Meet Trailblazer Natasha Faulkner

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natasha Faulkner.

Natasha, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m 28 years old. I was born in NY and raised in Philadelphia. As a child, I always wondered why I didn’t live with my mother and as I got older, I realized why. See my mother had a drug addiction and during that time, I was conceived. Due to my mother’s addiction, she was unable to take care of me and I was then dropped off to my grandmother’s home. From there, she would soon place me in the care of my older cousins. Growing up in Philadelphia as well as New Jersey up until the age 21 really open my eyes to my unhappiness. During that time until my abrupt move to Atlanta, I lost my grandmother, tried to commit suicide, and was out of touch with my mother for an entire year. I cried what felt like every day of my life. Although things where difficult, my escape was fashion. I loved clothes and I loved organizing my closet. It was like having a mini department store in your own home that you could change anytime you wanted. Once I realized I was becoming complacent with my life, I decided to move to Atlanta and start fresh. I went to the Art Institute of Atlanta for Fashion and Retail Management for a small period of time and after it became too expensive I decided to drop out. After many years, I forgave my mother and we had an amazing relationship leading up to her untimely death. After losing my grandfather and then her a year later, I fell into a deep depression. It was like everyone that meant the world to me was being pulled out of my life one by one. My mother passed away just months before my wedding and I was crushed.

My only outlet sometimes was to reorganize my sister in laws closet. She always called me her stylist and wanted me to change her closet every season. One day, she said to me you should make this a business and I said well, you might be on to something. After much convincing, I decided to do it. I started Dora’s Daughters in honor of my mother Marsha and my grandmother Dora who were my two favorite fashionistas. Thankfully their sense of fashion passed down to me; which has led me to start my own Home Organizing and Fashion Consulting Services. Our goal is to help calm your anxiety that comes with being surrounded by clutter and provide some fashion tips as well. We also accept clothing donations at the end of each service to eventually distribute to women and children shelters around the Atlanta area. My purpose in this is to lift up women in a time of darkness. Whether it’s a prom, job interview, or graduation when you “look good, you feel better”. Most women or young girls in poverty-stricken neighborhoods don’t have access or can’t afford decent clothing for important events. As a female, I hated not having decent clothing for an interview and when I did my confidence was at its highest.

As a newbie to the entrepreneur world, it’s definitely been a learning experience thus far and to say I had help is an understatement. I would like to dedicate this to my family in heaven, Niecy, Al, The Belle’s, my God Family, Miya, Elexys, Ashley, Essex, Shaniqua, and Kori. I am forever grateful to you all for everything and more.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business starts slowly at first, however, it all depends on what you put into it. As for me, marketing has been the biggest challenge. Feeling like you don’t post enough or you don’t know what to post is common. However, when in doubt post as my good friend Shaniqua would say. Once you start, you have to keep going and never look back. Your business is your baby and who doesn’t love their baby? Follow your gut and think smart. The most important thing to remember is to never look at another female entrepreneur as competition because God didn’t give you your vision for no reason.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Dora’s Daughters LLC – what should we know?
I’m most proud of Dora’s Daughters because of our mission to give back to the community. Making money is great, but doing it without a purpose is another. We stand out as a brand because we believe every woman, regardless of financial status, should feel confident in her own home and or outfit.

What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
The most important advice I would give to a young girl starting her career is to never give up. Sounds cliche, but it’s very much true. You have to go hard and then go even harder. Likes on Instagram isn’t what gets you business, it’s about engaging with your audience. Remain humble and know that someone is always watching even if you don’t notice.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/dorasdaughters
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/dorasdaughters

Image Credit:
Elexys Foster (Photographer), Karen Riley-Belle (Image Consultant), Santana Shelton (Makeup Artist)

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