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Finding your You: The Inevitable Bloom of the Woman Entrepreneur 3.10.21

I’m Fabienne Ami, Wardrobe Style expert, teaching Emerging Brand Entrepreneurs how to use the same energy they exhibit in their business and shift into activating their Signature Style.  Along the years of Styling and building my own brand, I’ve come across several business owners. Lash Studio, Nail Company, DEI Agency, Production Company, Chef, Micro-Influencer, Makeup Artist, Brand Management Consultant, Career Coach, the list goes on and on. What do these titles have in common? These are all BIPOC Women who have chosen to take their destiny into their own hands, start or continue to plant seeds into their own business ventures, and bet on themselves. If there’s anything the last year has taught me, it's that women are truly magical and literally have 8 hands. I have seen not only myself but also witnessed my colleagues in the game go through so many mental, emotional, & physical changes, all for the underlying goal of being true to themselves, manifesting their destiny, and for a level of autonomy that was only seen in their wildest dreams. At what cost? What’s their story?

Let’s talk Entrepreneurship in today’s world, “It’s never lonely at the top when you have your fellow bad bishhes to share this glow up with, get you some badass bosses & level up!”. Sis, how did you get there though? Where did you find your fellow badass bosses? In the spirit of transparency, our society is telling us that we need to share so much more of ourselves in order to really capture an audience and to gain a following for your business; yet, more and more there is the endless highlight of the “Fast-Forward” effect. You’ve seen it all over social media. “I was able to scale my business to make $84589458758897 in two weeks!’ 

Things that I’ve learned through this entrepreneurial journey as a Wardrobe Stylist will never be taught in books. Through the many phases of Entrepreneurship, I’ve broken down a few mini-chapters of what you feel you are bits and pieces of, are completely, or can even add to. If you feel me, let’s ride. So this one is for the women who do the work in the dark, push through challenges, don’t subscribe to the “sleep is the cousin of death” vibes, and STILL come out on top, because girl, your time is your time..so take it. 

The “Yes-Woman” Entrepreneur

She’s got to say Yes to every opportunity that comes her way because she can do all the things! The bag is the #1 priority, and who says she can’t be good at this, that, and the other thing? There’s a need to have her hand in several buckets because to be known as the resource feels fulfilling, purposeful almost. What the public sees - Now You know she is Superwoman! I mean what can’t she do? I heard she can do your taxes, you can hire her as a chef, she’s somebody’s consultant doing I can’t remember what, PLUS she can heal your dead plants. Hire her! She’s getting to the coin! / What they don’t see - little to any sleep, lack of self-care, skipped meals, body aches, and her flame slowly fading, but anything to get her to quit her full-time job to create space for what she REALLY wants to do.

The Perfectionist Entrepreneur

She is constantly dissecting her work, meticulously editing, reimagining her path (not always bad), and procrastinates. Sometimes in her procrastination, her best work is born. Here’s the problem: Procrastination is stress! It prohibits progress and hides her true potential. What the public sees - You always get it done! You execute and rise to the occasion with immense confidence / What they don’t see - pitches re-typed, pictures were taken 5011 times just to pick that good ONE, stressing about the best times to deliver your awesomeness to the world, oatmeal for dinner @ 2 am, pacing back and forth in the house to make a simple decision to just do it, just press send!

The Aligned Entrepreneur

She’s arrived. She’s been through the fire. She’s established healthy boundaries, knows exactly when and how to say “no”, and practices radical self-care in order to show up in her business at 100000%. She celebrates her wins - big and small. The struggles she's gone through have brought her to a place of great wisdom because no one can tell her entrepreneurial journey as she can. She’s got a good tribe, a tight-knit circle of like-minded folks around her, holding her accountable for not only her business decisions but also her tap-out, nap-out times. Maybe she even shares her story with other women who she sees are going through the same challenges. When she needs support, she knows how to ask for it. When she gets a “no”, she understands that the same boundaries she has placed for herself, another woman entrepreneur has the same right to enforce, respect. Her “no” is an amazing redirection from God, Goddess, the Universe since obviously something better is around the corner, thank you. For her, it’s about creating an ecosystem of talented individuals who constantly feed into the growth of each other’s businesses, and the bag too ;), a reflection. Vulnerability and mistakes are not a sign of weakness nor exemption (she’s human), and she welcomes her personal and business life lessons with ease. Oh and about this magnificent word “grace”, WHEW! Grace is given to those who take it, and she grants herself grace in abundance. She treats it like buttercream frosting, her favorite ice cream, a perfectly shaken cocktail, the best nap, you get where I’m going. When she thrives in taking care of herself, she sees the results in her business. She’s focused wo-man!

So, if any of these Entrepreneurs sound like you, or if you are a combo of these (trust me there’s more), just know it’s OK. Acknowledge your present state, remember your wins, celebrate yourself, twerk a bit for you, and be present for the ride. As a business owner, where you are is NOT where you are staying. The things you learn along the way will mold you to be the very best version of yourself when you let go of those dried-up crumbs like perfection & easy access to you. Look into you. Who are you in your business? How can being a woman who owns her life as an entrepreneur feel more powerful for you? May you straighten up your back, bring your shoulders down, take a deep breath, & fuse your Femininity with your fierceness to succeed at owning your Business Future. 

BACK FOR THE JUMPOFF: SELF CARE EDITION [02.27.19]

NO ONE TELLS YOU THAT PART OF RELOCATING SOLO ACROSS THE MAP MEANS TAKING DEEPER DIVES INTO YOURSELF, ANSWERING SOME QUESTIONS YOU NEVER KNEW YOU IGNORED, AND GETTING REAL WITH YOUR WANTS, NEEDS, AND OUTLOOK OF THE FUTURE - at least that’s what it meant for me :). I TOOK A LEAP OF FAITH LAST JUNE AFTER A QUICK AWAKENING, MARIE CONDO-ED MY LIFE, SHIPPED THE REST of my things, & STARTED BUILDING IN LA. DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS FELT LIKE A REVIVAL, A HIGH OF SORTS. I WAS JET SETTING, ENJOYING THE TRANSITION, FREELANCE HUSTLING, REVAMPING MY BRAND IMAGE, AND TRYING MY BEST TO KEEP UP W THE FASHION JONESES.

I’VE LISTED A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE AFFIRMED ME ON SOME OF MY BEST DAYS, & SAVED ME ON SOME OF MY WORST DAYS. CHEERS TO OVER SHARING! 

* SWEET SELF TALKS
* STRONG FRIENDS CHECKING IN ON STRONG FRIENDS
* PRAYER CIRCLES
* MIXING & MINGLING
* EXERCISE >> YOGA, RUNNING, BOXING, HIKING
* CALI VIEWS

* ENDLESS PODCASTS EPIS! HERE’S A LIST OF MY LOVES:

Suited and booted [10.6.18]

hello october! After the 21st night of September, my anxiety & excitement sets in.  I LOVE AUTUMN! East coast born & raised, Fall has always signified a change in weather, attitude, & of course wardrobe.  As seasons shift, I get hype when I feel a cool breeze, crisp air and I shed one thug tear knowing the humidity will soon fade.   

My email inbox swells with notifications of Fall this & that, best way to wear these, who was spotted in that, & then it hits me - Boot Anxiety, or “BA”.  Let the trolling begin! Boots are short, tall, knee length, ankle length, mid-calf, thigh-high, blocked heel, stiletto heel, pointy-toed, square-toed, round-toed, round-heeled, leather, patent leather, pony-haired, suede, velvet..you see where I’m going with this BA!?! Needless to say, I find more tearful joy in finding a boot that speaks to me, is modeled oh so smooth, & helps me walk it like i talk it. my three personal boot must haves include animal/textured prints, a blocked heel, or a western heel with a mean west world vibe. since i’m obsessed with emerging x classic brands, I’m more than gassed to grace you with my picks from everlane, aeyde, & fendi. prende plaisir!

Me all ah walk like a Champion [9.2.18]

So you go to the Champion website, you are super confident you are about to get the EXCLUSIVE fits, then you see 8 panels of models sporting dope fits that are all..sold out! Granted, these are 2017 pieces, but when you fall in love with a piece, it doesn’t matter when it was released.  Since relocation, I’ve become extremely biased to NYC shopping.  Let’s be real, what I find in NYC I could NEVER get anywhere else.  So of course, when news dropped of a new Champion Store opening up in NYC on 8/25, I got hype! Then I realized calling my friends to see if they could slide through & shoot glimpses of the flyness was a far cry.  Pure FOMO, BUT I conjured up a way to save myself – research & troll! 

As I gear up to visit the almost 5000 sq. ft. SoHo location (prime real estate) in a few days, a few things have sparked my side eye – yute memories, the B.C. blessed & highly favored quality fabric, & the brand’s whole new world resurgence.  The store comes equipped with a sneaker wall, as well as local NYC artist/garment collabs with the likes of Andre Trenier & Menswear Designer Todd Snyder.  

What’s your net worth..

Let’s talk quality & gym time.  As a private school attendee from K-8, with gym clothes that never shrunk, Champion was a part of my life from day 1.

The Recipe – 1 Navy blue pair of shorts, 1 Navy blue crew neck Sweatshirt (a true vintage hypebeast bonus), & 2 Navy blue crewneck short sleeve shirts.  

Each piece was adorned with the embroidered Champion logo so you knew it was real.  The dye barely faded on the shirts, the sweatshirt was consistently DIY’d with sloppy joe juice, & the shorts, well..the bootydoo grew so when the sweatpants came out, my Haitian Mom was ON IT!  Needless to say, meticulous cotton manipulation using the company’s iconic (84yo!) Reverse Weave© stitch is what continues to keep the brand at the forefront of vintage/modern sports & casual wear, especially at the hands of Millennial Retail empires comme* Urban Outfitters & Streetwear Houses comme Kith (Yup, all sold out, but cute for the view).  Although there have been arguments pitting digital retail against brick & mortar, Champion has continued to ace their Sensory Retail Marketing class – by touch, and sight.  Hip Hop, the vibrant color stories, & style/art collabs prove the company’s staying power.  Now, excuse me while I gawk and slobber over these few faves I’ve selected.

*comme = en francais for "like"

reboots are cute [8.8.18]

Ok. So, my last website got destroyed. retrograde came early and said fabi - we're done here, thank you for your time, god bless & good night.  the best thing that came out of it was this new baby right here. still a labor of love, i can truly say that on 8/8/2018, it's a true simultaneous renewal & restoration.  this means #newnew here, there, over yonder, & around the corner. 

i must say that rebooting has helped me understand the art of not only recreation, but also the importance of knowing that i am not in control! I mean, there are some way that you can control the way you react to the goings on in our daily lives, but ultimately, anything can happen.  after obsessing about formatting & placement, voila!  welcome, stay a while & get into it!

target x new brand fits [8.8.18]

target is coming for all your kin. the chef is out here cooking up new brands, beauty boxes, & ready to compete hardcore with mass market appeal co's like amazon, jet, wayfair, you name it! 

on august 3, target released 2 new private clothing labels - wild fable for young women & original use for young men -both catered to the gen z's of the nation.  TBH i see both brands as gender fluid, so i'm excited to see them pick up speed for our new cohort of fashion heads on a budget. 

wild fable boasts of the 90's & gives "my so-called life" vibes.  Sizing wins, ranging from xs (0) - 4x (26W). key trends include colorful mod tops / stonewash denim / flannel & polka dot prints. 

PSA: original use has knee-slapping outerwear! styling is more modern & evolved.  sizing expands from men to big & tall, xs - 5x.  key trends spotted were kimono jackets (MY FAVE) / cargo & utility / funky camo & geo prints / destructed denim.

all that i can say to the young ones is..when that refund check hits, it's game time!! 

zen & zara home [8.8.18]

relocating to sun fun los angeles, ca has been an amazing & scratching-head transition. to have a blank canvas of a new home allows the imagination to flow free, full of color & balance. those two words "feng shui" always pop up, but what it is really? colors & vibes come together to create the ultimate zen, but it's sooooo important to put the things in your space that make you smile, & bring a breath of fresh air to your day.  I've online shopped like crazy, but have always come to zara home for home style inspiration.

check out some of my favorite editorial looks from The art of Color Pre-Fall collection 2018 & the raw edit linen collection - autum/winter 2018!