Ricky Moore Jr.‘s focus and passion for his brand are palpable. The North Carolina native is CEO of Nyla Elise Clothing, a fashion line born out of the ambition of he and his partners’ and named after his daughter. Nyla Elise is one of the fast-growing lines in the business, and Moore attributes its success to his original inspiration and namesake.
” I wanted to create something with her name on it that would stand the test of time and that was so much bigger than myself because she represented a new beginning for me,” Moore explains. “I wanted [it] to be something that had no ceiling.”
Over the past five years, Moore has grown Nyla Elise with a sense of measured progress. He understood that patience and a sense of frugality would pay dividends in the long run.
“You’ve got to spend your money wisely. Coming from a grassroots sector like we are, if you’re going to invest money, you have to profit,” he says. “You have to make money for the business to keep going. There’s a difference between a hobby and a business. A hobby doesn’t make you any money.” A wide range of major names, from LL Cool J to Kerry Washington to Kevin Hart, have been singing the praises of Nyla Elise; but Moore makes it clear that celebrity endorsements don’t guarantee anything. “A lot of people think you can get one celebrity to wear your shirt and you’re rich,” Moore shares. “That’s one of the biggest misconceptions. They think you’ve made it. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg; just the beginning.”
Any aspiring businessperson has to continue to do the work, and his diligence has been Moore’s greatest asset.
“I’m working relentlessly. I treat every sale like it’s my first and like it’s my last,” Moore explains. “That’s the scariest thing for me. Not being successful. That’s why I work so hard.”
“Now, we’re four and five years in and still pushing the limits,” he says. “People are like, ‘Wow, these guys are for real.’ To be able to inspire people and know our worth; to hear people say ‘You inspired me;’ that’s priceless.”
