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Shaza Ibrahim — Sky's The Limit

Sky's the Limit — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Mind the GAHP | Charlotte, NC

“I’ve received amazing guidance and support, both personally and in my business.”

Shaza Ibrahim is paving the way for those like her to succeed

Anxiety is a common experience, but it’s not a common school or workplace topic.Shaza Ibrahim wants to change that. As an anxiety sufferer herself, she knows how it can interfere with a person’s goals. That’s what motivated her to start Mind the GAHP, a business that provides workshops and trainings around mental health for schools and corporations. (GAHP stands for “gaining access to higher possibilities.”)

The current public health crisis—and the resulting changes in the way we work and go to school—only underscores the importance of Shaza’s work. Mind the GAHP’s website points out that “the truth is, if your workplace isn’t providing mental health resources that fit our new norm, your employees’ work performance and overall productivity will continue to suffer.”

“I’ve received amazing guidance and support, both personally and in my business.”

Like so many Sky’s the Limit entrepreneurs, the idea for Shaza’s business came out of her personal struggles. When she was growing up, Shaza found herself experiencing test anxiety, and as she got older, it turned into workplace anxiety. Eventually, she realized she was suffering from a generalized anxiety disorder. The manifestation of her own anxiety prompted Shaza to see the same thing happening to people all around her. Then, a couple years ago, something clicked while she was listening to her friends describe their struggles. No one was identifying the root causes of their issues. Shaza knew she had to do something. “This is what prompted me to start my first wellness event,” she explains, “which introduced attendees to the concept of therapy and to scientifically-validated forms of self-care.”

Shaza’s vision for Mind the GAHP is to be somewhat preemptive and to address mental health before there is a full blown crisis. Rather than providing mental health services once students or employees have experienced a standalone trauma, Shaza advocates mental health preparedness in order to lessen the impact of traumatic experiences and to recognize when trauma has already occurred. One of the products Mind the GAHP offers is a masterclass on work-life balance. The class is self-paced so employees aren’t overwhelmed by trying to get through the material in a certain amount of time. That’s just one of the ways Mind the GAHP mirrors the mental health awareness it advocates.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced many businesses online, Shaza knew she had to figure out how to do her workshops virtually. Keeping her business model flexible is part of what makes it special. However, that flexibility doesn’t come without its challenges. Having already lost her job in 2019, the job she was using to fund her dream, Shaza was free to focus on Mind the GAHP full time, but without a source of income, moving all her workshops online felt impossible. She didn’t give up, though. Instead, she turned to Sky’s the Limit. The mentors and friends she met through Sky’s the Limit have been “invaluable” to her. The volunteers from Accenture that Shaza connected with during a virtual Milestone Day gave her advice on sales strategy and guided her through setting up a pricing model. And the Sky’s the Limit magic doesn’t stop at business topics: “I’ve received amazing guidance and support, both personally and in my business.”

In addition to support from her Accenture mentors, Shaza has found a great business ally in Caity Connolly, Senior Managerial Consultant at Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

“Caity has been really instrumental in helping me to strategize and turn my ideas into a concrete action plan. She is very resourceful and has even helped to connect me with experienced individuals in the wellness sector. She has even helped me with my business pitch and on a personal level, has become a great friend of mine. I will definitely recommend Caity's expertise and guidance to anyone!”

Echoing Shaza’s enthusiasm, Caity explains how they were able to form such a productive mentorship, “I met Shaza pretty quickly after updating my profile with my interests- health and wellness and working with female entrepreneurs. Shaza reached out via the messaging feature and I really loved her story on her profile and how she had turned it into a great business idea, targeted at corporate audiences at the time. I saw a need for in my own corporate environment and believed in it. We started meeting, and the first challenge Shaza mentioned she was facing was her pricing strategy. We worked together to do some research, both live on video/phone calls and asynchronously, bonding over our mutual need for deadlines to stay motivated. We discovered who her competitors might be in the market and honed in on a starting place for her to pitch her pricing model. As 2020 unfolded, we began to collaborate on strategies to help her pivot to accommodate the impact of COVID, tailoring her product towards university students who have had to adjust to this crazy new reality and who will really benefit from her service. She’s continuing to learn and invest in herself and her business and I can’t wait to see what she builds! Overall, it has been really fun to get to know her and be a small part of helping her shape her dream.”

“She’s continuing to learn and invest in herself and her business and I can’t wait to see what she builds! Overall, it has been really fun to get to know her and be a small part of helping her shape her dream.” - Caity Connolly

Shaza’s plan for the future of Mind the GAHP is to expand into a nationwide program that schools and businesses can easily adopt and implement. She also wants to broaden her reach to include parents and educators and all those affected by the mental health struggles of students.

Throughout the process of starting Mind the GAHP, Shaza has stayed attuned to what the community needs from her company. When she originally conceived of Mind the GAHP’s mission, she expected her personal story to be the inspiration behind the business but not part of the services offered. Then she noticed that her own experience with anxiety and mental health was a major point of connection for her audience. So she is adding speaking engagements for herself to the services she plans to offer. Part of her goal is to grow from her experience so that she can continue to help others.

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Morgan Stelly — Sky's The Limit

Sky's the Limit — Fri, 28 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Cakes By Morgan | Pinole, CA

“I attribute much of my success to the support of Sky’s the Limit.”

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Morgan Stelly believes the future is plant-based

Morgan Stelly is no stranger to hard work. While she was in college, she worked two jobs to make ends meet. On top of those jobs, she also sold baked goods. After college, she began working full time in human resources and kept baking purely as a hobby. Even though Morgan has been baking practically all her life, she didn’t grow up dreaming of starting a business around her talent. She didn’t have any entrepreneurs in her life so the idea never crossed her mind.

“If you’re not exposed to the life of an entrepreneur and don’t have that example, it’s difficult to imagine the possibilities.”

Then, a few years ago, a friend started his own business and Morgan wondered if she could do that too. Of course, wanting to do it is just the first step. Morgan faced a lack of access to resources, like her Sky’s the Limit cohorts, and she also struggled with time management. She found it difficult to balance her baking business with her full time job in human resources so she took a break. Time management is an unsung hero in entrepreneurship, and Morgan has grown to properly respect its importance. Now she’s back with Cakes by Morgan, and she is grateful for the opportunities Sky’s the Limit has opened up for her. Her volunteer mentor, Megan Pillsbury, Market Solutions at Goldman Sachs, have been there to answer every one of Morgan’s questions, arming her with more and more knowledge and steps to success.

“I attribute much of my success to the support of Sky’s the Limit.”

This time around, Morgan’s baking business is entirely plant-based. Even though she knew plant based was a good idea when her sister suggested it, she had been reluctant to make this huge change because she was afraid the ingredients would be too costly. However, she knew she should at least try. She spent months perfecting her recipe so that the switch to plant-based wouldn’t sacrifice the quality of her cakes. “I tested out various plant based recipes, but they either came out too dry, too flat, or had no flavor. One day, I combined several techniques and perfected the recipe. This was my breakthrough.”

Plant-based turned out to be a smart business decision. Her existing customers couldn’t tell the difference when she switched to plant-based ingredients, and the switch got her some new customers too. Now she can turn her focus to the future of Cakes by Morgan. Right now, she runs the business online, but produces out of a commercial kitchen in Pinole, California. Her products are now available at Malibu’s Burgers in Piedmont, Don't Be Chick'n and Slides and Sides both in Oakland. She plans to open a customer-facing shop in Oakland before she expands to Los Angeles and New York. She wants to expand the online aspect, too, and offer shipping across the United States.

“My goal is to scale the business and make sure everyone has a chance to try CBM.”

Vegan cupcakes from Cakes by Morgan

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Jonice Ward — Sky's The Limit

Common People United — Fri, 28 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Ily, Inc | Caregiving | New York, NY

“Sky’s the Limit was such a blessing. I kept second guessing myself, and everyone I spoke to (even the CEO himself) helped me to structure it and also just motivated/encouraged me to start even if it wasn’t perfect!”

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Leaving for college at 17 opened up a new perspective for Jonice Ward, she took to heart the Boston College motto “Men and Women for others”. She has always been motivated by a desire to provide care for families and children, especially. Despite her funding for her Fulbright research project in Kenya getting denied because of terrorism related travel bans, she still found a way to go. Jonice could already feel a community through the words of one family in the area and through her travels across rural villages and urban cities in the, she soon felt a home-like community there.

After her year of travels and spurred by a need to help others, Jonice decided to pursue pre-med at New York University. Early in her post baccalaureate education while working as a senior childcare provider and becoming a doula, Jonice became inspired to connect members of her different communities in a new way.

That’s when Ily, Inc became a reality. Her experience in working with children, the elderly, and even pets motivated her to start a space for the best service providers to be matched with families, so that she can continue to form and grow a larger community rooted in love. Jonice slowly started to build Ily, Inc with the support of several Skysthelimit.org members and over time hired several care contractors. She realized the types of services New York city residents required were ever growing and expanded her service offerings to not only include childcare, but elder and pet care, property management, in-home chefs and more.

“I'm still not entirely sure why, but somehow each day as I work with different communities, families, daycare centers, and individual children and youth alike, my pathway home becomes a little bit clearer.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she was let go from her full-time nanny position. Also Ily, Inc had to pause all in person services, including home care, house cleaning, and pet care. Tasked with this unexpected turn of events, Jonice was able to transform her business with funding for Sky’s the Limit’s Rise and Thrive emergency relief funding to offer virtual services, while onboarding new providers to offer childcare services to frontline workers. Ily, Inc is now placing childcare providers in homes of essential and frontline workers in addition to providing them with birthing and elder care services at no cost to them.

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Janae Bullock — Sky's The Limit

Sky's the Limit — Fri, 28 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Fried Lasagna Mama | New York, NY

“Sky’s the Limit is such a helpful tool and array of knowledge and knowledgeable professionals that are always there to help.”

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A Restaurateur With Deep Roots

Chef Janae has roots in the food business. In the 60s, her late grandmother, Katherine, ran a restaurant in Harlem. This influenced Janae to pursue dual degrees in Culinary Arts and Food service Management, and in late 2019 she joined Skysthelimit.org with a solid plan for launching her business. She met with the Skysthelimit program team and was matched with a mentor, and within just a few days, she was already making sales of her mouth-watering fried lasagna.

She continued to work with her mentor John to plan her next steps to grow her business.

“I've been mentoring entrepreneurs since 2004 and I know Janae has what it takes to be successful. She has a great product, a budding raving fan base, and more than anything, a great approach. She works hard and has a fantastic product that you can tell she believes in (that her customers seem to love too). Janae is the kind of entrepreneur who I believe would be successful at whatever she does, but for this enterprise, I believe she ticks all the boxes.”

- John Coleman | Sky’s the Limit Volunteer

March 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic shut down New York, many entrepreneurs were forced to shut down their businesses. Janae, like many, wasn’t sure what she should do. With some encouragement, she decided she could fill a critical need in her city by delivering comfort and sustenance. What could be more comforting the lasagna? Fried lasagna delivered to your door!

“Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, I just simply kept at working my business selling my Fried Lasagna for pick-up and delivery as normal and promoting every week on my social accounts. But after, I found myself at a standstill for about a week and unsure of what to do. Thankfully, after having a supportive talk with Danee [from Sky’s the Limit] as well as my mom, who also gave me great encouragement, I realized the show must go on no matter the circumstance. ‘See this through,’ I said to myself and I did just that.

I promoted even more and assured customers that I'm still open if they'd like to make an order. The following month, I made six times more in sales than the previous month! After that, I realized having fortitude is extremely vital in entrepreneurship. Whether things turn for the better or worse you must keep pushing and see it through, you owe yourself that in the least.

Sky’s the Limit has been by far the best guide, resource and professional help I have gotten since before even launching my business. I have trust in my mentor, John. It's not just that he believes in what my business is and how far it can go, but he believes in me and having him as a mentor has been great. Having the support of the members and knowing they're an email away if you need advice or marketing strategies is pretty cool. I'm a lucky lady!!”

If you’re in NYC and want to get Fried Lasagna Mama delivered to you, go to the Fried Lasagna Mama website to learn more. And if you’re not in her delivery area, but wish you were, give her a follow on Instagram!

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Enri Payne Stays Focused on His Plan — Sky's The Limit

Sky's the Limit — Fri, 28 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Trust is a Luxury | Portsmouth, VA

“Skyʼs the Limit has given me the confidence through its mentorship program to let me know that as long as I took it step by step, plan and create a budget, I could reach the goal of owning and growing into a profitable business.”

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Enri Payne stays focused on his plan

Sometimes the spark that ignites the desire to start a business is as simple as a friend’s encouragement. That’s how it started for Enri Payne. He drew up a design and his friend told him it belonged on a t-shirt.

The first step is believing

Of course starting Enri’s clothing brand Trust Is a Luxury wasn’t really that simple. Even though there are entrepreneurs on both sides of his family, growing up, Enri didn’t think being a business owner was a possibility for him.

“I never had anyone who believed in me. So I always doubted my ability to create a successful business. I always thought starting a business was out of my reach financially as well.”

Enri dropped out of college and was working at Best Buy. He lived paycheck to paycheck and struggled to support his wife and children. He knew he had to make a change, but he never thought he had enough income to start a business. Sky’s the Limit has helped him see that he doesn’t need personal wealth to get started.

“Skyʼs the Limit has given me the confidence through its mentorship program to let me know that as long as I took it step by step, plan and create a budget, I could reach the goal of owning and growing into a profitable business.”

After launching several products, Enri has been trying other manufacturers for his clothing line. His mentor, Accenture IT Operation Engineer Niraj Tiwari, has been a huge support in connecting him with additional resources.

“Niraj has been phenomenal! He is helping me to find cheaper manufacturing in India. I am awaiting my first sample from an associate he introduced me to as of now.”

Forming a legacy

Trust Is a Luxury makes activewear and streetwear for people ages 15 to 30. The name comes from wanting customers to have a luxury clothing brand they can trust. Enri’s vision is for his clothes not just to look good but to make their wearers feel good. “My brand is meant to bring people together. I want to create a brand that is not only fun to wear but also socially conscious.”

To that end, Enri makes sure he gives back. He supports prison reform and donates to organizations that help at-risk youth. Enri doesn’t want success just for himself. He wants to build something he can pass down to his kids. “I want to show them and other low income children that you can achieve your dreams as long you stay focused.”

With his mentor Managing Partner at Attention Capital Ashlyn Gentry’s help, Enri has checked off several business milestones, including creating a business plan, making a website for the business, getting a business license, testing an idea, and getting customer feedback, and is on his way to many more.

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Marisol Torres Soto — Sky's The Limit

Sky's the Limit — Fri, 28 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Marihaze | Dallas, TX

Knowing that the Sky’s the Limit community—especially her mentor Thomas Kennedy , founder of Art Eco Village, who gives “awesome tools and tips”—believes in her business vision has given Marisol the confidence to open up her company to customers.

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Crafts and Confidence Sparked Marisol Torres Soto’s Business

Marisol Torres Soto can’t remember a time when she didn’t want to own her own business, but entrepreneurship wasn’t a valued path for women in her family. She grew up within traditional gender roles where husbands work outside the home and wives take care of the home. On top of that, her family was low income and there was never any extra money for starting a business. That spark persisted within Marisol, though, and she pursed it despite everything holding her back.

Being a boss

One of the reasons Marisol wanted to start her own business is that she has never envisioned herself being a “follower.” She wanted to be in charge of making products, selling them, and handling all aspects of running a business. She also wants to be the kind of boss employees want to work for. She’ll respect and value her employees, pay them well and give them opportunities to advance.

Challenges

Marisol’s history of challenges is shared by many Sky’s the Limit entrepreneurs. In addition to not feeling like she had the financial resources to be an entrepreneur, Marisol lacked confidence in herself. She’s shy and usually finds it difficult to approach people.

“I have never really truly believed in myself. Therefore I have held back and have become the biggest thing keeping me from reaching my goals.”

The support she has received from Sky’s the Limit motivates Marisol to keep going. Knowing that the Sky’s the Limit community—especially her mentor Thomas Kennedy, founder of Art Eco Village, who gives “awesome tools and tips”—believes in her business vision has given Marisol the confidence to open up her company to customers. Marihaze launched in July 2020, and since then, it has reached several business milestones including designing a product, making a website, and having its first customer.

Blossoming into her true self

Joining Year Up helped Marisol begin to believe in herself, and when it came time to crystalize her entrepreneurship dreams, she knew just where to start. Drawing on her artistic nature, Marisol started Marihaze to make and sell smoking accessories. She always knew that making things with her hands would be the key to her success. Marihaze offers customized pipes, trays, lighters, etc. so that customers can always get exactly what they want—and Marisol gets to make her living doing the “crafty” things she loves.

Independence

For Marisol, owning her own business means someday being dependent only on herself. She wants to be able to do Marihaze full time and have the satisfaction of knowing that she is taking care of herself and her family. Indeed, her goals include being able to pay for her mom’s house and help her dad retire. She wants her parents, who came to the U.S. as immigrants, to be able to rest; after they’ve spent their lives working multiple jobs to support her, she wants to support them. Growing up in that environment has instilled in Marisol a strong work ethic and a desire to be financially independent.

“I want to create a business that can benefit so many people in more than one way, not just its customers but its employees, my family, and most importantly: me.”

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Lara Pizarro — Sky's The Limit

Common People United — Fri, 28 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Hexar | Caba, Caba AR

“My mentors have provided me with amazing feedback, insights and guidance.”

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Lara Pizarro turned boredom into a business

Growing up, Lara Pizarro liked to learn but found school boring. “My parents taught me to love science as if it were magic... But when I started going to school, it didn't feel that way. Learning was repeating, and curiosity and wonder became boredom.” That disconnect was troubling, and she knew she wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Lara fits right in at Sky’s the Limit because she took an issue in her personal life and founded a business that addresses it. Her business, Hexar, is making learning at school more engaging.

Early signs of leadership

Before the idea for Hexar was born, Lara started a students’ union at her high school. First she identified the need for a union because there wasn’t an established communication channel between students and faculty/staff. Then she had to convince the other 500 students to support the idea of a union. She wanted them to understand the value of a more inclusive structure, not just for their high school experience but for their futures as well. “Developing critical and creative thinking in students has always been a priority, for it is the only way to secure a better tomorrow together with incentive, innovation and motivation.”

Lara prizes her intellect, communication skills, honesty, ethics, and integrity. These qualities smoothed the way for her rise to leadership. Her position as president of the students’ union led to media interviews and documentary appearances. Lara was honing her leadership skills while advancing the cause of her fellow students.

Chasing change

Meanwhile, in the classroom, Lara and her classmates were still bored. Finally, they decided to do something about it. Hexar is a platform that provides schools and teachers with games-based math and science learning tools. Lara’s intent is for schools to produce students with skills to match the job market’s growing need for technical knowledge.

“I was never interested in entrepreneurship at first. But I was committed to solving a lot of social problems my community was facing. For me creating a business doesn't have to do with the business itself, but with the change-making potential it has.”

As Hexar has evolved, Lara has encountered resistance from the traditional business community. Even a sector as innovative and forward-looking as edtech has pockets of discrimination and systems of oppression built into it. The Hexar team is diverse and egalitarian, but the world in which it exists is not.

“As a young Latin American woman, leading a socio-technological start-up, I have come face to face to the gender bias and youth discrimination that hold the world back. Having a leadership position and being a CEO in a mostly men led ecosystem is hard. I need to work twice as hard to build trust and respect not from my team, but from the world.”

That makes the resources Lara gets from Sky’s the Limit all the more valuable. With help from her mentors, Podcast Producer & Host of Bizz E Bee Podcast Daisy Hayes and Accenture Management Consultant Lena Hairadin, Lara has made sure Hexar is a good fit for its market by conducting a customer analysis. She has also put together “a killer pitch deck” to wow potential clients.

“My mentors have provided me with amazing feedback, insights and guidance.”

Lara’s goals for Hexar’s future are also goals for her own future. She intends to publish ten games and get them in ten schools while monetizing the games, being a leader in the edtech startup space, and being able to work for Hexar full time.

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Joshe Ordonez — Sky's The Limit

Sky's the Limit — Fri, 28 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Airpals | Brooklyn, NY

“In so many ways, being part of this community feels so good. When you are about to quit, there is someone who checks on you and gives you the energy to keep going. Mentorship and networking has been great but what I like the most about the organization is that they genuinely care about me and want to see me succeed.”

View Joshe's Profile

An Early Start

Joshe Ordonez has known since she was a little girl that she wanted to start a business. She still remembers the thrill of decorating quartz rocks she got from her dad’s engineering lab and selling them for $0.10 each.

That early drive turned into starting a business while she was working two jobs and living paycheck to paycheck. Some may see having little personal wealth as a drawback to starting a business, but Joshe sees it as an advantage.

“Being underpaid my whole career had helped me to better manage money. I am really good at allocating budgets and making more with less.”

Knowing when to ask for help

Even though Joshe is confident in herself and her business model, she knows she can’t do it all alone. She has been working as a creative entrepreneur, and the technical side of the business needed some attention. Enter Audible Software Engineer Nandana Yadla, a Sky’s the Limit volunteer. She helped Joshe address the technical aspects of her platform and even gave her tips for talking to developers and other stakeholders. Now Joshe is empowered with the vocabulary to get what she needs.

Another Sky’s the Limit volunteer, Sergio Diaz, Consulting Manager at Accenture has been hands-on with Joshe. Together, they developed financial and user projections for Airpals. Sergio was so inspired by Joshe’s enthusiasm for her home country of Ecuador that he visited there to see it for himself. Of course, he used his trip to deliver packages for Airpals and provide feedback to Joshe. Mentor doesn’t begin to describe what Sergio has meant to Joshe.

Recognizing the Need to Pivot

Joshe was inspired by the way the Latino community creates an organic network of people to get goods back and forth between Central and South America and the United States. Her original business idea, called Encargos y Envios, was to disrupt both the travel and shipping industries by pairing people traveling internationally with people wanting to obtain products not available everywhere. That initial concept proved ahead of its time, and investors were hesitant to back a company that might get bogged down by regulations. Add the COVID-19 pandemic bringing the travel industry to a halt, and Joshe knew she had to adapt. Luckily, she’s good at that. First, she changed the company’s name to Airpals. “Air conveys that our messengers / travelers move fast and pals is about friendship and trust,” she explains. Next, she tweaked the business plan to focus on courier-style service in specific areas of the United States like New York City—all while keeping her users safe within the pandemic. Joshe is concentrating on keeping the business practical and also scalable so she can expand to other regions when the time is right.

Struggles

Even with a good education and career background, a solid business plan, and plenty of confidence, Joshe has encountered resistance from potential investors. She is hesitant to wonder if her gender or her accent is prohibiting investors from taking a chance on her business, but she can’t imagine what other factors could be contributing to this battle.

“I am smart, I have the capacity, the skills, the vision, I achieved great things in my career, I have paying customers not that many but there are people who love and pay for what I am offering.”

Joshe knows she isn’t the only one struggling in this area. Sky’s the Limit has introduced her to a community of entrepreneurs who experience the same setbacks she does and has helped her with the financial aspect. She is grateful to have this support. The grants and other assistance have started to level the playing field so Airpals has the same chance to succeed as any other new business.

Next steps

Now Joshe is ready to move on from raising capital. She has clear goals: break even and then hire women and people of color as team members to grow the business. She envisions a future for Airpals that includes innovation in the travel and shipping industries but also a positive impact on society as a whole. “The ultimate goal is to give back,” she says.

“In so many ways, being part of this community feels so good. When you are about to quit there is someone who checks on you and gives you the energy to keep going. Mentorship and networking has been great but what I like the most about the organization is that they genuinely care about me and want to see me succeed. If you are reading this, thank you guys!”

Airpals is a NYC-based courier service

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Malika Demings — Sky's The Limit

Common People United — Fri, 28 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Femiune | San Francisco , CA

“I'm so glad I found Sky’s the Limit! Jilu and Kate have both been so helpful. Kate actually just texted a few minutes ago to check in.”

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Malika Demings uses her art to empower through fashion

When Malika Demings graduated from college, she knew she wanted to start a business. But as the Sky’s the Limit community knows all too well, wanting to do it and actually doing it aren’t the same thing. She didn’t believe in herself and kept putting off her business.

Refining her vision

Malika had always been interested in art and used drawing as therapy when she was in high school. Starting a clothing line was a natural extension of that, but she struggled with who the clothing line was for. Eventually she realized that starting a business shouldn’t be only about “chasing money.” Now she is turning her passion for art into a passion for empowering women who experience low self-esteem like she did. Fashion is about how people present themselves to the world, and that makes it an obvious vehicle for empowerment. Malika put her own designs on clothes, and thus, Femuine was born.

Getting support

After Malika realized the key to her success was to use her own experience to empower other women like her, she faced more challenges—namely, financially. Businesses, especially brand new ones, have a lot of moving parts, and it’s hard to know which ones to prioritize.

“I am still struggling with investing in my business, there are a lot of things I need to invest in to make my business thrive.”

Malika struggled with where to invest her time and limited financial resources. When she started working with volunteers from Sky’s the Limit, these challenges became more manageable. Jilu Jolly, Accenture Business and Integration Analyst, and Kate Eakin have been willing to help with anything Malika needed, no matter how seemingly small or large.

“Malika told me this morning that she made her first sale while I was away. We’ve spent most of our time talking about brand identity as she makes decisions about the look of her fashion line. We have a ways to go yet, but she’s been fun to work with.” - Kate Eakin, Accenture Consulting Senior Analyst

The consistency of the support has been important to Malika. She appreciates that her volunteers reach out just to see how she’s doing.

“I'm so glad I found [Sky’s the Limit]! Jilu and Kate have both been so helpful. Kate actually just texted a few minutes ago to check in.”

Giving support

Now that Femuine has a website for selling its clothes, Malika is looking to the future. She’s adding new products and updating her company’s Instagram. She also wants to expand her reach beyond the wardrobes of her audience. She plans to use some of the proceeds from Femuine to either start a women’s focused charity or support one that already exists.

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Devon Sedrick — Sky's The Limit

Common People United — Thu, 27 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT

RESTOMP | Artisanal | Nampa, ID

“Sky’s the Limit has really helped put me in contact with people who know where these resources are and how to tackle problems that may seem insurmountable.”

What challenges have you faced in life that make becoming an entrepreneur more difficult OR better prepared you for entrepreneurship?

So a few challenges that I have faced are mostly surrounding the knowledge of resources. There are so many resources available to young entrepreneurs, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to look for those resources if you don’t even know that they exist.

When did you first know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I worked for a clothing brand as an international buyer for two years, and was confronted with incredible malpractice that harmed the environment, as well as the workers. While these are the conditions of many factories in our world, I know that it does not need to be like this! Because of this I would like to create products and companies that forage old material in order to create new goods that are sustainably produced within excellent working conditions. The world is a vast and intricate place, and I am incredibly excited to use my influence to the best of my ability.

What or who inspires you?

I am a young entrepreneur who was born and raised in Idaho. Growing up I had a plethora of interests many of which brought me outdoors, and connected me to nature. I have always had a fondness for wild places, as I felt these places fit my wild heart. I have traveled the globe as a street performer, making enough money to get myself to new places, and experience new cultures. As my wild side has begun to be tamed, I feel grateful for my opportunity to have seen much of this incredible world, but now I see that it is my time to give back, and to protect the world that I have come to love.

What are your dreams for the future?

My goal is to raise awareness of a circular economy, one in which we use old material to create new goods, by creating snowboard pads out of 100% recycled car tires. This is only a small step to create a sustainable world, but it is an important aspect of keeping the conversation going.

How has Sky’s the Limit helped you on your journey?

Skysthelimit.org has really helped put me in contact with people who know where these resources are and how to tackle problems that may seem insurmountable.

Any advice for other young adults who might be considering entrepreneurship?

I would say, go for it! Find something you’re passionate about, something that will keep you going through the hard times, and just start taking steps forward. Do something today, send an email, draw up a sketch, anything. A baby step a day will lead you to places you never thought were possible.

Restomp snowboard stomp pad

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