Exploring Life & Business with Emily Vanessa of Femme Forte

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Vanessa.

Hi Emily, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?  
I always knew I wanted to start some type of business. My mother is a business owner, and I always loved the flexibility and control she had over own business. However, I also knew the time, dedication, and effort it took for her to start seeing profit. It wasn’t easy for her, as I’m sure almost every business owner can attest to. 

I’ve always been someone who loves a challenge, so this didn’t intimidate me. I also have always lived a very active lifestyle. From playing soccer and running cross country in high school to playing some college soccer and becoming a personal trainer in my early 20s, I knew fitness was a huge part of my life. In addition, growing up in some of the not-so-safe neighborhoods in LA made me realize the importance of safety and community with other women. This made me have an idea with my sister, now business partner. We want to open a women’s-only gym in Los Angeles. So, we started making a plan and quickly realized you need A LOT of money to own or rent a commercial space in LA. Which is when Femme Forte was born. Femme Forte is currently an e-commerce activewear brand with the main goal of opening a women’s-only gym in Los Angeles. 

In our city, we’ve noticed a gap in the availability of women’s only gyms. We’re passionate about creating a space where women can come together to support each other and prioritize their well-being, both physically and mentally. Femme Forte isn’t just about activewear or a future gym – it’s a symbol of empowerment, demonstrating that women have the strength and capability to accomplish anything they desire. Our focus is on empowering women, particularly women of color, to thrive and succeed in all aspects of life. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, there’s a lot of things that come into starting a business that people just don’t tell you. As I mentioned earlier, a women’s-only gym was the first idea we had, but since we couldn’t just jump into opening a gym, we started an activewear brand to gain momentum and have people know our mission and goals while also gaining brand awareness. 

Some specific issues I’ve had are: not knowing how to correctly open an LLC, not knowing how to pay sales tax, not knowing what we need to bring to our tax appointments (why don’t I have a W2 like I’ve had my entire life?!), finding where to get products, finding other reliable businesses to work with, having a social media presence, learning photoshop, QuickBooks, website development, customer service, and so so many more. 

With that being said, I don’t really consider my struggles as “struggles.” Everything has been a learning curve, and whenever something doesn’t go as planned, we do it differently (and better) the next time. It’s always about self-growth for ourselves (my business partner and I) and our business. If you don’t learn to have fun failing, you won’t like having a business. And that’s okay; it’s not for everyone. 

However, like I mentioned earlier, I do love seeing women thriving, especially in entrepreneurship roles, so I also want to make my personal TikTok (@embalto) from a fitness account to an account to help others with business-related questions they may have as I have learned a lot in just a year of having my own business. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Femme Forte?
Femme Forte was established in July 2022 with a primary objective of becoming a women’s only gym in Los Angeles. Currently operating as an e-commerce activewear brand, we are steadily building brand recognition and garnering support for our mission. Our emphasis lies in providing high-quality, affordable activewear because I firmly believe that looking good is pivotal to feeling good. 

What sets us apart from other activewear brands is our ultimate goal of establishing a women’s-only gym. Additionally, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive community of women empowering women. Femme Forte also oversees two affiliated ventures, namely Champagne n’ Shopping and Femme Forte Fitness. 

Champagne n’ Shopping, initiated by Femme Forte, is a pop-up shop featuring products exclusively from women-owned businesses. 

Femme Forte Fitness hosts a monthly fitness event on the first Saturday of each month, offering various group fitness activities for women with free admission. 

With these two, we’re supporting other women-owned business and building that community of women interested in fitness that support our mission of one day opening a women’s only gym. 

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
I think being an example to other women matters to me the most. I want women to see all of my accomplishments and know it is possible for them to follow their dreams. We don’t have to live a life that we don’t 100% love. Life is too short for that. 

Contact Info:

• Website: femmeforteofficial.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/femmeforteofficial
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0LHWJ_93OKLzTPSClNcXCA
• Other: tiktok.com/@embalto & tiktok.com/@femmeforteofficial

Image Credits
@swellmichelle
@zairaharida
@vanessanlara
@perlafiguereo
@kiimbizzle
@grcegrhm
@zo.world