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

Cheylaina , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

It was during the lockdown of 2020 that I was 5 months pregnant, stuck at home with my husband, our 3 year old and 1 year old that I remembered the vision I had the year before to start a movement to increase the awareness of HBCUs through fashion. When I realized the children’s collegiate market didn’t have what I was looking for, I designed it myself. Sometimes I find myself saying, “Ugh why didn’t I start this business a long time ago…I’d be so much further by now…etc.”

Ideally, had I started it before the pandemic, or before I had children, I would have had less responsibilities, equating to more time and reduced anxiety. But realistically, I know that God’s timing is perfect. The vision is for an appointed time and what I know for sure is that I started HBCU Legacy Fashion in divine timing.

It’s no secret that In 2020, our country was in shambles literally and figuratively due to Covid-19, racial tension, the George Floyd murder, protests and increased violence. Everyone was home, so it forced America to look into the mirror. Finally a spotlight was placed on the inequities that Black people have faced for way too long. And just like that, corporations decided it was time to invest in Black businesses and in Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

I share this to say, my business was one of those who experienced the pandemic as a gift and a curse. I received grants plus media coverage that I’m sure I wouldn’t have received had I started my business any earlier than 2020. And as exhausting as being an entrepreneur plus a mom of three is, if I’d started my business before, I wouldn’t understand my ICA/target audience as much as I do now. My ICA is a mother of two and an HBCU graduate who is highly invested in her alma mater. Ultimately, I honor the divine timing of the inception of HBCU Legacy Fashion and I wouldn’t change a thing.

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 am a third generation HBCU graduate and an alumna of North Carolina A&T State University where I earned my B.S. in Journalism & Mass Communication with a concentration in Electronic Media. I like to say I’ve always been a small town girl with big city dreams. Growing up, I dreamed of being a fashion designer, actress, talk show host, and owning businesses. God has allowed me to experience all of these dreams in one way or another.

As a mom of three, who loves fashion and HBCUs, I wanted to create classic HBCU children’s products that could be passed down as an heirloom—that wouldn’t soon fade like the onesies and t-shirts that were already on the market. In addition, I decided to step up as an advocate and leader for HBCUs in order to increase enrollment rates, and to give minority students the opportunity for a debt-free education. I am passionate about exposing the next generation of leaders to the possibilities that come along with an HBCU degree and experience.

Through entrepreneurship, the sky’s the limit to the type of success I can build for me and my family. My desire is to leave my footprint on the earth in a great way. Therefore, I decided to follow the path of entrepreneurship that so many of my beloved family members took.

I am very grateful for God’s favor on my business. I am extremely proud to be a graduate of the *inaugural* cohort of Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women in Business: Black in Business. In addition, I am elated that my company is checking off one of its smart goals that I worked on while in the Goldman Sachs program. I wrote a smart goal down to be in partnership with a few different major retail department stores within 1 year. Four months after writing down that goal, a major department store found me and I am currently onboarding to have my fashion line placed in their stores in 2023. I can’t wait to make an official announcement. One thing that I can not stress enough is the power of pen to paper to manifest your precious goals. The most powerful thing you can do for your life is to visualize and write down your expectations for it. It’s a beautiful thing when God reminds you that you’re on the right path because those goals and prophecies have manifested themselves.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Prior to owning HBCU Legacy Fashion, I planned weddings for 10 years under the business name Creative Purposes by C.Fultz. I had several pivots in that business. I went from being a one woman show depending on friends and family to assist me on wedding days. In a little under two years, I added 2 ladies to my staff to help coordinate weddings. Two in a half years into my wedding planning business, my husband was offered a job out of state and we ended up moving. This was a major pivot, however I did not have kids at the time so I was able to pick up and leave Ohio to plan a wedding in North Carolina at my leisure. But then children came into the picture and I found that I just couldn’t go to every single vendor meeting with my brides and quite frankly, motherhood was so consuming that I had little desire to continue catering to fickle brides. That’s when I decided to pivot into planning destination weddings. The work was mostly virtual and I had better control over my schedule….until the 2020 pandemic hit and all but one of my weddings were canceled. I knew for a while that I was ready to exit the business, but the combination of a pandemic while being pregnant with your third child forced me to act on the vision I had in 2019 for HBCU Legacy Fashion.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

No one is going to care about your baby as much as you will, so make sure you have the proper systems and processes in place to interview, hire, and train your staff. Set the tone for your business and how your brand is represented. I didn’t go through this process in its entirety with someone that I hired to assist me with in person vending and it created a bit of confusion and chaos.

Contact Info:

• Website: hbculegacyfashion.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/hbculegacyfashion
• Facebook: facebook.com/hbculegacyfashion
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/cheylaina-fultz-572a149
• Youtube: youtube.com/thecheylainafultztalkshow

Image Credits
The photo of the girl sitting in front of the Howard University sign, the photo of the mom and daughter standing in the grass in front of the Howard University Founders Hall, and the photo of the girl in the black eagle sequin bomber jacket are all credited to Cecey Karoki of Halisi Visions The rest of the professional pictures are credited to Rotcelis Morales Jones of Rotcelis Rose Photography. And then there are three from my iPhone camera on me at the pop up shops.