Today we’d like to introduce you to Malik Brown.
Hi Malik, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The original idea for WAVY BY NATURE came from me looking to encourage my friends and peers to pursue their different business interests and encourage them to not worry about others opinions of their ideas. I decided to put actions behind my words to start my own business, how to build and structure a business, and to also take a leap of faith for myself. It did not seem right to encourage others to do something I have not done for myself. I wanted to base my company on a singular message, Be proud of being yourself. Something I pride myself on is being myself in every room I walk into. I have had my own personal challenges over the years, however I have found pride in following my own wave and being proud about the different intricacies that make me unique.
My brand currently offers a variety of different hat styles as well as crossbody bags as a means to support the message of being yourself through clothing and styling your accessories. This was chosen rather than shirts and pants due to the “one size fits all” benefit of accessories, making items more available for a larger range of people.
I have also used the brand for community service drives as WAVY BY NATURE, LLC partnered with churches in the Metro Atlanta area as well as Chicago to donate bookbags and back to school supplies for the youth. During this, we really looked to push the message of finding your own wave and being yourself to the youth as they ae more vulnerable than ever to dealiong with identy issues as they are exposed to much more at younger ages in todays current social climate.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have definitely faced many challenges along the , but everything always works itself out. I have faced some personal challenges such as medical emergencies, surgeries, and personal/family losses since founding my company in September of 2023. In addition, managing a business endeavor on top of working a demanding 9-5 career has its own set of time management challenges.
I give all thanks and glory to Jesus for me being able to push through my challenges and difficulties to pursue pushing a message I really care about and help others along the way.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering, as well as professional certifications relating to process improvement and project management. I work in the engineering a project management space. I am proud of being a black, male engineer as we currently make up 3% of engineers in the United States. I am known for being an advocate for educations, especially for our youth. I am also know for being strong in promoting self care and embracing your individuality. What sets me apart from others is my ability to adapt to many different social environments while still keeping my integrity and remaining myself.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
The best advice I have for someone starting out is that, if you can’t do it brave, do it scared. Fear of failure is worse than actually failing because you are robbing yourself of the ability to succeed and/or the ability to learn and grow. You are capable of more than you know.
In addition, I would advise looking into how to properly structure your business, create business bank accounts, and receive funding. A big deterrent for a lot of people with great ideas is getting the money to start. There are ways to use the banks money to stat your business such as business credit cards, and other lending methods that can get you the funds you need to get started. All without comping out of your own pocket too much. This is something I definitely wish I new more about when I first started my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wavybynature.com
- Instagram: @wavybynature.co
