UNVEILING

• Evonya is a Personal Stylist whose work has been featured on Fox, Disney, CNN, MSNBC, VH-1, Bloomberg, New York Fashion Week, and more.

• It’s said that she’s a whiz at accounting and finance, having originally launched her career as an accountant.
• She is the Founder of Love E Fashion.

• With over a decade of experience in personal styling and the fashion industry, she’s also a published author.
• Evonya is deeply passionate about empowering women and supporting their journeys.

Career setbacks often force us to make a tough choice: either dig deeper into our hustle or walk away altogether. For aspiring female entrepreneurs, especially in the fashion industry, these challenges can feel even more overwhelming. From staying ahead of ever-changing trends to learning the ropes of running a business, the fear of failure looms large. Envonya, a fashion entrepreneur with over a decade of experience, knows this journey well. She’s navigated the uncertainties, self-doubt, and setbacks, but her story is one of resilience and growth. Starting in finance and transitioning to fashion, she shares how she turned her struggles into opportunities and offers valuable insights for women looking to build their own path in business.

Hi Evonya, I’m going to start with some ice breaking questions, you know, to get comfortable before we start with the real questions. Is that okay?

Introduction and Background

What fashion trend are you in love with?

Oh, hands down, it’s fall fashion. I’m obsessed with layering, and fall is perfect for that—hats, gloves, the works! As soon as the weather starts getting cool, it’s like a runway for all the best styles.

Can you tell me about your career path and what led you to the role you are in today?

I’ve been in the fashion game for almost 14 years now, but the love for clothes started way earlier. I was that teenager who was always getting compliments for my style. Even as a kid, I’d shop for my mom and sister alongside my dad, who also loved fashion. I didn’t think this could be a full-time job at first. I’d help people pick outfits, and sometimes they’d tip me. But it wasn’t until I styled a fashion show—and got paid for it—that I thought, “Wait, I could actually make a career out of this!”

Can you talk about your interest, passion, and how you came into the industry?

I started with a more traditional path. I had a strong educational background like many of my mates, and back in those days, careers where based on what you studied. I went to college and got a degree in finance, then I also got a masters in finance. My parents encouraged me to get a good education, so I began my professional life as an accountant. But fashion was always my side hustle. Back in 2001, before social media took off, I didn’t have any fashion role models to look up to, so I didn’t initially see it as a career option. But everything changed after that first fashion show I styled. I decided to intern, build relationships, and learn the ropes before launching my business. And having a finance background didn’t hurt—it helped me avoid some common startup mistakes. You know what they say; you can’t really be what you don’t see.

How did your background in finance intersect with fashion?

Honestly, there wasn’t a clear intersection at first. But when I started my own business, my finance background came in clutch. While many fashion startups struggle financially, I knew how to manage the business side from the get-go. It made the entrepreneurial journey smoother, at least on the financial front.

Inspiration and Motivation.

What was your biggest inspiration to start your fashion brand?

It was the idea of creating my own life. I saw a lot of people complain about their jobs on a daily basis, and I didn’t want the same for myself. I believe there’s magic in creating the life you want to live and sticking with it. People work 40 hours a week, going to a job they don’t like, you know, that’s a big chunk of your life. So, being able to do what I love every day while empowering men and women to show up how they want to be seen in the world using wardrobe and clothes, and I get to do that every day and get paid for it. Then I figured that was enough reason to make that switch.

I am really in love with what I do. I love my clients, and I love helping them show up and look their best and being able to make a living off it. It’s just like an icing on the cake, so I’m thrilled to be able to create a life I want to live and not let life happen to me, but more so, make sure my life goes in the direction I wanted to go.

What is a common myth in the Fashion industry?

Oh, it has to be the “glamour” associated with the fashion industry. There’s always been comments about fashion being glamorous all the time – you’re going to be around celebrities and you’re going to go to parties and you’re just going to dress up all day long and wear six inch heels. I think there’s a lot of glamour associated with the industry and that is not true in real life.

Sure, that occasionally happens, but it’s only 10% of the job. The rest is hard work—running a business, understanding client needs, and constantly hustling.

It’s not the same as going to the store and picking up everything that’s cute. You have to pick up stuff that makes sense with your client in mind – like, oh, this is nice, but it’s not my client’s size; she hates this color. So you have to shop with your client in mind really and make sure you’re finding items that work for your client. I once got a client 90 fits to give them their perfect style.

Challenges and Overcoming Obstacles

The fashion world can be very challenging; what was a risky decision you made when you were scaling your business and how did it contribute to your success?

Honestly, being an entrepreneur itself is a risk. You’re completely responsible for your livelihood, and bills don’t wait for your next paycheck. Bills come every month whether you’re making money or not making money, and so it’s a risk being an entrepreneur altogether.

and if you don’t have any faith, then you’re going to definitely get it while you’re an entrepreneur because one of the best ways I’ve been able to survive is trusting God will work it out but also doing the work. Also, you really have to go do the work a lot of times. When people start businesses, they tend to keep their day jobs so they know that they will get paid biweekly. But that isn’t the same for me. So, I constantly try to book clients because it’s not about having money for this week or this month; it’s about if I have money for next month and the month after that and a month after. Everything is not going to go according to the plan, but at least have a plan so you won’t have a plan to fail.

Success Factors

What are the three unique skills that helped you become successful?

First, faith. You need that foundation, so it’s definitely number one. but skill wise, I would say building a network and relationships is probably one of the type things I would say, even without the talent just yet, because at least here in the States, a lot of things are determined by relationships if you’re connected to the right person or the right person make the introduction for you then that’s going to get your foot in the door compared to a cold introduction. I’ve gotten so much business from people who know me and refer me to other people, and those people automatically trust a referral; it’s the same way you’d hit your friend up when you need to get your hair done.The third thing is, of course, having the skill set; whatever it is you want to do, you have to be really good at it. You need to study because you know that you’re not going to start off being amazing, but of course, the more experience you give, the more time you invest in it, the more you’re going to get better. Know your industry because the only way you’re going to get paid for your expertise is to actually become an expert at what you do.

Self-Care and Work-Life Balance

I understand that being an entrepreneur can be overwhelming; how do you practice self-care?

I’m a spa day and nap enthusiast! But seriously, I make time to recharge. I’m taking a trip to Miami soon, followed by business in New York, and I’ve planned two days off to decompress.  I also think you just got to really find the time to be with friends and family. I make time for family and friends—my fiancé, my daughter, my close circle, and don’t forget to keep doing the things you love – I love me a good book, so I try to make sure I take time every day to read 20 to 100 pages of a book so that I can learn or just have a good time by myself. So I think you got to do whatever you enjoy, making sure you make time to do that because entrepreneurship can take over your life; you can work all day, every day, 24 hours a day.

There’s always something that needs to be done; you just have to manage your time to be able to find some time just for yourself.

Lessons Learned and Plans

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned from your career in 14 years of business?

My first lesson would be to operate with integrity. We live in a very small world, so it is likely to meet somebody who knows somebody that you know. You want to have a good name in the streets and in the world of business because people are referring you or people are talking about you when you’re not in the room. So, you really want to be a reflection of your character, not “Oh girl, I don’t work for her because she’s not all that.”

So I always operate in integrity; I’m very straightforward, I get right to the point, I’m honest and clear with people about what I can and can’t do, what I’m willing to do, and what I’m not willing to do, and I move according to good business so that I don’t ever have any issues. People don’t have to like it, but they’re going to respect it. People don’t have to like you, but they will respect you.

The other thing is, of course, networking. It goes back to networks and relationships. They are so important for you to be able to have a sustainable business because a business is not an island unto itself, you get into businesses to sell products or to sell services to people, so the only way you’re going to be able to do that is to actually be connected to people and to be connected to people, you got to have a network so they can introduce you to their people and then their people introduce you to their people and it becomes a domino effect.There’s not really any business that can be operated without having to sell to somebody.

Can you share any upcoming project that you’ve been working on so far?

Oh, I have a ton on my plate! I’m producing a couple of fashion shows. You know, I am not just a stylist; I am a fashion show producer as well. I have a fashion show coming up next month, in October. I also have another fashion show happening in December, and maybe one for November; we’re not sure yet, but definitely one for October and December. I just did a fashion show last Friday, and then one earlier in August, and it’s really exciting.

I am also thrilled about my upcoming clients.

I have a client in DC, so I’m going to Miami, then I’m going to New York, and then I’m going to DC and then back to Atlanta, so I get to travel for clients, and that’s always nice. I think I have a client in Miami in October, so that’d be cool as well to go back to Miami, so a lot is going on.

I’m also working on 20, 25 projects as well, not just for coming up events for the rest of the year, but I’m trying to produce more and more fashion shows along with the person who established the show.

A Word of Advice For Aspiring Fashion Entrepreneurs?

Give it your all! The journey can be tough, but when the results come, they come big. It’s absolutely worth it.

If there is any other thing we want you to learn from this session, it’s the fact that…

Evoyna’s journey in fashion is a testament to passion, perseverance, and the power of believing in your dreams. Her story mirrors the fact that entrepreneurship isn’t for the faint-hearted, but with grit and grace, the rewards can be life-changing. Follow her advice, and maybe one day, you’ll be the one dressing the world.