Exploring Life & Business with Malikah Planas of On Twelve Management

Today we’d like to introduce you to Malikah Planas.

Hi Malikah, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
In the Summer of 2015, I was becoming exhausted. I moved to Atlanta immediately after graduating from college in NC 3 years prior. I was working a full-time job doing everything that I was “supposed” to do, but somehow I was still living paycheck to paycheck and became fed up.

I’m not sure what made me decide to start selling my old clothes and designer handbags, but I started to post them on a platform called Poshmark and as soon as the sales started rolling in, I knew this was where my entrepreneurial journey would begin. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to create my own online thrift shop or start my own handbag company of my own but I knew something great was about to start for me. My uncle, who is a renowned ecommerce guru, took me to a few wholesale suppliers here on Buford Hwy and the first place we stopped was a handbag & accessory store. I knew right then that this was the route I wanted to take. The bags were such great quality, they were affordable, and they were my style so I knew others would love them. From there, VITAL XII was born. Although VITAL XII was short-lived, I had some amazing opportunities, met a lot of great customers & partners, and built something from the ground up. I learned so much about operating an ecommerce business. One of the greatest things to come out of VITAL XII was the birth of my second business, On Twelve Management.

On Twelve is my ecommerce website development and marketing agency that I’ve been running for the past 10 years. I absolutely love what I do! As a former ecommerce merchant myself, I now have the opportunity to consult with and provide services to established ecommerce merchants who are looking to build a digital storefront for their businesses, need help optimizing their websites for better site conversions, or are looking to retain their current site visitors and past customers through retention marketing.

VITAL XII opened the door for me; however, over the 10 years of running On Twelve, I have also stayed knowledgeable in this industry by being employed at an ecommerce website development and branding company, partnering with an ecommerce consulting company, and working at an ecommerce marketing SaaS start-up. As I mentioned before, I love what I do, and I am so blessed to be able to take what I’ve learned over the years and apply it to my business, especially since this is something I know I want to grow long term.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, a rollercoaster for sure. But this is what I love about being a business owner and being in the driver’s seat. Although things do not always go as planned or desired, as a business owner, you are in control of the next step. Even though you are in control of the next step, I must say, sometimes it can feel like you are losing control. It’s hard, I won’t lie. There were seasons in this journey when I had to work jobs I didn’t want to work, but the bills had to be paid, and entrepreneurship doesn’t guarantee a consistent income every month. There were times I started back at full-time roles when, instead, I just wanted to be a full-time business owner, but again, the bills have to be paid. Trying to balance a full-time role while trying to focus on your business can be a challenge, but remembering why you started and thinking of the end goal helps keep the balance.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
On Twelve Management is an ecommerce website development and digital marketing agency. We help established ecommerce merchants develop and optimize their ecommerce websites, help drive customer loyalty and retention to brands through email marketing strategies, and provide consulting services to brands looking for ecommerce solutions.

What sets us apart from other marketing brands is our expertise in every aspect of this industry. Starting as an ecommerce merchant myself allowed me to see first-hand all of the challenges that other merchants face, which gives me the ability to easily identify issues and jump in to problem solve. Also, being able to work with so many amazing brands, not only in my own business but also while working at companies I worked for and with, allowed me to see so many parts of this industry.

I am most proud that not only can I allow my passion to be fueled through this business and the work I do, but I can also help passionate business owners execute on their ideas. Additionally, I work with some amazing contractors, local partners, and technology companies who all help power my clients’ projects, so I am forever grateful!

What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is the impact I am making with my work and my daily practices. Doing things daily out of habit and not out of passion or purpose scares me. I don’t want to become someone who lives each day on repeat; I want to make sure what I do is contributing to a greater purpose, so I strive to do that with my business and by giving ecommerce merchants hope.

Pricing:

• Please Contact Us to Get Started: https://www.ontwelvemgmt.com/pages/contact-us

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ontwelvemgmt.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ontwelvemgmt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malikahplanas/

Image Credits
Headshot Photo Credit: @lebolukewarm