Today, we’d like to introduce you to Shantel Davis.
Hi Shantel, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I came up with the clothing line of Colors Are Beautiful back on October 2, 2012. I came up with the clothing line because I love everything in color.
When I design clothing, I use a lot of colors. I started sewing at the age of 13 when I was taking a Home Economics class. When I touched a needle for the first time, I immediately fell in love with sewing.
At 11, I was taking art classes, and I enjoyed what I was learning. I am an artsy person. I love everything that has to do with art. I started sketching my latest designs when I was in high school. When I sew, I always love including new styles and different styles. Sewing runs in my family. I learned that my grandma used to sew before passing away in 1993. My mom used to sew for my elder siblings when they were younger. She sews still but only for elastics in her slips.
Fashion is my passion. Sewing is therapeutic for me because I just love how each fabric can transform into any clothing style I want. So today, I am sewing for customers a lot more than before. So, right now, my business is booming thanks to my workmates at Joann Fabrics. They are spreading the word about my business to customers. I always love happy customers, that means I am doing something right.
I wanted to improve my sewing skills, so I attended Miami Dade College to hone my sewing skills. I took other classes here and there. Now, I am studying Business Administration at Florida Technical College so I can learn how to manage my business successfully.
In 2019, I decided to register my Sewing Business into Colors Are Beautiful LLC through Sun Biz. It is a great website; another Seamstress and Fashion Designer told me about the website, so I decided to give it a go, and here I am. Now you can google my sewing business.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have had a lot of obstacles in sewing and fashion. One is that most customers don’t want to pay the regular price I give them. They want something made, but they don’t want to pay. At times, I second-guess myself because I thought my items were not salable.
I thought that no one showed interest in handmade items. But I learned something from a dear friend who said, “Clothes don’t just create themselves. Someone has to make them.” So, this myth about people not wanting to buy handmade items is a myth. People do buy handmade items, they just don’t see the value in your products. When she said that, I totally agreed with her.
I had scammers who tried to defraud my business, but I blocked them. But there is always that one person that won’t appreciate your business. I learned to stick with the right people and the right customers who appreciate my work.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an employee at Joann Fabrics in my area. I get a lot of Employee discounts on the items I usually buy, which are fabrics, patterns, sewing supplies, and more. I am a Seamstress and Fashion Designer. I also do Alterations and Repairs.
I design clothes for Women, Men, Children, and Plus Sizes. I taught people who were interested to learn how to sew. I am so proud of my student, Tashawna Thompson. She got her sewing machine fixed and is sewing up a storm, practicing to make her sewing into perfection. I am so proud of her. My sewing students will not leave my class empty-handed; I will give them a certificate of completion. That’s exactly what I did with my students. She always shows me what she is sewing and gives tips and critiques on how to perfect her sewing.
She deeply appreciates me as her Sewing Teacher. What makes my sewing business different is that my clothing is one of a kind; it’s one that you won’t see in retail stores. I always want my customers and buyers to feel comfortable, confident, and classy in what they are wearing. As I said earlier, I love happy and satisfied customers; when they are happy, I am happy.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I am very patient. I don’t give up easily. I believe that it takes time for anything to happen. Things just don’t happen right away. I believe that you can never get things right for the first time. Although I am an
I am an expert in sewing. I still make mistakes, but I always fix them and make them work. Quitters don’t win, so you have to keep going until you are successful. I consider myself a shark in a tank. I am not afraid to invest a lot in my business.
At the same time I will like to get what I put out there, that’s another way to make it to success.
Pricing:
- $30.00
- $40.00
- $50.00
- $60.00
- $70.00
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.colorsarebeautiful86.etsy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colorsarebeautiful_llc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colorsarebeautifulllc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@colorsarebeautifulllc
Image Credits
Enrique Valentin @methodicalproductions, Marisa Pearcy @floridagirlshop, Brian Delfin @photosbydelfin, and Sabrina Banks
