We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Megan Comer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Megan below.
Alright, Megan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea
From Dream to Reality: The Journey Behind Zavani Collective
What if the dream you’ve carried since childhood never came to life? For me, that “what if” became the very thing I had to overcome to build something bigger than I ever imagined. As a young girl, I always dreamed of owning a business. I loved the idea of creating something from nothing, and fashion was always one of my many passions. I was the kid who wasn’t good at “the one thing you love”. Rather, I was good at many things, which made me feel illegitimate as everyone knew exactly what field they were going into as they grew up. I had many skills but no purpose behind doing them so it caused me to be lost without vision for the future.
When I got to college, the idea of starting my own clothing brand started to take shape. The first problem? I had no clue where to begin. Determined to figure it out, I bought a book called “Start Your Own Business, Fifth Edition: The Only Start-Up Book You’ll Ever Need”—a massive 1,000-page guide practically for dummies. I read it cover to cover twice, and surprisingly, it covered some valuable insights into building a clothing business.
The first lesson of business is simple, yet powerful: learning is a never-ending process. Whether you’re just starting or have 100 years of experience, there’s always more to know. There’s not a person living on this planet who knows every single thing, so we can’t act like it. You can’t figure it out yourself? Great! You can hire people. Always being a student to life has been my biggest takeaway– it’s the humility you carry as a business owner, in the BEST way!
Next came the fun part—choosing the name. I wanted something meaningful, so I created Zavani Collective—a blend of my maiden name, my mother’s name, and my sister’s names. It was personal and timeless. I spent countless days planning, but what I didn’t realize was just how expensive starting a business would be. Financial reality hit hard. I had to put my dream on hold for a very long time. As I continued to struggle my way through finding my passion in college, I decided to go for an architecture degree which I knew wouldn’t be utilized after graduation. I began feeling lost and disconnected from my purpose.
As time went on I was going through the motions of life, still with no direction. Partying, traveling, racking up personal debt and ultimately wasting precious time. I was a train wreck until one day, something completely unexpected happened. I had a radical encounter with Jesus.
Through a series of personal experiences, I transitioned from being agnostic, not really believing in anything, to having a strong, unshakeable belief in God’s ability to restore me. I began to understand that my past didn’t have to define my future and I was loved by someone more than any human had ever offered me. As I healed and grew stronger in my faith, I found a new purpose to help others experience the same freedom and peace I had found. I realized that one of my passions was connecting with people and sharing this transformative message. However, being a bit shy, I needed a way to start conversations with strangers, and I thought, “What better way than through something we wear?”
I searched to buy a faith-based clothing sweat set that was modern, simple, and aligned with my beliefs, but everything I found felt outdated or overly complicated. That’s when I prayed and a still, quiet voice told me, “Make your own.” I was going to create a clothing line that displayed my faith, ultimately having the potential to change someone’s life forever. Just like that, I had the vision AND the purpose.
I’ve always been a creator and an executor, I jump without thinking and make quick split decisions. I have a trait of stubbornness which sometimes had proven a bad thing in my past, but this time I wasn’t going to stop. My husband on the other hand, he’s the serious financial guy that is completely risk averse. He needs to see all of the numbers and projections. You can imagine the conversation when I told him I am starting a clothing company and I have no clue what my revenue will be and I haven’t a clue what inventory will cost. But deep down, I couldn’t ignore the God-sized dream that had been planted in my heart. I had the name, I had the website, and now, I just needed to take action.
The turning point came when I realized that EVERY single person is afraid. Elon Musk was probably afraid at one point, Steve Jobs was probably afraid at one point. Why should I be so afraid enough to keep my amazing idea to myself? Fear only stays if you let it. So with that, I ripped off the metaphorical band aid and I went full steam ahead.
I didn’t have any product distributors or manufacturers yet, but I knew that building the website and creating social media accounts would force me to commit to my vision. I didn’t waste time getting bogged down in numbers or overthinking—because if you wait for everything to be perfect, you’ll never start. I knew there were people out there running successful clothing brands, and that was all the proof I needed. If they could do it, so could I.
About five months into building my website, I turned my focus to sourcing high-quality clothing and finding reliable distributors. Youtube and Google were my best friends. We all have the same resources but who would utilize the tools at hand first? It wasn’t always easy, and there were many challenges along the way, but each step brought me closer to turning my dream into reality. I am now proud to say that we are fully in operation producing high-quality matching loungewear sets with biblical references embroidered onto each piece. The success of the company is, yes, financial but most importantly it’s making an impact on daily lives. The testimonies people have shared with us, the smiles on people’s faces when they realize it’s spreading positivity, the people we have been able to be in rooms with have all been an absolutely priceless return on investment. It is a business completely full of blessing after blessing that gives me the purpose of waking up every single morning without fail to serve others and build the kingdom of God Almighty.
Our goal is clear: to lead people to Christ, inspire faith, and remind the world of the love and grace available to all. We’re excited for the future and grateful for the community that has embraced our mission. Together, we can continue to spread the message of hope and salvation, one sweatshirt at a time.
Megan, 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?
Zavani Collective is a faith-based clothing brand born from a dream to create something meaningful and impactful. Founded by a woman whose journey was transformed by faith, Zavani produces modern, high-quality loungewear with biblical references embroidered on each piece. Our mission is simple: to spark conversations, evangelize, and inspire faith through stylish, comfortable clothing.
How did you build your audience on social media?
We gained my Instagram following by focusing on a clear, consistent branding message and staying true to my vision. Instead of jumping on every trend or creating skits, Zavani kept things simple with clean, high-quality product shots and clear, concise videos that highlight the faith-based clothing. We made sure to include text placed directly on the first view that states the products are faith based, targeting an ideal audience. We believe in quality over quantity, so we invested in lighting and didn’t cut corners on content creation. We found 1-2 large retail stores to model Zavani after and stuck to that. You don’t need to hire people or take courses if you can’t afford to, it’s truly not always going to work for everyone’s niche. Keep in mind, it’s important to elevate your brand/Instagram first and then attract the followers—not the other way around. If you are aiming for 100k followers, ensure your content is worthy of such. Additionally, we personally reach out to people who follow local churches or share similar interests, offering them a discount code to build a genuine connection. This has proven a high conversion rate of customers and builds rapport. We have gained 1.4k organic, real followers on Instagram within 2 full months of consistency.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Our most effective strategy for growth combines a mix of storefront presence, a strong online presence, and consistent participation in atleast one craft market each month. If you can’t afford a storefront, partnering with other brands that already have one can be a great way to get your products in front of more people. For online, consistency in posting and promoting is key, and we make sure to allocate a portion of the budget for running paid ads to expand reach. A big part of our success is that people are buying into the story behind Zavani—not just the clothes. When they meet our staff in person at markets or events, they connect with the vision and purpose of the brand on a deeper level. Owning a clothing company from the ground up isn’t passive income; it takes being active, showing up, and building genuine relationships with your customers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zavanicollective.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zavanicollective/?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr#
- Other: @zavanicollective
