The Motor City to The Big Apple

@thesharkdaymond’s post on My Power of Broke Story (2016)

Thank you for visiting the reboot of The Curvy Stylist blog! As with any reboot, the audience needs to know the backstory. So, I thought it would be a good idea to pick up exactly where I left off more than 10 years ago. My journey from the Motor City to the Big Apple is a pretty cool story about faith, fashion, and an awesome life changing internship at the age of 46.

I had been working on writing my story for about a year in the hopes of publishing my first book. It had gone through a couple rewrites before I was inspired to write about Daymond John’s new book, The Power of Broke: Transform Any Situation, Close Any Deal and Achieve Any Outcome in 2016. I asked his team to review the piece before it was posted because it would mention his name and my work at The Shark Group. To my surprise after reading it, they asked to feature my story on his website for the launch of what became his first New York Times best-selling book. I captured the screenshot above of his Tweet more than six years ago. The original blog post was released as part of The Power Of Broke Community Series and titled “From Intern To A Job That A Million Girls Would Kill For,” inspired by the “Devil Wears Prada” movie. I was very honored to be asked and so amazed by the many comments sharing how my story resonated with people. I was moved to tears (Ok, I cry a lot). As we struggle to deal with the challenges of the pandemic both personally and professionally, I thought you might be inspired by it too. Hope you enjoy reading and feel free to leave a comment. I’d love it!

In my early 40s I took a leap of faith and left the security of a director of marketing communications and sales training position with a 6-figure salary to pursue a writing career in the world of fashion and entertainment. It all started with a little fashion blog for plus size woman called The Curvy Stylist, before the words fashion and plus-size ever appeared in the same sentence; and way before fabulous curvy models graced the runways at New York Fashion Week. In 2009 I became @TheCurvyStylist on Twitter when the social media platform first began to gain in popularity. Through a sequence of divine connections online and IRL, I became part of what is now called the “Gig Economy” working as a freelance branding consultant for small business owners, start-up entrepreneurs, authors and speakers. I continued to blog about fashion and eventually assumed the role of Fashion Editor for one of the first emagazines for plus-size women called, Daily Venus Diva. I would make frequent trips to New York for photoshoots and often crashed on my cousin’s couch in Brooklyn, who was in grad school at NYU.

I once heard that if you obey the urging of the Holy Spirit (some call it “intuition”) you set in motion a chain reaction of miracles. Well, I am a believer and after you read this story, you will be too. One day back home in Detroit I woke up feeling led to text everyone I met in New York to tell them I was looking for a place to live in the city. The text messages started coming in almost immediately. Another friend from Detroit who was a working actor, sent me a listing for a room for rent that turned out only to be available for 30 days, IF I moved in the following week. The rent was $750. Now, keep in mind, this is before Airbnb and at the time it was not THAT “normal” to rent a room “somewhere” in New York City that was not a hotel. Next, an author who I did not text that morning called to say that she felt led to pay me the balance of my consulting fee, although we hadn’t finished the project yet. The balance due was $750, the same as the room for rent. It was a sign. My final decision was made after another friend called with an available one-way ticket on Spirit Airlines for just $74, but travel had to take place by the following week. Ok, there was no denying, it was another sign. I was good to go and a week later I landed at LaGuardia with my last $1000 in my purse, one client and a dream.

In the beginning my life was like the movie ‘The Pursuit of Happyness.’ Who wasn’t riveted by Will Smith’s portrayal of Chris Gardner in that movie? I mean, the scenes of he and his real life son sleeping in the public restroom in a bus station, while he worked as an intern at a prestigious brokerage firm for no pay. My room in the apartment was not the Ritz but compared to a restroom it was the ‘lap of luxury’. In an iconic art deco building in uptown Harlem near the Hudson River, the apartment had charm, parquet floors, a few roaches, and my room? Well, it was actually the entire living-room with curtains nailed across the archway for a bit of privacy. To my delight though, the shower felt so good, that if I closed my eyes real tight, I could almost think I was in a luxurious spa.

It was rumored that Ralph Ellison wrote ‘Invisible Man’ in that building and I am inclined to believe it because there is a bronze sculpture erected in his honor in Ralph Ellison Memorial Park with the inscription from his essay, “An Extravagance of Laughter,” that read,

"The very idea of being in New York was dreamlike, for like many young negroes of the time, I thought of it as the freest of American cities and considered Harlem as the site and symbol of Afro-American progress and hope. Indeed, I was both young and bookish enough to think of Manhattan as my substitute for Paris, and of Harlem as a place of Left Bank excitement. So now that I was there in its glamorous scene, I meant to make the most of its opportunities." ~ Ralph Ellison, “An Extravagance of Laughter”

It was another good sign, you guys! When my 30 days was up in that room, I experienced what we recognize today as “housing insecurity” high housing costs in proportion to income. However, my homegirl from Detroit saved me and allowed me to sleep on her couch for the next 45 days in a four-story walk-up in Harlem. It was my place of refuge and I even lost thirty pounds walking up all those flights of stairs every day! She also connected me to a great temp agency which landed me a six-month assignment at a very cool company that designed Halloween costumes. Today, she is a Tony nominated actor with four movies coming out this month. She’s the amazing and talented Michelle Wilson!

My life was like the movie “The Devil Wears Prada.” This was New York City, and I could not waste any time. I leaned into the hustle and grind of the city. I worked seven days a week. I had one paying client in Detroit on retainer, a temp job for six months and a part-time job at the Lane Bryant store in Midtown not far from the famous Macy’s store on 34th Street. My pay at LB was just $8 an hour, but don’t judge me. I met people who helped me gain my footing in New York including TV producers, talent agents, stylists and models. I even styled a few curvy celebrities for concert performances and interviews like the beautiful Zuzanna Szadkowski who appeared in Love, Lost, and What I Wore, and may be best known for her role as “Dorota” on Gossip Girl. Zuzanna was my first bonafide celebrity client from a hit show. I gained valuable “street cred” in the plus size fashion industry and earned lots of social capital working at Lane Bryant.

I eventually rented a room in a condo apartment on Fifth Avenue, which I affectionately called “Heaven on 5th,” like Carrie in Sex & the City. (Remind me to tell that story one day. Talk about a divine connection.) The owner of the condo ran a busy boutique public relations firm and generously offered to knock a few $100 off my rent and in return I did some work for her clients; plus, she offered access to her substantial network in New York. Look at God!! In 2011 she recommended me to the National Black MBA Association’s conference team to manage logistics and concierge services for VIP speakers. I worked closely with speakers like Daymond John, Founder of FUBU and star of Shark Tank on ABC, actor Laz Alonso. Star of “Jumping the Broom,” journalist Roland Martin of Roland Martin Unfiltered on The Black Star Network and the late rapper and DJ Biz Markie, who I shamelessly fanned-out over. She thought I would attend the career fair and make some connections to lead me to my next opportunity and did it ever.

Meeting The People’s Shark was a real game changer for me, and I love to tell this story. Daymond was taking pictures with VIPs and doing media interviews, when I noticed that his tie was crooked. On top of that his driver was standing by star struck watching all of this when his car was miles away and Mr. John needed to get the airport for a flight immediately following this engagement. In my best “stylist move” I slid in to straighten his tie invading his personal space. What do I care I am a stylist, I put bras on people? While I was working on the tie, I whispered in his ear to ask if he did not mind speaking with some student entrepreneurs at the request of the NBMBAA Executive Director, while I sent his driver out to the ‘back forty’ to get his SUV. Daymond was out of there without wasting any time waiting for his car, and I made an impression not only on him, but the Executive Director and his speaking manager, Champ Nichols.

Yet, the greatest impression was made on me. Daymond gave me the best piece of advice that day. There was only a minute to ask one question and I had to make it a good one! So, I said, “I’m a stylist with an MBA and a former head of marketing communications. I have applied for positions at Vogue, Oprah magazine, Bloomingdales, and Saks but nobody seems to get me. Isn’t the fashion industry all about branding anyway? Any advice?” Daymond looked me squarely in the eyes and said, “That’s because you’re not a stylist. You’re a Brand Architect.” For the first time I considered combining my passion for branding and style. It did not have to be one or the other. I was inspired. So, I started following him on Twitter and searching online for job openings at his branding company, The Shark Group. I was excited to find a Twitter post asking for interns to apply in his New York office. Shortly after, I read an inspiring article tweeted by Alfred Edmond, Jr. of Black Enterprise titled, “Internships aren’t just for college students anymore.” It was another good sign. In the interview I was asked, “Are you sure you want to work with us?” I said, “Of course, I’m ready. This is why I moved to New York.” It was “the job a million girls would kill for” like in the Devil Wears Prada.

“When you have got nothing to lose, you have got everything to gain, and my thing is, it takes having your back against the wall, it takes leveraging your last dollar, it takes having no place to go but up, up, up. If you expect to make something happen, you’ve got to need to succeed.” ~ Daymond John, Power of Broke

Hallelujah! I was an intern in the office of the hottest entrepreneur in the country. Again, my life was like a movie, “The Intern” starring Robert De Niro and the oldest intern in the world. I read that “while many internships are geared toward pre-professionals, interning is an excellent way to develop your career at any age.” I worked for the hardest working man I know which meant I worked long hours, nights, and weekends too. As Shark Tank was winning in the ratings, Daymond’s speaking career was really beginning to take off and Champ was building his speaking division. The work was demanding, but oh so worth it! It took every bit of my faith, plus my marketing, communications, and event management experience to do it for little or no money, but they took good care of me. I felt like I worked for my brothers.

Today, Daymond is a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship appointed by President Obama, and one of the Top 50 Speakers in the World. In 2014 I was thrilled to speak on a distinguished panel at a national conference with the Executive Assistants to Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, the Chairman of Johnson & Johnson, and the President of the US Tennis Association. I had the honor of representing one of the top Black entrepreneurs in the country and I told my story for the first time before an audience of over one thousand people. Afterwards, people were lined up to speak to me, some with tears in their eyes, inspired and encouraged to see an African American woman empowered by her CEO to be on the national stage. I am thankful to Daymond John for helping me to change the course of my life forever. I want to express my sincere appreciation to Champ Nichols for taking a chance on a different kind of intern and encouraging me to keep the faith every step of the way.

Looking back, I must ask myself, “If I wasn’t broke and living in New York City, would I have worked at Lane Bryant for $8 an hour and I applied for a non-paying internship for a millionaire fashion mogul on TV?” Daymond would say I exercised the ‘Power of Broke.’ In The Power of Broke, he shares stories of influential people to show that success often finds us in desperation mode, when we’ve got no choice but to go for it – and go hard.” I hope my story inspires you to believe in yourself and go hard for “IT” (whatever IT may be) regardless of your age, experience or bank balance.

Follow me on Instagram @TheCurvyStylist. See you next time!