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

Sabra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

My Style is My Brand is the result of a conversation I was having with a woman at my job. She was sharing a conversation she’d had with our Director about each person having a brand. When they got around to me, they said “Sabra’s style is her brand.”

Prior to this conversation my business identity was Closet Diaries, but My Style is My Brand resonated with me in a different way. It’s a brand that encourages people to own their style as their unique brand. Think about it, there is no brand that says, “I want to be just like that brand over there.” They may want that brand’s success and reputation, but they really want to stand apart with what makes them unique and have people buy into and accept that. Everyone’s style can be a brand.

Sabra, 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?

I got into content creation and entrepreneurship by accident. I started an Instagram account as a creative outlet and respite from a job I hated that was in an unrelated industry. On this account (Closet Diaries), I was sharing my outfits on a sporadic basis. The account was very small (about 300 followers) for a long time.

In addition to style, I am also a wine lover, and a part of a wine society known as Share-A-Glass. At one of the monthly meetings, I met a woman named Laura and we made the usual small talk. I saw Laura again at the next meeting and we chatted about style and home decor, but nothing deep. A couple of days after the meeting, our mutual friend Stacie reached out to me to let me know that Laura loved my style and wanted me to help her revamp her wardrobe.

I knew Laura could afford a “professional” stylist. So why did she choose me? Laura told me that she had previously hired a “professional” stylist, but she wound up looking like every other person who worked with stylist. She felt I could help her create her own signature style because mine was so different.

Ultimately, it’s all about creating and owning your signature style and being unapologetic about your differences. This is the same philosophy I’ve taken into creating my socks brand Sock Swag by My Style is My Brand, and collaborations I’ve done with other fashion brands.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

When I started my Instagram account, I was apprehensive about sharing my style. There are too many instances of negativity and criticism, especially in a space where you’re sharing style, which is very subjective. I struggled with being vulnerable and open to presenting my real self. I posted only sporadically, and my audience was very small as a result.

I guess the Covid epidemic was the turning point for me. In real life, I pride myself on authenticity in my interactions with people, and I began to apply that to my social media presence. My audience began to grow and I formed real relationships with the community. It’s all about being relatable. If people understand who you are, then they can make a decision about following you and being part of your social media community.

My community grew quickly, from hundreds to tens of thousands within a few months without any strategy other than being my authentic self, and sharing real life stuff along with my style content.

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

I’m at a pivot point right now. In November, I launched my socks brand, Sock Swag with the help of a company that helps creators become entrepreneurs. They helped make my idea/dream a reality in a way that I may have never done myself.

They found factories and manufacturers, set-up my website and connected me with distribution partners and helped with any troubleshooting. The problem is I feel a lack of control because none of the contacts are mine. When I want something I must go through my partner and wait for responses to make anything happen. I was not feeling like a priority. My partners and I met and have decided to part ways. I am currently looking for a new manufacturer and will take on distribution with my husband until we find a better arrangement.

I’m grateful for the experience because I know I wouldn’t have gotten this far without my partners, but I’m also frustrated because I feel like I’m starting over just as I’m beginning. My initial launch went very well and I want to keep moving forward with my next product drop, but I worry about losing momentum.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mystyleismybrand.com
• Instagram: @mystyleismybrand
• Youtube: My Style is My Brand
• Other: https://www.sockswag.shop

Image Credits

James Johnson