Meet Iya Thomas | Championing DEI initiatives through entrepreneurship.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Iya Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Iya, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
The most important lesson my career has taught me is the paramount importance of emotional awareness and management. In the dynamic world of brick and mortar entrepreneurship, emotions can be a double-edged sword. When I first embarked on this journey, I underestimated the impact my emotions could have on my business.

If you think a breakup is tough, try owning a small business. Navigating through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship can feel like riding a roller coaster. It’s not just about checking your emotions at the door; it’s about ongoing mindfulness and self-awareness.

I learned this lesson the hard way. During several challenging periods, I found myself grappling with a myriad of emotions that were hindering my productivity, clouding my judgment, and impeding my ability to problem solve effectively. The cost of not addressing these emotions was significant—both personally and financially. It amounted to tens of thousands of dollars lost.

Realizing the critical connection between my emotional well-being and the success of my business, I sought professional help. Through introspection and therapy, I gained valuable insights into how my emotions were impacting my performance. As I worked through these issues, I began to perform better, both as a business owner and as an individual.

This experience underscored a fundamental truth: as small business owners, we are integral to the success of our ventures. If we don’t take care of ourselves, our businesses suffer. Recognizing and managing our emotions isn’t just self-care; it’s a strategic imperative. By prioritizing emotional well-being, we can unlock our full potential and drive the success of our businesses forward.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I own two businesses. Snap Scene which is a brick and mortar and Shapely, a digital community. Both were built on the premise of carving out spaces to the communities I identified with, as they did not exist. In my early 20s a suffered what I thought was a crushing breakup, ended up going on a plus size cruise alone and the rest was history.

I saw a sense of community that I never knew existed and I know others did not know existed. From that moment forward, I knew that I was destined to tell the stories of the disenfranchised, to carve out spaces where every individual, regardless of size or circumstance, could find solace and strength. Thus, Shapely was born—a platform dedicated to challenging conventions, amplifying marginalized voices, and fostering a sense of community and belonging.

But my journey did not end there. With the creation of Snap Scene, I expanded my reach, weaving together the narratives of individuals from all walks of life and a space for them to create. This includes the intellectually disabled, people of size and we even have a program for those in economic distress. From the stories of plus-size pioneers to the struggles of marginalized communities, each post became a testament to the power of empathy, understanding, and the relentless pursuit of happiness for every-body.

I arrived where I am today by taking a risk and trial and error. I was raised to be the change where I don’t see one. Yes, I faced several challenges but when I do, I lean heavily on my community. What I would like the world to about me is I’m a human first person. No bag is being enough to disregard a human life. I also strongly believe that Kindness matters and if you look around and cant find any good in the world, it’s your duty to initiate some.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Paint and pour to hang out for a paint and sip like none other. Of course my selfie studio Snap Scene for some amazing flix and content. West Bar and Lounge for some caribbean themed bites and a mighty good time. BBQs for their famous drinks and their infamous wings.. Anyone of our amazing food festivals. I highly recommend Smorgasbord. There are also a plethora of game nights and Karaoke. Basquiat’s Bottle is a great place to do all of that as they have themed nights. Sur La Table for an interactive cooking class that perfect for a date night and girl’s night out. Lastly, one of my go to faves is the Neyurican poetry lounge on the Lower East Side for some culture and company.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to shout out Toya Burris who continuously challenges me to streamline my thought process in a manner that’s digestible by others. Cruize Richards who taught me how to better be prepared for the corporate space and let me know that myself and my ideas belong there. My father who taught me the skills I needed to show up in these spaces as my best self and my mother who provided me with the tenacity needed to receive rejection but not accept it – to keep going until I get that yes.

Website: www.snapsceneny.com and www.shapelyevents.com

Instagram: @snapsceneny and @shapelyevents

Linkedin: @snapsceneny and @shapelyevents

Twitter: @snapsceneny and @shapelyevents

Facebook: @snapsceneny and @shapelyevents

Youtube: /snapsceneny and /shapelyevents

Other: @snapsceneny and @shapelyevents on tiktok

Image Credits
Franklyn Douglas Iya Thomas Karri – for thumbnail image selected.