Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendria Godair.
Hi Kendria, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I believe I was always meant to have my own business, for me in my twenties the dilemma was more about the HOW. At the start, I was running a go-go dancing company in North Carolina. I had previously been working for one and thought after a year go working for that company that I could do it much better on my own, possibly have some fun with it, make more cash, and treat my employees with more respect than I was getting, so I struck out on my own. Later that same year I was shopping in New York City, and I saw a cute skirt in a store window, I walked in to purchase the skirt and was told unless I was a wholesale business buying 10 or more that I would not be able to. This really upset me because I just wanted THE SKIRT. I left annoyed and the rest of the day obsessed on that skirt. I still remember where I was when the hair stood up on my arms and I thought… “I have a decent social media following and I could probably sell the other 9”, and that’s where the dream was born. I had no idea how I would do that, but I’ve been guessing and learning ever since. In the last year, I’ve definitely 10x my business and made more progress than the last 5 years combined.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Entrepreneurship is never a smooth road, I’m sure all of us would agree on that. One of the things entrepreneurs struggle with a lot is handling everything themselves and if you are a single parent like I was this compounds the problem. I suggest if you are not financially at a place in your biz where you can hire out. exchange good and services. I also struggled with marketing to the correct target audience. For a long time, I tried to sell clothes that I liked, to a city of people who were not into the same type of fashion I was into, when I moved to a larger city with a larger fashion community this problem remedied itself. Online makes that problem a little easier but make sure you are selling to YOUR target audience. Last but not least, a lot of us suffer from imposter syndrome, and I’m not sure that ever goes away because there are always new levels of success we are trying to reach and will be new to and feel out to our depth in, for this one I say, push the voice down and keep going.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
Dria Dair is a lifestyle brand that emphasizes being as comfortable in your clothes as you are stylish! It caters to the modern-day woman with everything from gym clothes to runway fashion. Dria Dair is committed to releasing cutting-edge styles all year! It was founded in the small town of Graham, North Carolina, but its fashion brings you a big-city feel. The founder, Kendria Godair is an entrepreneur and has been in the fashion industry for over 10 years. As her personal style has evolved, so has the style of her brand. From a single young entrepreneur to a mother of two, she now prioritizes comfort as much as style. Through the years, she has made it a priority to give back to her local community through charitable events, clothing drives, her support of the LGBTQ community, and recently founded A Human Mission; the mission is to clothe those in need.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I have relied heavily on business podcasts and motivational/business experts, most of whom I’ve never been in the same room with. Gary Vee, Tony Robbins, Les Brown, and more. I have also had a couple amazing friends in my life that lifted my chin and squared my shoulders when I thought I should quit.
Contact Info:
- Website: driadair.com
- Instagram: _driadair_
