Exploring Life & Business with LaTanya Beasley-Carter of Beasiley Created

Today we’d like to introduce you to LaTanya Beasley-Carter.

Hi LaTanya, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I always had a passion for creativity and it always came easy to me, so between my maiden name (Beasley) and the ease of creating, my business name was created. I started Beasiley Created (be easily created) as a craft by making invitations, greeting cards and other digital items back in 2009. I always knew I could do more creatively, but didn’t know what that was.

Expanding Beasiley Created starts back in 2015 when I convinced my husband to purchase a Cricut machine (a craft cutting machine) from Michaels craft store. He was opening an office and had a vision of having inspirational wall decals in the employee lounge, so the I planned to make the decals with the Cricut machine. At the time I worked a full-time job in management and I was a full-time student, completing my B.A. degree at Roosevelt University. Needless to say with my hectic schedule, the decals were not made, and the machine collected dust for several months.

In January 2016, I started researching how to use the machine on “YouTube University” and eventually found out I had the ability to make shirts. I purchased more materials and a small heat press machine to finally try my hand at using it, but all the new items that collected dust for a few months. In April 2016, a few months before graduating, I decided to break out the machine to make my daughter a shirt for her birthday. I made her shirt, and a month later I customized shirts and champagne glasses for a prom send-off celebration. I posted the items I made on Facebook and Instagram and the response of other people wanting shirts was overwhelming!

From there, I received referrals for more shirts. As a result, I would work from 9-6 and come home to work again until after midnight. I did that for a few years. In August 2019, 6 days after my 15 years work anniversary I was terminated from my corporate job, and I like to say I “stayed out on faith” and have been running Beasiley Created as a full-time entrepreneur since that date.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The road to building Beasiley Created was a smooth road because I was doing something I enjoyed. I started the business as a hobby and made good money doing it. While there were times when orders would take much longer than expected and I would lose out on sleep, I would not call those struggles.

The struggles of Beasiley Created came after I became a full-time entrepreneur. Moving from hobby to business involves a lot of education, networking, and there are times when I work longer hours than I did when I worked a 9-5. Right now I am always a student and willing to learn, I am still researching and will continue to learn and research about the shirt industry. Another struggle I have is setting hours to balance work and family life. Since I am an entrepreneur, I don’t mind putting in the hours to work, so I have an issue with getting lost in time. I enjoy what I do, but I have to still make time for my husband and children.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Beasiley Created INC is a custom apparel company located in Chicago, IL. We specialize in custom apparel for small businesses in and out of Chicago.

Besides the fact that we offer a quality product at a great price, the fact that we currently don’t have a MOQ; our creativity, honesty, and attention to detail sets us apart from others.

Brand wise I am most proud of the fact that many businesses trust us with their brand. Many business also allows us to create the items they sell to other companies as well. For a business owner to trust in me for the creation of items they sell to their customers is a huge honor.

While we want to be the “go to” company for small business apparel. We also create apparel for schools, families, vacations, and other special events. Majority of our business comes from the request of other businesses, but we also have apparel in which we’ve created on our website for various careers, lifestyles, statement shirts for everyday wear, and shirts to represent the city of Chicago.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can work with me by visiting my website www.beasileycreated.com and filling out a custom order form and they may follow me on all social media platforms Beasiley Created.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.beasileycreated.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beasileycreated/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeasileyCreated

Image Credits
Jason McCoy Photography, Aichpei Photography