We were lucky to catch up with Shay J’naye recently and have shared our conversation below.
Shay , looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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?
All successful businesses once started as an idea or a dream. Execution and dedication takes the dream or idea to the next level.
I started my brand Velvet Nights in my apartment back in 2020 during Covid. It was the perfect time to unleash my creativity and start my own business venture due to all the major retail stores closing down.
In the beginning, there was little planning for me. I sort of just jumped into it. Like many other business owners starting out, I believed having products and a basic website would be the only factors in running a successful business, but as time went on, I found that theory to be false.
I had no idea of how I was going to market/promote my brand, I had little knowledge about business funding, and I knew nothing about automated systems at the time. I also had no mission statement, no brand values, and no target audience in mind.
Once I began doing more research on larger businesses and how they structured their companies, I started implementing some of their tactics into my own brand.
For starters, I worked on my branding strategy. My logo, my brand voice/tone, my company values, and my vision statement. These concepts allowed me to see my brand for what it truly was.
Next, I worked on my marketing plan and really took my time with determining who my brand would be for and how I would communicate with them. This included market research, target audience research, which sales channels I would use to reach them, and also keyword research.
After I had a clear vision of what my brand should stand for and who it was for, I moved on to creating a sales strategy.
Til this day, I’m still learning and applying new strategies to my business.
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?
My brand Velvet Nights was started to help women unleash their inner star by providing them affordable DIY glam products. During the pandemic, I learned to appreciate the term “self-maintenance.” Being able to provide yourself beauty services at any given time without having to leave your home is a great feeling and I believe all women should have the tools to do so.
From lashes, to gloss, down to exotic DIY nails, Velvet Nights is your go to one-stop-glam-shop.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I try my best to keep my core values consistent with my branding and marketing. I have four: creativity, community, inclusivity, and empowerment. By keeping these themes throughout my business, I have built a pretty good reputation in the beauty market. My customers know what to expect from my brand, and they trust me and my products.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
I’m currently working on my degree in Healthcare Management. One of my first courses was Leadership and Management. I’ve learned to build teams, how to manage small and large corporations, and how to properly plan and execute goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Shopvelvetnights.com
- Instagram: @shopvelvetnights
- Youtube: @shopvelvetnights
