Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Stewart.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Erica Stewart, owner of SKIN Fitness LLC a fitness brand. SKIN has been a vision of mine since my senior year of high school. When I graduated high school, I started a fitness group training multiple individuals that wanted to improve their health and stay fit. I was always and still am the type of individual that enjoys workout out without a shirt because it motivates me and gives me confidence.
I noticed that some individuals in the group lacked that motivation and confidence, so I created a rule requiring them to work out without a shirt, regardless of how they looked. Even though some were initially resistant, after they got comfortable, I instantly saw the difference in their attitudes and improvement during workouts.
While we were working out one day, someone asked me, “why do you always show your SKIN when working out?” At that moment, the name SKIN clicked, and I knew that would be the name and meaning behind my brand name. In 2016 the idea came about, but back then, i was a collegiate track and field athlete at the university of Louisiana. At that time the NCAA didn’t allow athletes to make money by using their name, image, and likeness to sell a product. So, I had to hold off on this idea and vision for four years until I completed my degree. After graduating, I decided it was the right time for SKIN to debut.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Even though my business has only been established for a few months, my biggest struggle was getting started. Even though I had four years, the NCAA restricted me from starting this business. It still took me two years post-graduation to get my business rolling because I was nervous and fearful about starting my own business, that meant so much to me.
I had this similar feeling before leaving my family to attend college and starting my new job. These things are similar because they all require courage to start, in the end, allowing me to grow and become more successful in life. I was mainly afraid because I wanted my business to be perfect before I released it.
As an entrepreneur, there is added pressure to be successful mostly because you are proving to yourself, your family, and your friends that your idea is worthy and that you have the nerve to make it happen. I am also naturally someone who wants everything I do to be perfect, so the thought of starting something that could fail was an even more significant concern.
I realized to be a successful business owner; I must embrace discomfort. I also realize that it’s impossible to be an expert at everything. As an entrepreneur, it is essential to find help from people who are smarter than me to supplement those areas in which I am weak. I, lastly, realized I must get comfortable taking risks, trying new things, and sometimes going against the grain to trust my instincts. Naturally, I will grow and learn along the way.
We’ve been impressed with SKIN, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
To give a little background about myself, I have been participating in sports and fitness activities since first grade. I started playing basketball, and when I got to middle school, I played basketball, volleyball, and track. When I finally reached high school, I focused mainly on basketball and track, where I then earned a scholarship to compete in D1 track & field in Louisiana. Before releasing my brand, I formally had the opportunity to work with fitness apparel brands and promote their products.
Health and fitness is also the lifestyle I have chosen to live due to my father’s struggle with diabetes. He always told us growing up, “Y’all eat healthy and exercise, and you won’t have to deal with this, and by this, he was referring to diabetes. He struggled with the disease my whole life, but it wasn’t until his recent passing that I realized I needed to do more for myself and my people. In the U.S., black adults are nearly twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes. This racial disparity has been rising over the last 30 years. I’ve decided to use my business to give back by donating a minimum of 10% of each purchase to a diabetes foundation. I have also added donation opportunities on my website and include diabetes awareness slips in each order.
What sets me apart from others is that I am not only a former athlete and certified fitness instructor but also familiar with life after athletics which is the life of 99% of the population. Once I graduated, I struggled with retaining that same love for my body that I once had before because it was undergoing so many changes. My cardiovascular activity decreased dramatically, and my strength training was not as vigorous. It took a while to adjust, and I still am, but I learned that it is an everyday process.
So, every time I need that extra boost of confidence, I go work out with my shirt off, and I am filled with motivation and confidence. Overall, I can relate to many and help them improve by sharing body positivity through my brand. SKIN currently offers women’s and men’s fitness apparel priced at $40.00 or under, with much more to come. When selecting my SKIN apparel, I wanted them to be simplistic and natural colors that resemble our skin tones, and I also wanted to incorporate black culture into my brand.
As an African American, I take pride in who we are. I know how much fight and sacrifice it took for my grandparents and previous generations. I know how much it took to even be allowed to start a business and own an LLC. As a black business owner, I feel it is my responsibility to include my history. I decided to do so by naming each color after something representing the black community. The color Black is called Power, representing the revolutionary movement in the 1960s and 1970′, named “Black Power”.
It emphasized racial pride, economic empowerment, and the creation of political and cultural institutions. Brown is called Melanin because people with dark skin have skin naturally rich in Melanin, containing more melanosomes providing superior protection against the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. Blue is called Haint because enslaved Africans first used Haint blue paint in the South to bring good luck to the home.
The yellow is called Bone because the term yellow bone is African-American Vernacular that stands for A light-skinned person of mixed ethnicity, including Black. The men’s Grey is called Heaven because Christianity is the main religion of African Americans. Navy blue is referred to as Civil because it is the color that African Americans wore when fighting in the civil war for the Union Army.
Lastly, The orange is named spice because African Americans are known to well season their foods, mainly traditional soul food cooking, a tradition brought by enslaved Africans once they were brought to the US for slavery. Overall, SKIN is here to promote body positivity and a healthy lifestyle while looking fashionable, giving back to the community, and incorporating African American history.
Networking and finding a mentor can have a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Social media is the best networking platform that could have ever happened to us. I use my personal and business social media accounts to grow my network and network with others through interacting with followers and non-followers.
Simultaneously with starting my business, I decided to pursue my Masters degree in Business Administration at The Texas Southern University, and it has not only helped me learn so much about how to run my business or manage a business, but I have met so many beautiful amazing people and broadened my network.
Lastly, I recently decided to join multiple organizations in the city of Houston to meet new people and allow my brand to gain exposure through these networks. I have also met people along the way through these two methods that have a business that has offered advice, including many key points of how to have a successful business.
Pricing:
- Women’s SKIN Sports Bra $20.00
- Women’s SKIN Shorts $30.00
- Women’s Skin Long Leggings $40.00
- Men’s Saturated Shorts $30.00
- Men’s Saturated Shirt $30.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://skinfitnessco.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skinfitnessco/
Image Credits
https://instagram.com/dmbphotography96?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=
