We were lucky to catch up with Nika Hollingsworth recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nika thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the most important things we can do as business owners is ensuring that our customers feel appreciated. What’s something you’ve done or seen a business owner do to help a customer feel valued?

I do not take support for granted. If someone chooses my brand, whether for the first time or repeatedly, I want to show them my gratitude. Therefore, I put forth a great deal of effort in packaging and presentation. When I ship products, I decorate the shipping box and add extra trinkets as an offering of thanks. That could be a free lip shea butter, a keychain, pins, fragrance roll-on, product samples, etc. I also include a hand-written note inside each order I ship. When I have in-person events, I make sure guests walk into an experience because that is what stays with them. People always remember the way you make them feel. I constantly receive feedback stating how beautiful the events are or that they love the packaging. That means so much to me!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am the founder and owner of Nilanjo! Fashion Entertainment (non-profit) and Nilanjo! Boutique LLC (for-profit). Nilanjo! Fashion Entertainment is a 501c3 that uses events to connect fashion, arts, community and small business enterprise. The Nilanjo! Boutique is an eCommerce boutique that sells curated as well as handmade fashion, beauty and wellness products. With both entities, our customers are the reason and inspiration for everything we do.

I am a Creative, Fashion Designer & Event Planner. I manage all aspects of event production as well as write and distribute Nilanjo’s online blog, Nilanjo! Excellence. I proudly operate with expertise and integrity to accomplish the goal of using my creativity to encourage, empower and inspire women; encouraging self-love; and helping to promote positive self-esteem and community wellness. In addition, I personally produce a variety of products for Nilanjo! Boutique in addition to curating items from other creatives and small business sources. I sell items that reflect my personal style, which is classy, bold, and culturally inspired. The same can be said about the type of events I create. They are created with the community and culture in mind. I’ve been featured as a vendor, guest fashion designer, panel speaker, stylist and sponsor at events throughout the community locally and beyond. I am proud to be an embraced, elevating creative.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

As the owner of a non-profit that fundraises by way of in-person events, the pandemic forced me to figure out a way to pivot. I was anxious and uncertain of how to move forward. I developed a series of online fashion shows by mailing looks to my models and having them post pictures and videos of themselves modeling. This allowed them to be creative and have ownership of their presentation. I also hosted other engagement events via Zoom. Along the way, I created Nilanjo! Boutique in June 2020. I was a new maker and retailer with no funding and no supply chain. I had creativity, skill and education. With some initial bootstrapping, I funded the company and developed my own supply chain of other small businesses (women-owned and/or minority-owned). I started my eCommerce business with only a few hundred dollars and was later awarded a Small Business Grant. During the pandemic, there was an influx of small business openings as well as businesses closing due to the restrictions caused by the pandemic. I didn’t know where I fit in but what I did know was how to be myself and how to use my knowledge of people and product to beat the odds. I understood my target market because I am my target market. I was able to position myself from that angle. I took a holistic approach to fashion, beauty, and wellness, considering the whole person and not applying a one-size-fits-all approach. With the increased demand for natural, organic, and handmade products, I am able to present authentic, stand-out products, Nilanjo! Boutique is a result of having to pivot and add another layer to my brand to survive.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the restrictions I’ve placed on myself based off of the seeds of judgement, fear and insecurities others planted in my mind. The thought that it’s ever too late or that I am too old or that just because something is too hard therefore, it cannot be done. People often project their own fears and limits onto others. They have their own idea of success and use that to measure the success of others. I had to learn that I define my own success. The only limits are the ones I create for myself. When everyone else is working with the mindset of the sky is the limit, I dare to shoot for the stars because I rather put my footprints on the moon than on a cloud. We often hold ourselves back because we don’t want to offend anyone with our brilliance. Celebrating victories looks like bragging to some people. But I had to learn that it’s ok to brag, boast, celebrate every win out loud. I had to unlearn the standards others set for me. When you come from a place of obscurity or uncertainty and when you have humble beginnings, it can be hard to see beyond what is in front of you. The moment is all you deal with. You can’t plan for the future if you don’t believe you have one. I was blessed to have a mother who believed in me and groomed me for the future. Education was a priority but the moment she saw I had a talent, she nurtured it. Although she never said it to me directly, she was proud of me because she invested in me. I understood that later in life. Better late than never!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nilanjoboutique.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nilanjofashion
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenilanjoboutique
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nika-hollingsworth/
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nilanjofashion
• Other: www.nilanjo617.com