FASHIONISTA-SISTAH.COM
Full Interview with the founder of FASHIONISTA-SISTAH.COM.
“Your Hidden Potential” Presents the Full Interview of the Founders of FASHIONISTA-SISTAH.COM.
FASHIONISTA-SISTAH.COM is a free online multimedia resource for those who love Fashion, Hair and Make-Up and for those who just like browsing through style galleries for ideas on key trends and quality products.
How are you today
I am fine today, busy as usual but very grateful for the opportunity to be interviewed.
Before we continue – can you give us a little background information about yourself – your name? Where you live? How old you are?
FASHIONISTA-SISTAH.COM
Well ladies don’t like to share their ages lol…. My name is Candy Ellie Elohor Nanna and I live in East London and I am the founder. I’m under 27 but over 21….lol
There is a core team of five and a wider team of 13 who all contribute content to various areas. The core team consists of:
Ru Mel) is the creative development coordinator and is also a very talented Make Up Artist. We went to university together and her contribution to the site is actually invaluable.
Asha Patel and Minal Sudra do a lot of the fashion blogging
Magda Sinit is my head and Events and Pr and is also a very talented recording artist.
Esther Cole is my marketing and PR Assistant
What is Fashionista-Sistah.Com?
Fashionista-Sistah.Com is on online magazine that brings together several aspects of fashion hair and beauty all into one site. Ladies can check out fashion trends see beauty articles and reviews, hair styles and salon listings and also view the fashion galleries for ideas when getting ready.
It also works as a marketing portal for fashion, hair and beauty business owners to utilize our site to reach new customers and advertise their products.
When did you start?
Fashionista-Sistah was launched on November 13th 2008 but there was a short development period before that.
What I want to know is what inspired you to start this business, not to mention the amount of clothing line out there today * Fashion blogs? Wasn’t there a bit of pressure to succeed?
I used to love visiting blog sites that covered fashion hair and beauty tips that were relevant to me as a woman of colour. I very much like all fashion and know that fashion has no race as per say but in my opinion I felt there was a lack of black models or fashionable ethnic celebrities that were used in fashion mags or UK based fashion sites. This was also evident for hair care and beauty tips. There were a few out there but no main or strong competitors.
There was a lot of pressure to succeed which is why I chose not to go full force with the marketing just yet. We have given our self a re-development period so that we can continue to conduct our market / end user research and implement the results to make our site better.
Our official launch will take place later on this year and ‘your hidden potential’ is more than welcome to attend.
Definitely, just tell when and where and we will be there.
How did the name “FASHIONISTA-SISTAH.COM” come about, who formed the name?
A ‘Fashionista’ is someone who eats, breathes and lives fashion- a person who doesn’t just know trends, but sets them herself. This emphasis on the importance of the word fashion incorporates an entire look: clothes, accessories, makeup, hair and beauty. We insist on upholding all these areas on the site.
The ‘Sistah’ part of the name, creates the association with the ethnicity of the brand, but more importantly personifies what the site represents; an online friend, someone to rely on for tips and style ideas like you would a sister.
I mean it must be intense, you guys must be really busy, and how do you do it?
Busy can’t even describe what we are right now. My whole team is so very hardworking and in terms of coordinating the wider team I was able to utilize a lot of the project management skills I gained from my previous career in TV. I have done of lot of project management for TV and also produced live programming for Sky TV so can work extremely well under pressure. I tend to prioritise, delegate and try to find time just to chill.
There are some day when I log on and my inbox has so many new messages and meeting requests, people to interview etc, It makes me just want to run away but I think the fact that I actually love what I’m doing makes all the hard work so rewarding.
Yes, I must confess I know that feeling.
Have you encountered any setbacks or negative experience so far and how did you cope with it?
Initially there were reluctances from business to advertise on the site and build working relationships with us. I wasn’t disheartened because I knew in their position I would do the same thing. (Seeing as we were new and had no track record.)
Over the past four months we have made our mark and have continued to do so. Companies now approach us which is refreshing. We haven’t become complacent because we know there is still a lot of work to do.
What do you do in your spare time? When you’re not in the FASHIONISTA-SISTAH.COM site?
I hardly have much spare time at the mo. I love to cook and just came back from holiday. I also try to spend enough time with the family.
Who are your Role Models/ Influences?
In terms of successful business owners I look up to people like Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey and Tyra Banks. I like people who are not afraid to try out new ideas and keep trying even when they have failed.
What are the most important lessons you have learnt so far?
To have faith and believe in what I’m doing. I maintain this by seeing what my product can be and not what it is. I am a perfectionist and my own worst critic.
What has been the best advice you’ve been given so far?
To be persistent and consistent.
What are your advices for Aspiring young entrepreneurs looking to break in the clothing industries or other industries?
I can’t speak for the clothing industry. I had no background in fashion other than I liked clothes. I believed in my idea and went for it, I then took on board people who had knowledge is the specialised areas and managed them whilst learning myself.
Act quickly: Sometimes you will get an idea but sit on it for so long that it just fades. Jot it down and make a paper plan of it.
Understand that no idea is too big: The thought of a whole website for someone like me who had minimal design skills was very far fetched. I didn’t let it stop me… There is always a way.
Test it out on friends and family: Test out your ideas and product of friends and family and collate responses. Ask them to be as honest as possible and be willing to accept negative feedback.
Invest in yourself and believe in your brand: If you don’t believe in your brand then no one else will. Try to go on courses and network in places that will be beneficial for building you up.
Alleviate yourself from expenses:
If possible try to hold off from buying a property or a car you don’t need whilst you’re setting up a new business. Be willing to invest your own money and be sensible not to invest too much without doing some market research and having had success from a pilot trial.
So what’s next for FASHIONISTA-SISTAH.COM?
We have some BIG plans for the future as well as UK first which we can’t disclose just yet. We really do appreciate any thoughts or suggestions so please do check out the site and give us some feedback.
So finally, before I leave, I need to ask for your secret, come on, why have you been so successful, what’s your secret weapon?
If I told you I’d have to kill you lol….
I wouldn’t want that, hopefully we can get that sometimes in the future, it’s been a pleasure interviewing, thank you for your time; we hope to see how your company is doing in the nearest future.
Keep doing what you’re doing; I’m sure you have inspired one or more people with this interview.
Thank you
Till next time.
Follow Fashionista on
http://www.fashionista-sistah.com/
http://fashionista-sistah.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/fashionistasistah
