We recently connected with Da Vina Smith and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Da Vina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

In 2019, I was with a group and we began recording a Podcast called “Get Yo Life” and we recorded at a studio called “Fame Media” in Oakland, CA. The studio that we recorded in was amazing and really helped inspire the next business venture idea that I had which was to create a content studio where people can use a space that is glammed out to creating content, recording podcasts, having photoshoots and more. I really wanted to create a one stop shop to helping entrepreneurs create content for their businesses and record podcasts.

I did a lot of research when it came to trying to figure out what exactly it was that I wanted to provide and I decided that there were not enough locations locally that provided a space where feminists could feel included with having a space that they’d feel beautiful in and with a unique design. And that is when I figured out my goal is to create such a space. Glam Luxe Studio would be a content creation space for entrepreneurs and Podcasters.

In 2020-2021, I started bringing the vision to life with drawing out my idea on what I wanted the space to look like. My idea was to create a space with different scene options to choose from. An office scene, a living room interview-style scene and a conference-style scene. I then created a mock-up through Canva for each scene option with the way I wanted the walls to look and the decor. Once I was done with the mock-ups, I paid someone on Fiverr to render a video design of what the experience at the space would be like.

Once the video was created, I got the logo and branding done. I was doing all of this with just a vision and a dream with still no location in mind as to where I wanted the space to be. I had so many ideas to create the space in Silicon Valley, then Texas and then Atlanta. One day in August 2021, I was driving in Berkeley, CA dropping my sons off at school, when I passed by commercial space. I stopped at the space and looked inside and called my friend to tell her that this was the spot. I told her the energy that I got from the space made me realize this was the perfect location.

I contacted the management company and we went back and forth for a few months but when November 2021 came, I received the approval of the space to move in on December 15th, 2021. Perfect timing as a birthday gift and Christmas gift to myself. I was so ecstatic that the only space that I applied for, I got approved and it was such an easy process, the time just took patience but it was well worth it because on December 15th, 2021 I officially picked up the keys for my new space Glam Luxe Studio!

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

I am a mother of two amazing boys and I am a serial entrepreneur! My journey started when I was 18 years old and I started a promotion group called Glam Promotions. We were a local group that promoted parties in the San Francisco Bay Area nightlife. I had the idea to create a group of beautiful women to get glammed up and show up to these events and get the party started and we did JUST THAT! The group lasted a few years and then we all parted ways once the party scene drained us out.

After Glam Promotions, I started a business called Glam Marketing and Consulting. Initially, I was starting a video blog and I remember my friend and I hired a very popular website designer to work on the site and after a few months of having no website, he disappeared on us which forced me to create the website. I was determined to create a site that would catch the eye of the audience. I researched many website ideas, watched video tutorials on YouTube University and I designed a really nice site. Once the site was launched, I would get people asking me who designed the website and if I can design them one. After designing around 10 websites, I realized that a lot of entrepreneurs needed websites to be designed which inspired me to start Glam Marketing & Consulting in 2015.

Glam Marketing & Consulting was the business that increased my exposure because I was creating videos and posting them on Instagram and Facebook before videos became so popular. My following began to increase really fast because I was giving out valuable content with sharing tips, tutorials and showing off my expertise in the things I was great at, which was website design and social media marketing. I had people following me from all over the United States, referring people to my brand and hiring me to complete their projects and helping get their businesses going. A lot of the clients from when I first got started still follow me and hire my services today.

Over the years, I went from designing a few websites to working on 15+ websites in a month. I was extremely busy but also very appreciative that my clients trusted me with bringing their vision to life. I would create Instagram graphics, brochures, business cards, websites, thank you cards, and so much more through Canva.

In 2018, I rebranded my business from Glam Marketing & Consulting to Branded by Glam. I changed the name and brand because I wanted to veer away from marketing and social media management to doing more graphic and website work with helping businesses create brands and less marketing. The transition was fairly easy because people still recognized the name “Glam”. This name has followed me through all my ventures and even locals call me Glam when they see me. So it was an easy rebrand to something more appealing, and professional but also a statement of the work that I do.

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

In 2018, I rebranded my business from Glam Marketing & Consulting to Branded by Glam. I changed the name and brand because I wanted to veer away from marketing and social media management to doing more graphic and website work with helping businesses create brands and less marketing. The transition was fairly easy because people still recognized the name “Glam”. This name has followed me through all my ventures and even locals call me Glam when they see me. So it was an easy rebrand to something more appealing, and professional but also a statement of the work that I do.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

My business has been funded by myself and also I built business credit accounts. In 2021 when I knew I would get a space eventually, I got my LLC started and then did a lot of research and purchasing business credit courses to see how I can use my business credit to fund the space. During this time I did what they suggested, which was to start off with tier 1 credit accounts that do Net30 invoicing and are easier to get the credit approved, I started accounts with Quil, Verizon, Floor & Decor, Capital One, and a few others. I made orders and paid them on time.

When it came down to getting the space, that was savings from working my 9-5 but also from my branding business Branded by Glam. Once I paid for the space, I went and used the credit accounts to get the decorating done with the floors, painting and other cosmetic changes that I did.

Not only did I do that but during the time that I was working on the space, the space started to get booked and then I would use that funding to continue funding the space.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.glamluxestudio.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/studioglamluxe
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/studioglamluxe
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/studioglamluxe
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/studioglamluxe
• Youtube: N/A
• Yelp: N/A