Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in clothing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Natalia Graf, Founder, and CEO of Sync Equestrian, located in Sterling, VA, USA.

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

Sync Equestrian is an International apparel brand for Equestrian Athletes. Think of us like the Lulu Lemon for equestrians. We have disrupted the equestrian market by introducing edgy designs and creating apparel that fits all body types. Our customers are strong horsewomen across the world with different equestrian disciplines, ages, and body types.

Tell us about yourself

I was born and raised in Germany and moved to the US with my family when I was 11. I have loved horses since before I could talk, and I started riding in Germany when I was 6. Moving to the US without speaking English was tough, and once again, I was drawn to horses to help me through the tough transitional times of moving to a new country and not speaking the language.

Horses are my peace, my happiness, and my sacred space, so to have a business revolving around them is a dream come true. Fast forward, I became a model in NYC and also worked in the fashion and music industry in NYC for 12 years. I then worked a job climbing the corporate ladder for a Fortune 500 company and was completely miserable. I quit my job there and started my own digital marketing agency, and yet I still didn't feel fulfilled.

Long story short, I saw a huge issue in the clothing industry for equestrians, and being an equestrian myself, I decided to use my experience of 12 years in the NYC fashion industry, plus all my other skills from having a digital advertising agency, to start Sync Equestrian. My goal is for every woman to feel beautiful and empowered when they wear Sync, no matter what size, age, or equestrian discipline.

Since day one, we have donated to my chosen charity, Egypt Equine Aid, to help abused and injured horses and donkeys to get the medical care they need. I have never seen abuse as bad as I have seen it there, and it has always been a motivator to get my company larger and larger.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Waking up and seeing my breeches at last year's Tokyo Olympics is a feeling I will never forget. It wasn't planned, it wasn't sponsored, and it just happened. I cried tears of gratitude that day and couldn't wait to see my horse and pop a champagne bottle with him by my side, as he is the inspiration behind my company. Having my products at the Tokyo Olympics was also a testimony of the quality of our products to me and that my vision came alive when it comes to comfort, style, and performance if the best equestrian athletes around the world choose Sync.

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

Being an entrepreneur is an emotional (yet exciting) roller coaster. You really have to work on your mindset and have a strong mind and vision to overcome adversities when your mind tries to play tricks on you. I have also learned to listen to others; however, I always make decisions based on what my intuition tells me to do vs. going with what others suggest.

If it is your business, it's your vision, your outcome, so listening to yourself and trusting yourself fully was a hard concept to grasp for me at the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey. I am not saying don't listen to others because having mentors is also super important, but in the end, make sure that the advice of others lines up with your intuition, vision, and goals.

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

  1. Believe in yourself fully. People always tend to drill the concept of hard work to be successful, but that isn't true. The number one rule for me for my success has been believing in myself. When you truly believe you are limitless, the sky is the limit. Work on your inner self, find your limitations and subconscious beliefs that make you feel like you aren't good enough, self-bash talk and work on that. Once you realize you are worthy of success, and you stop talking down to yourself, put away the fear of failure and fear of what others will think, your life will change.
  2. Visualize your goals and meditate on them every morning ( and night) if you can. Meditation is key for me every morning. It helps me visualize my goals, feel what it would feel like to achieve my wildest dreams, and it helps me catch myself when my thoughts and emotions start drifting into negative places throughout my day. Once you start controlling your thoughts and emotions, your life will go in a completely different direction, and you will feel inner peace like never before. You will also start feeling fulfilled in what you do, vs. always chasing the next big goal.
  3. Make a list of what success means to you. Success could mean something completely different to you than someone else, so make sure the goal you are chasing is something you truly want and not something society has made you believe is the definition of success, and go after that goal. Peace and fulfillment come from chasing a dream tapped around your purpose.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Work on your mindset and heal yourself of all the negative self-beliefs you might have! This will help you tremendously in finding your purpose and starting your business. I share a lot of tricks and tips on my personal IG account for entrepreneurs and anyone who wants to work on their mindset. @NataliaaNatascha Also, please check out our partnered Charity @egyptequineaid and see how you can help!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://syncequestrian.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliaanatascha/

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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