Meet Tiffani Baker | Young Entrepreneur & Fashion Designer

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

Hi Tiffani, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started my business in the summer of 2020. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit however I had never fully tapped into that gift until that summer. I had plenty of time on my hands so I wanted to start something that was going to be impactable. I also wanted to enjoy what I was doing so I evaluated what my interests were at the time. I have always had an interest in specifically natural hair care and since the natural hair market is very diverse I knew I could start a business in that realm. I brainstormed and researched what products I could sell that was centered around that idea and I came to the conclusion that I wanted to sell satin bonnets and satin scrunchies. At the time I did not know how to sew so I contemplated wholesaling bonnets however I decided against that idea because I wanted to stand out. Thankfully my mom still had her old sewing machine so I learned how to sew from her and Youtube University. After some practice, I was able to start making the satin bonnets, satin scrunchies, and African Headwraps.

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?
What sets me apart from others would be the fact that I did not know how to sew before I started my business. When I was younger I did not even like the thought of sewing. However, I had to acquire that skill before I could move to the next step of my business. As I started sewing I came to realize that it is something that I really love to do. Although sewing is a great skill to have, I’ve learned that it requires a lot of patience and determination. I would say I am most proud of the fact that my business is officially an LLC and how I have started incorporating clothes into my business. Shortly after I started sewing I ventured into making some clothing pieces for myself as well as my mom. As I continued making clothes I wanted to incorporate some pieces into the products that I was already selling. In my new collection that I released over the summer, the Classic Queen Collection, I sell African Headwraps with matching halter tops. I am excited to see what this new chapter in Tiffani’z Boutique has to offer. With all that being said, the other side of entrepreneurship is that being a business owner is not an easy task especially when it’s only you. Many times in my journey, it has been a struggle to remain consistent, push through struggles, and not give up. I could have easily given up after the first year of being in business because there are ups and downs in entrepreneurship. I am also a full-time college student so balance is key when it comes to school, business, and social life. When you are the designer, seamstress, marketer, treasurer, and photographer it can get overwhelming. But despite all of that I will not abandon my business. I have come too far to give up now. I am overcoming these challenges by creating a weekly schedule for myself and maintaining the pace of that schedule. Sometimes when I feel like giving up I think about how my story could impact the masses and how if I don’t push through all the work that I have done so far would have been for nothing. I want the world to know that you are never too young to start a business. This is only the beginning of my business and more greatness is yet to come.

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.
Although I am from Atlanta, I go to college in Washington, D.C at Howard University. Since Washington, D.C is known for its monuments I recommend visiting all the famous monuments and exploring the city. The Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial are all good places to start when visiting. D.C is also known for its museums like the African American History Museum, The Futures Museum, and the Smithsonian Arts & Industries Building. In reference to food, Guapos in Georgetown, Founding Farmers, Halfsmoke, Flavios, and Roaming Rooster are good food places to try. Overall, D.C is a great place to visit and there are tons of activities to do.

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 give a shoutout to God and my parents. I am thankful that God placed the idea of starting a business on my heart because otherwise, I would not have pursued it. I am also thankful for my parents. They have multiple businesses themselves and have supported me every step of the way on my entrepreneurial journey. My parents showed me how to get my business started and how to successfully launch a business. Having an encouraging and loving environment has definitely helped my business dreams grow. Without them, I would have not been able to become a business owner myself.

Website: https://tiffanizboutique.com/home

Instagram: https://instagram.com/tiffanizboutique?igshid=NzNkNDdiOGI=

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063478959704

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxjo5_-kQx6mS-n21ZX7tsw

Other: Main Instagram: https://instagram.com/queen_tiffani02?igshid=ZDg1NjBiNjg= Business Tiktok: @tiffanizboutique

Image Credits
Crazy Fliccs Tiffani Baker