Today we’d like to introduce you to Tameika Pitt.
Hi Tameika, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a first-generation Jamaican – American born in Spanish Town, Jamaica. I moved to the united states when I was seven years old but spent most of my childhood in Williamsburg, Virginia, Where my grandmother mainly raised me. I grew up in a Jamaican household where education was a significant accomplishment expected from all of us. Since I was a child in Jamaica, I have dreamed of dance, writing, styling celebrities, flying planes, modeling, and Fashion. But despite these interests, I soon realized my parents wanted me to choose a career in the medical field. So I continued my Bachelor’s Degree from Old Dominion University and am currently working on my master’s degree from Liberty University in Master’s of Arts in mental health counseling. For the past 12 years, I’ve been working with children and adults in mental hospitals with multiple disabilities.
Though I enjoyed working with children and adults, and I learned an incredible amount in the past 12 years as a behavioral assistant and certified nursing assistant, I could not see myself giving up on my dreams. Twelve years later, I find myself making a tough decision to step out on faith choosing myself over choosing what was safe. Although it was a tough decision and one that I had to make alone, I took the leap of faith and started my swimwear business during a pandemic at that. I did not want to look back on life and regret not doing all the things that little girl wanted to accomplish, so I decided to take a chance on myself for once in my life and my love for Fashion.
Fast forward to June 22, 2021, I decided to launch Javavi Swim. Though starting a business is no easy task mentally and emotionally. I was able to have Javavi Swim-up and run in as little as three months, so I utilized my taxes, stimulus, and savings to make my dream happen. These past eight months have allowed me to reflect and tap into my creativity while exploring what I love doing, like creating. What was once a dream while obtaining my master’s became a reality. I hope that one day this can be my full-time career. I primarily create content that discusses body positivity and uplifting women. I got tired of seeing plus-size swimwear poorly designed, dull colors, saggy bottoms, or inadequate breast support. I feel everyone should have choices, feel included, and not be told what type of swimwear to wear. Javavi Swim aims to make every woman feel good inside and out while wearing a bikini.
Javavi Swim comes from the JA, meaning Jamaica and VA, representing Virginia. I added on the Vi to make it stand out because I’ve spent most of my life living in these two areas and felt it was only suitable to show two sides of my life. I know this is just the beginning of so many beautiful things to come, and I hope my journey inspires others to take a chance on themselves and break their limitations. I am excited to see my business grow to inspire others to love themselves and live in their truth.
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?
One of the challenges I had to overcome was understanding my target audience and not expecting my friends and families to support or buy my products. In other words, I could not sit and wait for my ideal audience to find me; I had to make a prudent decision to work hard every single day to find women who had the same struggles I did. But for a swimwear business, it’s even more of a significant challenge how can I find customers when I am not Big Fish in the pond. There are so many swimwear brands out there, and trying to figure out what to prioritize was the hardest. In addition, financing my business out of pocket instead of taking loans such as more established brands is whole another ball game. So instead of feeling sorry for myself, I began to think about how can I spread the word to the right people. So I started writing down what my ideal customer looked like, what they do, and where they spend most of their time. That’s when I realized my customer is the everyday working woman trying to make a difference in the lives of her friends, families, community, and herself. Once I figured out my niche, I began creating content and sharing to social media channels I know they’re in and messages I know they care about.
I’m a very reserved person, so realizing I had to step outside of my comfort zone and build my brand awareness was challenging. I asked myself how can I expect anyone to purchase from Javavi Swim if they do not know who I am. Building a brand is more important than direct sales; once I realized that put forward all my effort into making brand awareness. My focus changed because building brand awareness allows me to build trust with my audience help my audience associate my brand with my products and services, and those two things are what drive sales and loyal customers. Furthermore, the Transition from the whole student and behavioral specialist to swimwear entrepreneur has had its bumps in the road. The primary battle is mental health. I had to realize I was the one holding myself back from accomplishing my goals and believe in myself not to let the lack of support and other people’s opinions dictate or put fear into my dreams. I had to work hard to unlearn some things that were holding me back mentally and relearn new ways of thinking. It was a hard pill to swallow when realizing there would be days of no instant gratification, but constantly showing up for myself, being consistent, along with God, and hard work would pay off. Though there were many times I felt doubtful and wanted to call it quits; these very moments allowed me to appreciate the success that more.
As you know, we’re big fans of Javavi Swim. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
What sets Javavi Swim apart from everyone else is that we provide value for everyday women on social media. The swimwear brand “Javavi” is to leave today’s norms society explanations and be where we feel our best selves, whether it’s at home, a local beach, or on vacation. To Javavi is not just a feeling but a sense of another home where you are safe and can go at any given time; it’s a sacred sanctuary—building the inner confidence to wear swimwear in public while also feeling beautiful and confident. We are different because we cater to every customer, and more importantly, we are about body positivity. We provide the best luxe quality pieces and designs in the market for the fairest prices. When you buy from Javavi Swim, you are buying to help grow our community of empowering women who also need a friend and like-minded you in their life. We embrace femininity, curves, and confidence, and I want people to feel moved by my content and come back to learn more about building confidence and self-love. What I love most of all is knowing I’m making a difference in someone’s life through my content.
Pricing:
- Pricing $10-60
Contact Info:
- Email: javaviswim@gmail.com
- Website: https://javaviswim.com
- Instagram: javaviswim
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/javaviswimusa
- Other: TikTok Javavi Swim
Image Credits:
Brent Hearn Officialbrenthearn.com
