We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shanita Irons a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shanita , appreciate you joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
Early 2014, I was about 27years old. I think around about the middle of the year I pondered on this prettybiish attire idea. That’s what my brand was called when I first started out and launched. Now that I think of it, its kind of funny! Just the name itself. So, back to it. My coworker used the term so much I begin to dream about what I could do with it every night. I started to use my time in between school homework and work to do research on how to start a business. So, days went on maybe even months before I realize that I wanted to do a clothing line. Back in February of 2014. My co workers and I had a valentine’s party, and I was gifted an embordered hat with “Prettybiish” on the front of it. I have this hat still till this day. But she gifted me this pink and black hat. So, the day I finally gave in and registered with the secretary of state was March 2014. At this point I still didn’t know what I am going to do with this brand that I just registered. I sat on it for over a 6-month period. I did more and more research before I finally asked my father what I need to do to maintain a business because he knew the ropes to running a business. He advised me to register with the state and to trademark and copy right my name. I did so the next month. I begin the trademarking process which was a rollercoaster itself. I soon ran into issues with the approval of my trademark in which it got abandoned so then I was forced to hire a lawyer to help me get my trademark out of abandonment and to further process my application. March of 2015 my trademark became finalized, and I begin to work on my reveal party. My reveal party was a launch for the release of my brand prettybiish attire. April 2015, I launched my first ever reveal party with a huge fashion show, local vendor, local comedian act and performances. The event was a great experience. The show gave me exposure and awareness in my city. I still have some people say they remember my brand from the show launch. I am beyond proud of myself for conquering that goal and introducing my brand to the world. I gained so many connections with local business owners in the city and great business networks along the way. At this point I had merchandize of jogger sets, hats and t shirts. In the works I worked on my own branded shoes that still due to be release. This launch taught me so much as a young entrepreneur and a growing business owner in my community. I have maintained and scaled my business from then until now here in 2022, I have now launched an addition to my women’s brand a unisex brand. I have also launched my own natural skincare and body care line to help those who suffer from chronic pain and or joint discomfort. All products are handmade, and our formulas are based to offer more environmentally safe, vegan friendly, chemical free products. We try to offer leverage science, expertise and nature to deliver the most potent formulations in the skin care and beauty industry. Comprised of the highest quality ingredients sourced from around the world, our handmade formulas are safe and effective. Our skin care products are paraben-free, sulfate-free, silicone-free, talc-free, cruelty-free and vegan. Our products are made with natural and organic ingredients, however, are not certified all-natural or organic. We are working to better those formulas to tailor everyone’s needs.
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
My name is Shanita Irons. I am the founder/owner of PrettyBiish Collection LLC. I got into the clothing industry 8 years ago in Minneapolis. I begin making clothes in 2014 but my first initial launch of my brand was April 2015. After I launched my brand, I started to work on how to structure my business and my platforms to up scale my business revenue and customer base. After making sure that I understood how to properly run my business, I then went onto outsourcing for manufacturers and vendors. The outsourcing was a bit difficult in the beginning, being new to the industry and not know all the ropes too thoroughly. I felt defeated most of the time, but I never gave up. I continued to pursue the right connections for my business. Once I gained the right connections and networks throughout my city. I wanted more for my brand, so I begin working on more business relationships with out of state vendors and international businesses with manufactures to help me with the production of my clothing lines. I found that working with others helped me get structured from taking so much work off my back. From the production of the clothes being made and pressed with logos, hang tags and packaging. Having their help gave me flexibility and more time to be able to produce elsewhere. Which is when I launched my second unisex line “Presidential Boss”. By the time I launched this brand my skill level was excellent. My creativity brought more lucrative exposure to my brand, therefore I gained more customer base and awareness within my brand, so that I can keep up with my audience on their needs and wants within my lines. In early 2019, I launched my skincare and body care brand. I sourced for beauty manufactures and found one that has a host of products that are extremely amazing! Within my brand we offer so many wonderful natural products. If you’re looking for natural moisturizer, sleepwear creams, lash &brow strengtheners, beard oil along with cleanser and healthy supplements for overall great health. Prettybiish Collection is the place to find them. These products will help you with achieving healthy skin and will elevate chronic pain within the muscles and joints. The skincare line is also used for everyday cleansing routine. In which my products are made for men and women.
I am a serial entrepreneur. I own multiple businesses. One being an interior design and staging business and my clothing company. I have an associates in Business Management with a minor in Entrepreneurship. I work endlessly on my brands day and night. They are like one of my children. I am a mother of two beautiful children. My daughter is 15 years old, and my son is 11 soon to be. I am Minnesota born and raised.
My brands mean everything to me. I went full fledge with my brand when my son was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 3 years old. I became restricted from working in my career of transportation. I had no other choice income wise. So once his diagnoses came about, it took me sometime to figure out what I wanted to do with my brand at this point in my life so, I decided to do a launch reveal. I took a flight out to California and sourced for vendors. I spent a total of 4 days there and found a lot of good vendors. While I was there, I purchased all my merchandise that I show cased in my fashion show. Over time I continued to do business with the vendors and build relationships until the rioting came through California. I lost most of my vendors and connections due to their businesses being burned down and such. But that didn’t stop me. I continued to do my research for more and was blessed to have found some of them again and some new ones that allows me to keep being creative with my brands and offer quality material and production for my brand. I produce most of my creativity in my home office. My business is a home-based small business. We are working to expand soon. I know a lot of people would say they don’t prefer wearing a brand that displays ‘’Biish” but to know the true meaning behind that term, is to love it! Prettybiish means; She can be the very best version of herself by amplifying her strengths, weaknesses, beauty, confidence and flaws. My unisex line is for the working, entrepreneurs, those get up everyday trying to make a change in their lives and others. “Presidential Boss” is one who shows leadership, one who’s beat the odds daily and implements the hustle by all means! Every king and queen are a presidential boss in their own way.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
I started initial capital for my brand out if my pocket. I took my savings and took a leap of faith and caught a flight to California to visit vendors for merchandise. After some time of funding out of pocket. Going through the pandemic made it difficult to fully fund personal finances and business cost out of pocket. So, I begin researching how to gain initial capital with my business. I entered multiple groups on Facebook that taught new starting and existing businesses on how to build and maintain business capital with your company credit. After sitting in these groups and YouTube I started to apply the knowledge that I learned. I begin with small credit accounts that my business could benefit from and build B2B relationships with the companies. After doing so for about a year and a half now I have gained enough capital to stop funding out of pocket and solely fund with my business credit and initial capital that I have raised. I applied for all grants that allowed me to use for starting up cost and expansions of my inventory.
We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.
When I launched, I did most of my research on the web and through other business owners in this industry. Most were generous enough to help point me in the right direction. I took a trip to other states to view and shop at their fashion districts. I found a few of my vendors right here in my city. After gaining the information of most manufacturers I begin getting my logo designed and drafted so that I could present it to the vendors for mockups on the merchandise and my products. I sourced at least about ten vendors by chatting with them, price matching and getting mockups from each one to ensure the right look I wanted for my brand. Once they presented the rough drafted mockups. I would ask for samples of the items I inquired about. Some charged for samples, and some don’t. When I received the actual items from the manufactures. I compared their skills and chose the ones whom I felt were great a fit for producing my brand merchandise on how I wanted to create them. The lessons I learned along the way would have to be don’t trust all. Make sure you ask for samples and or some type of verification on your order, immediate tracking or COD (cash on demand) payments. I can’t say that I haven’t been scammed along the way, but I just count them as lesson and continue to think of the big picture and move forward. Dwelling on those situations put you behind in your work. You’re going to run into those types of individuals along way in your journey. Be careful and trust your gut feeling about anyone wanting you to submit payment in full before getting at least some of your merchandise and or samples of the product even if you must pay a small fee or shipping.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.prettybiishcollection.com
- Instagram: theprettybiishcollection
- Facebook: PrettyBiish Collection
Image Credits
Trayvon Eatman