Today we’d like to introduce you to Yolanda Crawford.
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?
One day while I was out shopping, I came across a man wearing a t-shirt with the words ‘I support single mothers’. The t-shirt depicted a woman on a pole. This instantly made me outraged, since I am a proud single mother of two. I remembered what my late father always said: ‘If something makes you so angry, that means you’re supposed to change it’. From that moment on, I knew that my calling was to combat that stereotype and many other negative stereotypes affecting my community. Thus, I founded #EndTheStereotypes, an apparel company whose mission is to bring attention to and combat the harmful stereotypes put on many by society, with a particular focus on the negative stereotypes affecting the Black community.
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?
Not at all! It’s been quite a bumpy road. Some of the challenges have been a lack of funding and well as struggles with marketing. I funded my business out of my own pocket, which wasn’t easy as a single mother. I tried many expensive marketing techniques that didn’t always pan out. I had to eat that loss. But I’ve learned so much from my experiences and I wouldn’t trade my journey for a thing.
As you know, we’re big fans of #EndTheStereotypes. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
#EndTheStereotypes is an apparel brand dedicated to bringing attention to and eradicating negative stereotypes, particularly those affecting the black community. People pay attention to messaging on clothing! We want people to read and feel the message. Not only those outside of our community, but within our community as well. I think what really sets us apart is our level of passion. We are family-operated and run our business in-house. While this can make things challenging at times, it is what I am most proud of about our company. I love seeing myself and my amazing team come together to grow this business each and every day. I hope that our brand can inspire the same for anyone who wants to start a company. Check out our website and support!
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
The saying goes, “no risk, no reward.” That statement is very true, especially regarding business. Any time there is an idea, there is a risk to take. You don’t know if anyone else will believe in your idea or if it will be successful. But, if you never take the risk, you will never have the reward of seeing your idea come to life! Take the chance because you never fail, you learn.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://endthestereotypes.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/endthestereotypes_/?hl=en
