We were lucky to catch up with Timira Washington recently and have shared our conversation below.
Timira , appreciate you joining us today. One deeply underappreciated facet of entrepreneurship is the kind of crazy stuff we have to deal with as business owners. Sometimes it’s crazy positive sometimes it’s crazy negative, but crazy experiences unite entrepreneurs regardless of industry. Can you share a crazy story with our readers?
As a business owner starting a business and getting your first client is everything. Getting more clients and people to be involve in your business is everything. I have been receiving a lot of great compliments about my Blazers line from other women and men. I have a great support team behind me. I advertise and sell Blazers to young women to let women know, you don’t have to be naked on a photoshoot or show skin to get notice for your business. Blazers just give off a certain chic and classy appearance. When you look great, you feel great. It is a professional attire. My numbers has been increasing on sales recently. I am grateful. What people fail to realize the more you discuss a person and what they are doing with they life. The more attention that person gets and it’s going to bring people to click on they website and buy. I think becoming a young entrepreneur and dealing with the emotions, I think has been a great experience for me. The craziest thing that has happen to me so far is other business owners trying to make what I do pertaining to my business about them. When it has nothing to do with them at all. My Blazer line is for younger women. It’s not about competition in the business world. It’s about being a role model and setting a example for younger women. If we are going to keep it real, Elon Musk and Bill Gates are one of the top business owners in the world right now. So I don’t know why in the Black Community small business owners are being competitive. I think it is childish and I think jealousy gets in the way of a lot of things. The black community will never grow because of those reasons. One day we will. However no man or woman can stop your business from succeeding or growing. Trust me strangers will support you and uplift you faster than local people. I am proud to be a Black woman who did something totally different from my peers. It is the reason why I get noticed. I also have a Book out called “ Black Country Gal “. It is about my hometown I grew up in. The Book is published on Amazon. I am officially a published authored. The book discuss the good outcomes and bad outcomes of growing up in a small town. I also have receive a lot of good criticism and a lot of jealousy when I put that book out. That’s is okay, not everyone is going to support you. Also I currently have a children’s book called “ Little Olivia Day “ that will be published on December 2, 2022. Parents make sure you order that book for your children. It teaches great learning lessons in the book. I think it bothers people when you are doing better than your past and you are succeeding at life. Your past will never define you. Don’t let no one stop you. Always remember being a educated woman is a brand. I like the fact that I would rather put out books than be sexual or naked on social media. It is important we set a good example to younger women. I think it bothers my peers that I am not following the crowd. Always be a leader, stand out and always be yourself.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I got into Social media years ago, it started when I attend a college that use to be called Darton State College back in 2013-2014. I have gained 9,568 followers on my own. I had some one help me gain more followers over the years. I currently have 22.6 K followers on social media. The thing about building a social media platform it brings on good outcomes and bad outcomes. The good outcomes is the opportunities it brings. The bad outcomes is it brings haters, liars, people will automatically think you are rich, they won’t look at you as normal human being who lives a normal life, admiration, stalkers and sometimes family members and old friends will lie on you for attention. Have to be careful with building a social media platform and protect yourself. The service I provide is coaching, being inspirational, I sell Blazers for small business owners and currently have E- books out for younger people. That is what it is all about inspiring. I think what makes me different from others, I’m not doing what others are doing in the Black community. Most of the women in the Black community are selling the same thing. Such as ( lashes and hair ). Which it’s nothing wrong with that. I just chose to go a different route, I think that’s what makes me stand out. Most of the Caucasian people are selling blazers. It’s very few in the black community that are selling Blazers. So I though to myself Hmmm…why not choose something different to market and sell. I been most proud about is how I turn my life over to God, got married, moved into a Apartment Home, which is a Condo, I put a book out became a published author. Now I have my own Blazer line out now. Currently working on putting my children’s book out. I think I am proud of how ambitious I am. The fact I didn’t let no one stop me because knowing how to pivot is everything. I don’t go cry to social media when I am having a hard time. I deal with it like a woman, handle my business and go get it done. I’m not here to display to anyone to make people feel sorry for me. I am here to leave my mark and show how strong I am.
How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.
My Blazer line website was create with a website brand called Mailchimps. They are one of the best. Amazon is where I got my book published. Amazon is great they provide your Ebook with a ISBN number and Amazon is great for publishing. MailChimps websites design, they have this dash board that helps you organize, tells you how many people and who done view your website, notify you when someone has order one of your products. I would tell anyone get your vendors from Japan or China they are the best. The Chinese are very helpful when it comes to helping anyone building a social media platform and they are the best at vendors. They have everything. Most products are create from China or Japan. I just want to thank my Vendor, Yin C. He is the best. I would tell anyone don’t be afraid to work with other people outside your race. Stay diverse. The pro is everyone is on Amazon. So it helps with people buying your Ebook or products because Amazon is so popular. It really isn’t any cons so far.
Have you ever had to pivot?
The time when I had to pivot through life and through my business was really just this year. I pivot through everything that tried to destroy me. God protection is real. I pivot through people trying to destroy my character from people that I don’t even know because they are going by he say or she say. I have had people lie on me. I have had people try to tarnish my name so I won’t get any sales. I have had people bring up my past because I am not the person or who I was years ago. No one is who they was years ago. It bothers people when you change and grow. I think people love when they can benefit from the broken you but now they can’t because you are heal or done grew up. My support team see’s everything on social media from the lies and the rumors. They never comment because how you present yourself is better than proving a point. I have a great mother who keeps my head above water, who keeps me going and tells me all the time I am proud of you. I am very proud of the woman I am today. I am very proud of the way my mother raise me and very proud of what type of mother I have. The business world is a great experience but be careful you have people out here who will try to destroy what you are building. So don’t talk about what you going to do. Be about it. I am happy to have such a great support team.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bcw-blazers.mailchimpsites.com/store
- Instagram: Timira Washington ( username : mirawashington__)
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timirawashing
- Linkedin: https://alinktr.ee/mirawashingtonhere
Image Credits
Credits Timira Washington Yin Dequan Neloms