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

Nkechi, appreciate you joining us today. One of the toughest things about entrepreneurship is that there is almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

We had to close our studio down in December. It’s been a tough process for me because I really fell in love with the space my partner and I created. But I will say I kind of saw it coming consider the high cost of rent.

What was truly unexpected was the building issues we had to put up with as a result of the type of lease agreement we signed. I remember having a very nice weekend away from training clients and teaching dance classes prior to our biggest incident. I came into our studio Monday morning, and majority of the floor was covered in water. The floor was permanently damaged, the place smelled like feet, and our training equipment was soaked. One of my client’s walked in maybe 5 minutes later and was just as confused as I was. Apparently, the unit above us had a leak in their waterline which resulted in the damage to our unit. And guess who was responsible for fixing the damage? We were.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a women’s fashion designer and dance instructor. I was a self taught dancer. I started when I was about 9 years old in my family living room. I loved emulating what I saw on various dance competition shows. I took my first dance class in college and kept dancing from there. As a former track and field athlete, being a person trainer and group fitness instructor go hand in hand. Concurrently, I taught myself how to draw. I wanted to be a graffiti artist with a tshirt and footwear line. My sister suggested I try drawing clothes and it just went from there. Took a sewing class where I also learned how to make patterns and properly finish a garment.

For my clients, I’m either their accountability partner in fitness or their encouragement to take fashion risks. As your trainer, I’ll check in with you even on off days to make sure you stay consistent. If I’m your designer, I make sure you’re satisfied with the outcome of the piece because the goal is always for you to be happy with your look..

I am most proud of my ability to pivot when given just enough time to do so. Whether it’s dance choreography, a dress I’m making, or a training program, I can adapt to the situation. For example, last year I put on a dance showcase for my students. One of the routines had issue with spacing and we had about an hour to figure it out before show time. I was able to determine the best placement for my dancers and everyone was very happy with the outcome.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients has been word of mouth. Majority of my new dance students or training clients come from other people referring them to me. Building a rapport with your first few customers is important for building up your clientele because they will tell their friends and family about you. Next thing you know, you have another client.

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 had to unlearn “succeed by any means necessary”. I was desperate for income at a time to took on a project I had no business agreeing to. I have little no experience designing for men. As a matter of fact, I have only created clothes for 3 men in my 16 years of designing clothes. But I told myself I needed to do this in order to generate income and keep our studio open. Long story short, I created 2 pieces for a woman and 2 pieces for a man. Of course the women’s looks fit nicely, but the execution suffered because I had put so much energy into trying to figure out those men’s looks. Unfortunately, the men’s looks were terrible, and I ruined any potential relationship I could have had with that client all because I didn’t know how to accept I could not do something.

Desperation can bring out the worst in people, and I allowed that to dictate how I handled that particular client. I was fortunate enough to get another client right after that and I made sure to be clear on what I could and couldn’t do. She ended up winning best dressed at a pageant. And I definitely felt redemption after that. I replaced how I succeed with “without sacrificing my integrity”.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mercybynk.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mercybynk?igsh=YzVkODRmOTdmMw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Calvert D. Miles Brian Garcia Albert L. Ortega