Meet Mosi Jelani of Mosi’s Collection in Buckeye

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mosi Jelani.

Mosi, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Mosi’s Collection started because I began wearing Dashikis to represent my culture. People would stop me and say … NICE DASHIKI, can I buy one from you? Initially I would say, I don’t sell them but you can go to *insert random store or online location here* and just get one for yourself. As time passed and I kept getting asked that question and I would follow up with, “If I actually did sell Dashikis would you truly buy them from me?” after getting some significant responses in the affirmative, I began to research wholesale companies that would afford me the opportunity to start a business. I found a few suppliers, got my LLC and Mosi’s Collection was born!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road, most of the time people don’t buy African Inspired Clothing and Products until Black History Month, A church event, or some cultural event at a job or in the community. Thankfully having this knowledge beforehand when I launched Mosi’s Collection 95% of my sales were online ONLY. After a few months doing it I branched out and started doing vendor events thanks to one of the local groups ARCHWOOD EXCHANGE that support the Buy Black Initiative here in the Greater Phoenix Area. The vision of this group has help me sustain my business by opening more local doors for people to see what I have to offer by way of products and to direct more traffic to my online store.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Mosi’s Collection – what should we know?
Mosi’s Collection was founded under the idea to provide quality African Inspired Clothing and products at affordable prices. I am the founder and as an entrepreneur there is no one thing I specialize in, what needs to be done I either find those who can help me accomplish a task or I seek out the knowledge for myself and become a Subject Matter Expert within the needs of the business. I am known for not trying to ‘sell’ people, which is ironic since my business thrives off making sales. There are others that do what I do but I think the thing that sets me apart is I build relationships with people when I come in contact with them. Most of my repeat customers come back because I do provide quality products but we also greet each other like old friends. I like to create an atmosphere where it is as much about the experience as it is providing quality merchandise. When selling around others who have the same or similar products as Mosi’s Collection the thing that makes Mosi’s Collection stand out is the genuine interest in people. I am proud of the fact that I meet new people all the time and sometimes they buy stuff. Those are the people who tell others about Mosi’s Collection and affords me the chance to build even more relationships.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I first give credit to all those who came before me who I have a duty to live the best life I can and represent them and leave a legacy to which my seed can be proud of once I join the ranks of my ancestors. My mother Gloria Stokes-Wright who joined the ranks of the ancestors in 2014 due to pancreatic cancer still motivates me to this day. I am the oldest of her 5 children and she made me believe that there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do. When I was 9 years old and said I wanted to run track she encouraged me to do just that. Later came Varsity football in the 8th Grade that I played all the way through high school, but if I didn’t have the grades I could not play! So I graduated High School with honors and landed an Academic and Athletic Scholarship to Mississippi Valley State University because of the drive she instilled in me. My stepfather Cecil Stokes was and is always there to afford me fatherly advice just as if I was his direct seed. My biological Father Ervin Allen and I began to bond more when I was older and we have a very nice adult father/son relationship. Being a Black Male in America there were so many paths that I could have gone down but thankfully I had so many strong Black Men in my life that were mentors either directly or just because of how they carried themselves. Just about every male teacher I had growing up in Holmes County, Mississippi was a role model the image of a Black Man as educator was and still is very powerful to me. I have to give a shout out to my college track coach William Brown, he called a meeting of the track team one day and before practice he said “Do what you have to do, until you are able to do what you want to do!” The 18 year old me laughed that off but I find myself having lived by that every day since he shared that with the track team. My Brothers and Sisters have been very supportive and I thank them for their love.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mosicollection.com
• Email: orders@mosicollection.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/mosicollection
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/mosicollection

Image Credit:
bestVOY Images

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