Have you experienced additional challenges as a woman of color, if so, how did you handle it?

I developed fears very early on in my business. Fears that my business wouldn’t be well received because of the color of my skin. Fears that we would lose customers if they knew the family behind the company was brown skinned. And fears that the business deal would fall through once they heard my voice.

I must be honest and say that some of my fears have manifested as challenges. And I say challenges with pride because I have experienced some of the unfortunate events that I dreaded but what I didn’t know then is that it would motivate me instead of deterring me. At this point, we are so proud of our business and our products, so we know it’s the loss of the customer and the company who pass up their opportunity to support our business and we are okay with that.

“If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.”

What’s next for you and Elev8ed Cre8ion?

We are working on growing our business from a two-product company to a four-product company by the end of 2020. We also sell multipurpose diaper caddies on Amazon. Soon, we plan to release a special edition backpack that we know our customers are going to absolutely love. In addition to that, we are working on releasing a stroller that just might be the most unique and convenient stroller to hit the market. I’ll continue to work the forefront of the business, but I’m sure we will start hiring more people to help where necessary.

What advice do you have for other aspiring entrepreneurs?

The best advice I have for other aspiring entrepreneurs is to remain focused, be bold, ambitious and confident in your business because if you are completely happy with your product or service, then the customers you attract will be happy too.

What is your favorite quote?

I have many favorite quotes but one that resonates with me and my journey in building Elev8ed Cre8ion is a well-known African Proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.” This quote means a lot to me because although the business is not nearly where we want it to be, I’m always open to helping other businesses around me to grow.

I get excited about learning new things and I love sharing what I have learned with others. Most times it’s because someone helped me to that point, so I’m all for helping another mom-made or family business too, because I know firsthand what it’s like to grow a business from scratch.

For more information on Deileta and Elev8ed Cre8ion, visit elev8edcre8ion.com.

By Art of Preneur

Art of Preneur is a curated community for women entrepreneurs. We're on a bold mission to curate one of the largest community directories of female founders (150,000 by 2025). Our goal is to help women-owned businesses gain media exposure and access to resources, such as funding and mentorship. JOIN THE MOVEMENT!

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