Today we’d like to introduce you to Savanna McKellar.
Hi Savanna, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
From what I’ve been told about my grandmother and namesake Savanna Anderson, she started her business, excelled every day and she didn’t think twice or doubt. Her business was Chez Pompadour, the largest beauty salon on the south side. Savanna was the first woman to own a business in the very first shopping center in Chicago, Illinois. It’s her spirit that inspired me to start a business of my own: SAVAMAC. (sav-uh-mac)
After endless nights of brainstorming, multiple 10+ page Google Docs, a massive Trello board, and many clarifying research sessions, I became the owner of SAVAMAC LLC on March 12th, 2021. I was driven to make a lot happen in a very short amount of time. No rush or deadlines, it felt involuntary…in a totally not scary way… Whenever I had a free moment, I’d be hard at work making SAVAMAC the best self-care brand it can be for everybody. For hours at a time, mostly through the night, I always felt a higher power pushing me forward. I would never get tired.
It’s through this motivation and power that I reflected on my education and professional experiences thus far. I’ve honed all the skills and tricks needed to successfully market everyone else’s businesses—why not just do it myself?
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Mostly smooth sailing…in August I was, unfortunately, a victim of debit card fraud and lost a great deal of my money. It took me little while to get back up and running, but this was definitely an eye-opener to stay vigilant and protect what’s mine.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
When I first ideated SAVAMAC, I knew that I wanted to create a business that I, myself would be proud to patronize. A business that’s one to be admired and revered—like my grandma Savanna’s Chez Pompadour. Not a salon, but a unisex e-commerce brand that provides something for everyone while continuously expressing the importance of self-care.
I’m extremely proud of SAVAMAC being a TRIPLE threat: black-owned, female-owned, and LGBT-owned. This triple threat partners exclusively with other American brands and manufacturers, and I actively seek opportunities and partnerships with fellow business owners and freelancers that look like me.
In order to provide carefully curated American goods and merchandise for everyone, SAVAMAC ships exclusively in eco-friendly materials that are recycled and/or recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable. The same goes for all of our product packaging.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I’m an Atlanta native, born and raised. I like the sense of community that my city has. Our vibes are default good ones, and I take pride in that.
I’d say, right now the vibes of our city are not as immaculate as they could be. I wish that crime wasn’t as bad as it is but I believe that change is coming. I want everyone to love thy neighbor as thyself!!!
Contact Info:
- Email: sav@savamac.co
- Website: savamac.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savamac.co
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savamac.co
Image Credits
Savanna McKellar
Emily Shirtz
Devin Bass
