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

Alright, Soniyah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

Audre Lorde said, “When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”

These words embody how I felt when taking my first momentous risk as a business owner: relaunching Boundless Blackness with a new focus and vision.

I started Boundless Blackness in July 2020 to create an expansive brand that uplifts stories that center Black people in our various multidimensions and authenticities. This journey began with sharing interviews, stories, and social media segments that highlighted a range of narratives and experiences of community members. I also sold apparel with powerful messaging aligning with Black liberation and bliss.

The Boundless Blackness community blossomed and expanded. My apparel sales and requests for story features increased as my business journey progressed. Most importantly, the community built around Boundless Blackness, known as the BB Tribe, was growing stronger. I felt blessed and enlivened to see my work impacting the people around me while I walked the path of my purpose.

When designing the business plan for Boundless Blackness I always intended to start with apparel but eventually branch out to other products and services. I wanted my business to be extensive enough to embrace my passions and still serve and inspire our community. When I felt Boundless Blackness had a sturdy foundation, vision, and clientele, I knew it was time to initiate our next phase and let our creativity flourish more. This shift led to the first part of the Boundless Blackness relaunch.

In January 2022, I announced the re-envisioning and relaunch of Boundless Blackness on our Instagram (@boundlessblackness), detailing what the BB Tribe could expect as we build on our foundation. This part of the launch included creating space for merchandise expansion, increased community interviews and connections, more outlets for people to consume our stories, and new partnerships with other Black businesses and organizations.

I knew these changes could be risky, as they would come with new challenges, content planning, and community connectivity. But I also knew this relaunch aligned heavily with my goals and my community’s needs, and it would lead to fresh perspectives, ideas, and opportunities. I experienced what Lorde illustrated; daring to tap into my power and fulfill my vision caused me to free the grip on my worries and step onto a new path with boldness and gratitude.

Soniyah , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Entrepreneurship is a core part of my beautiful family history. Starting a business that allowed me to connect more heavily to my lineage touched my soul. I started Boundless Blackness to elevate a community movement built to share authentic Black stories and highlight the limitless impact of Black culture through community work. This idea was rooted in my passion to reject inaccurate and biased portrayals of Black life that impact policy and social perception.

Boundless Blackness has grown into a community filled with enriching stories that rewrite the narrative surrounding Black people through uplifting Black voices, minds, and creativity. We share these stories through articles on our website, interviews and videos on our YouTube channel, and segments on our social media.

Another significant part of the Boundless Blackness brand are the products sold on our online shop. We have sold quality apparel and items that symbolize the beauty and revolution that epitomizes Black people. We are currently working to expand our merchandise.

We have also recently launched a new project under our brand: Radiant Regal. This creative project spotlights original poems, words, visuals, and musings, with the launch of Book I coming soon. Follow us on Instagram @radiantregal for more.

Boundless Blackness is constantly working to grow and expand our vision and story platform. If you or someone you know has a story to share that our community would benefit from hearing, fill out our story request form at boundlessblackness.com. Contact us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram @boundlessblackness to learn more and join our tribe!

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

Boundless Blackness has taught me an abundance of lessons. A significant lesson I have learned is that I am not confined to one target audience or niche group.

While researching and analyzing my business plan and strategy, I focused on creating content for a specific group and demographic. As I began making sales and growing my community, I noticed that most of my customers fell into that group. This observation led me to assume that anyone outside of that wasn’t interested in Boundless Blackness and what it had to offer.

However, after attending more events, speaking on panels, and selling my products at different vendor markets, my mindset shifted. I began having more transparent conversations with those outside my target audience and was delighted to see their interest and desire to learn more. Although this group was smaller than my regular clientele, I was thrilled to introduce them to our community regardless of the numbers.

This shift in my thinking and business approach taught me the power of having open, inviting conversations about my business without making assumptions about their interest first. The BB Tribe has now become more diversified with an increase of new perspectives and experiences joining our community.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Being a working college student while growing a business has been a wonderful yet challenging experience. It has taught me the importance of prioritizing my mental wellness and emotional wealth, and letting my overall health be the guide for all my decisions.

The last semester of my college career before graduating with an individualized degree in social justice this past May was a hectic time. I was struggling to manage my health and wellness while staying afloat in other aspects of life. This led me to move out of the execution phase of my business and into a planning phase. While I was uncertain at first, pivoting in this direction and taking a pause became a pleasant and integral shift for my brand.

This pivot gave me the opportunity to slow down, step back, and reevaluate the blueprint of my business and how I want to restructure things moving forward. Flowing through this unhurried period allowed me to be more creative, liberated, and insightful.

While I know it can be difficult, I encourage anyone who feels overwhelmed or overloaded to shamelessly take time to remove or reduce some of the hectic things in your life when possible. Your health and wellness dictate how you function in the world around you, and when those things aren’t prioritized, all aspects of life are impacted.

You are worthy of peace, wholeness, and soundness. Don’t feel ashamed to advocate for those things while unapologetically taking the time you need to breath, release, and recharge. Taking this time is not selfishness, it is care and protection.

Contact Info:

• Website: BoundlessBlackness.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boundlessblackness/

Image Credits
Adley Haywood, Miracle Smythe & Paige Wilson