With multiple successes in the fashion and music industry, Amani Allen-Beale started her own fashion and women’s empowerment brand. AB Fashion House and MogulGirls Company is set to launch by 2018. Each brand will have various branches that will extend to smaller brands. These two are our umbrella companies.
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
What motivated me to start MogulGirls was my love for teaching and consulting. I started doing private creative consulting with friends and it expanded out to friends of friends and before I knew it, I was thinking of ways to help more women start their own creative businesses.
Tell us about your business.
MogulGirls is a platform and empowerment platform to teach women how to start their own creative businesses. Just a few years ago, being a photographer or an artist wasn’t looked at as a professional career and now there are so many people starting up their own creative arts businesses and I want to assist in the business aspect of it. As a wardrobe stylist, I know the challenges most creatives face when starting up a business so I wanted to share my knowledge on it.
Where is your business based?
We are based out of Atlanta, Georgia but our team has members all the way in Nigeria!
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
Besides the legal requirements, I studied under amazing She-eo’s and girl bosses and received so much advice and guidance. I believe it’s very important to do research on your demographics so you have a clear path of what you want to put out.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
Definitely social media. I am a huuuuge social media addict so I used my personal platforms (and friends lol) to get the word out about MogulGirls.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Funding.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I have set up a kickstarter to raise money and I also have put into the business out of my own pockets.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
Venting definitely helps but I would have to say speaking positive words over my business. It’s so easy to get discouraged as an entrepreneur that you have to have faith in yourself and your craft and just affirm that things will happen. Put it into the universe.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
I created some ideas that I personally believe my specific target market needs and just upped the ante.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
The best advice I received since starting MogulGirls came from another girl boss aka my best friend Patrice, who basically told me to keep my space cultivated and keep the right energy around me. There’s a lot of down time when you start your own business and having good energy around you will keep you in a better mood and keep you motivated to keep pushing forward.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
I know it looks hard now, but please keep going. There is a testimony in the struggle, someone will learn from your mistakes. Be their example.
What are your favorite business tools/resources and why?
I love planners and journals. I can physically see my ideas and what I have planned. I have about 6 notebooks filled with notes and ideas.
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
I am currently reading “Girl, get you money straight” by Glinda Bridgforth.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
We are currently focusing on blogging and gaining an audience.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
Our plans are to launch our blog and merchandise line along with the actual website of the business. Every team member is pulling their weight in these last few months to attract an audience and plan fun events to network with other girl bosses!
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @mogulgirlsco, @itsjstab
Twitter @mogulgirlsco, @itsjstab
Facebook @mogulgirlsco