Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dee Thomas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dee, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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.

The definition of a model has changed. The description of a model has changed. I’ve created a space where EVERY body is a model body. A space where all body types are accepted and valued. Some of my models have never done a photo shoot or walked in a fashion show before. They now are not only confident enough to do these things, but they are embraced and wanted at The Pretty Palace.

Dee, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Dee Thomas, but I go by Dee Soo Pretty. I started taking my brand and modeling seriously in 2020. I tried to join several different modeling groups, but none of them quite fit my personality. Along the way, I met some amazing women that were willing to support me in photo shoots and events I wanted to do. Before I knew it, I had an entire tribe of plus size women being inspired to love themselves and their bodies. That’s when I decided to create The Pretty Palace, a safe space for women of all sizes to not only become confident, but to help each other elevate their brands to the next level. The beautiful thing about The Pretty Palace is that the value is beyond the photo shoots and events. We’ve created a true sisterhood with lifelong bonds. Most of us have never had plus size friends that can relate to us or that we can share clothes with, so it’s just refreshing to have a family of beautiful, body positive women where you can feel like you truly belong. We literally lean on each other from what we are going to wear to a hosting to what we are going to pray for when a sister is in need. And that’s what I’m most proud of, the village that we are for each other.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think me sticking to who I am is what helped build my reputation. I’ve always been the humble, sweet, smiling, and supportive friend. And I continue to do that. I don’t compete with anyone. My goal is to collaborate with as many people as possible, especially here in Orlando. It’s enough money for all of us to get and networking is key. I’ve never switched up over business or opportunities. My loyalty and support for others has made people believe in me and support me. I’m also very reliable and I produce results. There’s no way you will work with Dee Soo Pretty and not grow. My work speaks for itself, which results in my positive reputation.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

The key is to always remember your team is there because they believe in you. I treat my team with the utmost respect because they don’t have to be here. I could still be struggling by myself and trying to build a team. But I don’t have to because I have them. They believe in me, support me, and help me like no other. You can replace products, you can recreate content, but you cannot replace good, solid people. Treat your team as gentle and as kind as you treat your business.

Contact Info:

• Website: Theprettypalace.org
• Instagram: Thepretty.palace
• Facebook: The Pretty Palace

Image Credits
@taxi.png @dbp.productions @peteyshotya