Today we’d like to introduce you to Monique Doughty.
Hi Monique, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hey, y’all! My name is Monique and I was born in Pasadena, TX but moved all over Houston until my high school years. In highschool, my brother and I worked to help with bills because we were unfortunately on the broker spectrum of things; however, my mother did her best to not ever make us feel that way. Besides that, high school job sparked both a hustle in me and love for sneakers that I didn’t know would be prevalent in my life in my 30s.
After high school, I became a first-generation college grad in 2012, earning my B.S. in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Unfortunately, my father passed in 2013 and my mom passed in 2014. I also gained custody of my brother in 2015. This shifted my focus for my 20s but despite of I earned my Master’s Degree in Human Resource Development and valuable experience in the hospitality and automotive industries.
Today, I’m employed full-time and proud owner of feisty sneak(HER)head, which is an apparel company for women sneakerheads by a woman sneakerhead. I’m proud in the fact that for this brand, I was able to teach myself and built www.feistysneakherhead.com as well as handle the designs and production of apparel and all other aspects of the business (for now).
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Life wise: what’s smooth? The high school job, we’d sometimes have to walk 2.5 miles each way to and before my 25th birthday I lost a best friend and both parents so at one point, it’d be easy to ask what’s smooth? Life taught me quickly to be resilient and adaptable because if not, I’ll spend the rest of it bitter about things not in my control and that’s a no-no.
Business-wise: I wouldn’t say that it’s been smooth by any means but it hasn’t been rough either. I’ve been blessed with an inquisitive nature so paperwork, website, etc I researched via Google, mentors and YouTube university and was able to dominate quickly.
Other areas such as social media, inventory and finding the right vendors to help expand as well as the financial piece to a new business have been challenges. There are also days when I’m not as creative as I’d like or have a next step mental block but I remind myself I’m a first-generation almost everything so this is normal and I’ll grow through it.
As you know, we’re big fans of Feisty sneak(HER)head. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
To introduce feisty sneak(HER)head, I’d have to start with my introduction and love of sneakers via the Internet (in our day AOL) and eBay lol. The start of feisty sneak(HER)head was a combination of perfect timing and chance. Feisty sneak(HER)head is a growing apparel line for women sneakerheads by a woman sneakerhead. The focus is women because we make up a majority of sneaker culture but there are not enough brands that truly represent us and especially black women. I can customize any of the currently selling designs to a pair of your dopest sneakers which is definitely my proudest point of feisty sneak(HER)head oh and did I mention I did the website?www.feistysneakherhead.com! Check it out!!
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Ultimately, I’d define success as the ability to shift the paradigm in way that makes it easier for those after me. Did I change the course of my family in a positive matter by teaching, encouraging and supporting them? Did I make an impact on this world? Was I honest in whatever I did? Many associate success with money and although I love the coins, if I don’t also pass on the knowledge, I wouldn’t consider myself successful
Pricing:
- Shirts start at $10
- Hats start at $35
- Hoodies start at $35
Contact Info:
- Website: www.feistysneakherhead.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/feistysneakherhead?igshid=196xt862o0q7p
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/feistysneakherhead/
- Other: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeueNdCP/
Image Credits
Monique Doughty & @Amariyahjai
