Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with PraisJah Woodkins, Founder of Always Prai, located in New York, NY, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Always Prai is the ultimate media hub and lifestyle brand for the attuned creatives that drive the most influential media and today's pop culture. Always Prai is currently most known for our blog, Empowerment Boards, and graphic tee collection. I've used my interests and experience as a consultant and lifestyle influencer to highlight my take on pop culture in my blogs. Highlighting the diversity as well as the creatives, big & small, in Fashion, Music, and Entertainment. Our Empowerment boards are a dry-erase wall planner and vision board created to help our audience manifest their dreams, plan for change, and hold themselves accountable throughout their journey. We want individuals to be whatever it is that they want to be. And take actionable steps to achieve that. This is why "Challenge Yourself to be Yourself" is our motto.

Tell us about yourself

Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I've always had big ideas and great leadership skills. I never wanted to be put in a box like the rest of society. However, as a black woman in America, I knew that I had to work a lot harder at this than my counterparts. So I moved to the big city at 18 to attend college. I immediately began to immerse myself in all of my interests, fashion, music, social media, and entertainment. I'm also a professionally trained dancer. So I would say that Pop culture and media definitely make up my world.

I started interning for Fashion week and found whatever experience I could help brands with social media, events, and content creation. This led to me becoming a brand consultant for the past eight years. But I needed something to do with all of this content and a way to express my opinion about the current state of pop culture that exceeded the means of social media. Yeah, being an influencer is fun, but I wanted to do more. So that is when I decided to create the Always Prai platform. I knew that I wanted my brand to be a large media conglomerate in the future, offering a number of different services and branded products. After all, The evolution of digital media and technology, in addition to the growing entrepreneurial spirit of the last two generations, has changed pop culture and the brand experience forever, causing diverse industries to work together as well as the people within it. So I knew there was a place for my brand. However, the biggest problem was trying to figure out my mission and how I wanted to stand out and actually make a difference.

So I thought long and hard about my life journey and personal experiences. And ultimately decided that I wanted to create more than just a media company but a resource for creatives like me to feel seen, heard, and supported. Always Prai's mission is to highlight the attuned creatives and entrepreneur's that drive today's pop culture. We are a lifestyle brand! This is the motivation behind our recently launched Empowerment Boards, our first branded product! Our Empowerment boards are a dry-erase wall planner and vision board created to help you manifest your dreams, plan for change, and hold yourself accountable throughout your journey.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I would say my biggest accomplishment is ignoring the noise and societal norms. This has helped me find my authenticity and differentiate my brand from others, making me more confident in the longevity of my business.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Following your dreams is hard enough, especially when you have other life circumstances taking place beyond your control. In October of 2019, My dad had to undergo major surgery to remove a brain tumor that would've killed him. Shortly after, The pandemic started. A lot of us, including me, were left jobless with NYC rent to pay. I felt like I had lost everything. Despite my effort, I couldn't find a job or anyone to take a chance on me. I was starting from scratch, and my mental health was dwindling. Plus, being a bold and dignified black woman in America didn't make it any easier to navigate. The 'Black Lives Matter social justice movement shined a light on inequality, making a huge difference. Personally, it has allowed me and plenty of other brands to show up unapologetically. However, there is still a lack of resources and microaggressions present.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Take the time to Learn. Learn who you are and the business of what you're doing. Gain all of the experience you can.
  2. Look to those advocating and truly supporting you and open yourself up to them. Don't be afraid to be confident and vulnerable. Put yourself out there. Talk about your stuff!
  3. Plan for Change! Not everything will go your way. That's part of being an entrepreneur. Know that your plans will always change for the better, even if it doesn't seem like it. So plan but don't beat yourself up over the results.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://alwaysprai.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlwaysPrai
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alwaysprai/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/always-prai-media/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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