! At the end of 2020, I had made more money in the pandemic thank I died the prior year.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I started my business by making hair bows and headbands for little girls. I saved my coins and purchased my first sewing machine.

Contact Info:

• Website: Designsbyestell.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designsbystell
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/DesignsByEstell/

Image Credits
Moye Photography