Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dana Hammond. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We believe kindness is contagious and so we’d love for you to share with us and our audience about the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
I wrote a journal in 2019 while working for a healthcare service provider. My boss at the time, I’ll call her C.L. saw the frustration I experienced with my supplier and showed into my business. She gave me the funding the purchase my own Die cutting machine to produce my own merchandise. This is my humble beginning. I started ordering t-shirts to promote my first journal and a customization company was birthed, Be You Boutiique.
Dana, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am Dana, the founder of Be You, the Confidence Movement. This movement includes a pageant for youth, after school program, journal, and a customization business.
I am author of two books available on a Barnes & Noble. These books were created to provide additional funding for my efforts with Be You Kidz youth organization.
My visions is to have Be You Kidz chapters in a school near you. I have the journal as the curriculum and a plan for financial stability for each group through fundraising activities and a small monthly due collected from each household.
I am super excited about what’s to come for Be You And Be You Kidz. Stay tuned for
BE YOU KIDZ CONFERENCE.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
Funding did not come easy. Honestly, I had to take orders from friends and family on a low profit margin to gain their trust and experience. I was also blessed with family and friends that believed in me enough to contribute financially as well as equipment. One of my sisters, gave me a commercial press when my original press went out. I have a really supportive village.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Never count your customers pockets. Growing up with a large family and limited finances, I carried a “cheap” mentality offering the cheapest option for the client, even if my profit suffered. I had to realize that true business owners realize that Quality product will have a quality cost, discounts are obtained with Quantity. Otherwise, your profit will be non existent and clientele null”. Ask the client for the budget and adjust accordingly to ensure your profit margin is met.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/iamdanabeyou
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamdanabeyou
- Other: Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BeYouBoutiique Books: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-affirming-alphabet-dana-hammond/1142892513?ean=9798823169714