We recently connected with Jaleesa Brown and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jaleesa, thanks for joining us today. How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? The world needs to hear more realistic, actionable stories about this critical part of the business building journey. Tell us your scaling up story – bring us along so we can understand what it was like making the decisions you had, implementing the strategies/tactics etc.
A trip to Los Angeles to visit one of my best friends is what ultimately led me to starting Uplifting. Unfortunately, it was the death of that same friend that led me to scaling up my business to where it is today. While I had already made changes such as a new logo, revamping my website, and other updates, I felt like Uplifting still was not where it needed to be; not enough exposure, not enough sales, etc.
During the time of the loss of my friend, I was still working a full-time job. This caused various challenges for me while juggling trying to work through and understand grieving, work full-time, run a business, and everything else. My job was unfortunately not being the most understanding at the time. Despite being aware of my loss, they were bothering me about the most insignificant things, bringing more stress to my life. It was during that time that I really sat with myself and God, and said that something needed to change. I prayed to receive whatever ideas or opportunities necessary to take Uplifting to the next level, and be able to leave that stressful situation.
Shortly thereafter I had an epiphany about purchasing a mobile unit for Uplifting while joking with a friend about how so many businesses are mobile these days. I literally had the epiphany mid-laugh. While Uplifting already had a mobile aspect to it, the functionality and success of it were not where they needed to be.
I took a month off from working my full-time job to work on my mental health, and during that period of time I also sat aside the time to shop around for a mobile unit for Uplifting. I wanted to make sure that it was a commercial vehicle that I could lease (as this was a bit of a trial for me), and also one that has a high roof so that people can stand inside. Of course with every stop the salesmen would ask what my business is, and that came with its own set of male responses (Men, right?! Haha). Nonetheless, I secured a good deal for the perfect mobile unit for Uplifting. It was the perfect timing, perfect size, perfect style, and even came with a package to have shelves installed that were a perfect fit for my bra drawers.
I believe that everything happened the way that it was supposed to happen, and I’m happy with how things worked out. Since purchasing the mobile unit, Uplifting has taken off and excelled tremendously.
Jaleesa, 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?
Uplifting is a specialty mobile and online bra retailer established in Houston, Texas for women wearing cup sizes D-N (that’s right, ‘N,’ as in the letter after ‘M’). As the owner, I noticed the struggle for finding bras that I actually liked to fit my large breasts at a young age. Enough was enough when someone tried to sell me their “bestseller” and it resembled nothing less of a bulletproof vest; I was at the lovely age of 20. What was I going to wear with that? How confident would I feel in that?
In 2011 I took a trip to L.A. with my best friends. Every time I take a trip I think of a souvenir that’s unique to that place. I came up with the bright idea that I’d buy some bras there, because of the large market for women with small frames and large busts (due to breast augmentations being more popular there at the time). I looked up the nearest bra store, and when I went I was in bra heaven! All of the fine laces a girl could ask for! At an early age, I determined that I would one day pursue entrepreneurship, but didn’t know what I would do. Shortly after that experience, I knew exactly what my business would be.
Uplifting aims to add diversity to the plus size undergarment market by offering different brands of bras from various manufacturers. By way of this unique bra business, women of all ages, shapes, and sizes are able to purchase quality bras online or in person at Consultations or Bra-Fit Parties. Uplifting, LLC provides personable services for your personal needs.
Need a house call from Uplifting? We’re at your service! Have your personal fitting and shopping experience at your residence. Get this, we don’t even have to enter your home! We come with our inventory, so you’re able to get fitted and shop in our vehicle!
We understand that you might want to make a purchase, but you’re not exactly sure about your size. Well, if you’re in the Houston area you’re in luck!
Most women are wearing the incorrect bra size, and you, my dear, don’t have to be one of them. You also don’t have to be a woman that can never seem to find bras in her size anywhere.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
In March of 2020 when the pandemic and quarantine officially hit the U.S., like other business owners, I didn’t know how my business would be impacted. I knew that it had the possibility to either positively or negatively affect my business. I knew that I wasn’t willing to go to the lengths of losing my home to keep the mobile unit. So one night in my stillness and solitude I prayed and proclaimed that I accepted my business being negatively impacted, even to the extent of having to close the business; that I’d willingly return my mobile unit in the event that I needed to.
However, I believed that my business would survive. I wasn’t convinced that I had made it that far just to have to close my business. This led to what was a mixture of resilience and faith.
I continued to conduct business as usual despite living in the unknown. I continued to do things for the mobile unit, place orders, answer calls and emails, and probably most importantly, maintain Uplifting’s presence on social media.
And just like that, in the midst of a pandemic, women began to book consultations left and right! Against the odds of women being braless for days at a time because they were working from home or not working at all. I believe that my continuous efforts and my social media presence really aided in that lift off in my business.
Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?
My favorite marketing story took place in early 2022. While I had a billboard up once in 2018, at some point it became a goal of mine to have a budget to have billboard on the side of a major freeway in central Houston. Fortunately, I was able to achieve that goal. I was able to have not one, not two, but THREE billboards up simultaneously.
Two billboards were scheduled to go up one week, and the third was to go up exactly one week later. One night after leaving the gym, I was passing by where one of the billboards would be up in a week’s time. I had a random inclination to look in my rear view mirror with the thought: “What if my billboard went up early?” And there it was. In my mirror. I couldn’t believe my eyes!
I just so happened to have been on the phone with my friend that lives by where the second billboard was scheduled to be. She immediately left the house to see if my billboard was up over there as well, and sure enough it was!
Later I saw where I had missed an email from earlier that day from the company saying that I had hit the jackpot because both billboards went up one week early. I was truly overjoyed, and also felt accomplished especially when my third billboard went up one week later. All billboards definitely brought more exposure to Uplifting, and this was a huge win for my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: uplifting-bras.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/upliftingbras
- Facebook: Facebook.com/UpliftingLLC
- Twitter: Twitter.com/upliftingbras
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCN1s3gNu3FhI12852LYy16A
- Other: Pinterest.com/upliftingbras
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