Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leisa Minor. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Leisa, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?
In a world with so much uncertainty, I hope to leave a legacy of hope, kindness, and good will. One’s legacy is not always financial. It is my dream to offer hope to the hopeless.
Leisa, 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?
My name is Leisa Minor and I am the Founder/CEO of Inspired by Pretty Girls. The Inspired by Pretty Girl brand is a collection of t-shirts, sweatshirts, and accessories that display positive, empowering messages of strength and survival. It is our goal to be a ray of sunshine during your storm.
In 2017, I went through an extremely tumultuous divorce that ultimately ended in a cowardice act of domestic violence. My ex husband opened fire on me using a 45 caliber revolver as I sat in my car in the driveway of the home that we once shared with our children. That single act catapulted me into an exhausting legal battle. The next year and a half was spent going back and forth to court for endless motions and proceedings. I saw countless women who were victims of domestic violence sit in the courtroom without support or any knowledge of the legal system. Alone and frightened, many sat in silence and simply decided to give up the fight. Where are the “Victim Advocates” that were supposed to be in place for the victim? Many victims were not familiar with the resources that were available to them. It became clear to me that the justice system was severely flawed and courtroom politics often took precedence over someone’s life. Each time that I sat in that courtroom going through my own personal hell, my heart went out to the women who were lost and alone. It was then that I decided to do something to help bridge the gap between victims and available resources.
Inspired by Pretty Girls was created out of a desire to help be a resource to individuals trying to escape or have escaped domestic violence. Our goal is to educate, inform, and empower. What sets us apart from a typical online boutique is that a portion of the proceeds from the Inspired by Pretty Girls Online Boutique go to assist domestic violence shelters with transportation, food, medicine, and personal items.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I learned a hard lesson early on in my business that made me work harder to achieve my goal. I had a great idea with very noble intentions, and I was excited to share the news. Surely, all my friends and family would be the first ones to rush to the online boutique to make a purchase, right? Not entirely….the friends that rushed to purchase merchandise were the same friends that rushed to my aid and have continued to support me through this journey. And that’s ok. It gave me the courage to fight harder for the very important cause that I believe in. I had to unlearn the notion that people will automatically support you just because it’s an awesome cause that could benefit many victims of domestic violence.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
Putting together the initial funding for my business idea was a bit tricky. I was already going through an exhausting, expensive divorce, coupled by the domestic violence criminal case. I began to research best practices and operating procedures. I researched free trial offers, drop shipping, free tutorials, and sought advice from successful business persons. I worked two, some times three jobs to fund my dream.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.inspiredbyprettygirls.com
- Instagram: @inspiredbyprettygirlceo
- Facebook: Inspired by Pretty Girls
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
Zharia Minor