“Don’t let life control you; you control life. Live your life and be happy. Be different. Do different things and don’t be alike. Stop trying to fit in when you’re custom made. I advocate this to everybody I encounter, because I love life. Sometimes, you can’t find happiness but you can create it. Only you can change yourself. Nobody else can and that’s a fact. When you have a positive outlook, it creates a positive vibe and a peaceful mind to the point you can accomplish anything you strive for. Stay focused and keep positive vibes. Stay blessed.” –Chris Williams, founder of PositiveVibes.
What gave you the courage to become an entrepreneur?
The courage I have to become an entrepreneur comes from God, my family and my girlfriend. These people really give me strength [to know] that I can actually be a successful entrepreneur and keep me motivated. I also have courage to become an entrepreneur because I’ve always been aware and noticed my sense of fashion. I have always loved creating outfits with little plot twists that make them iconic. Most people who own their own business become more stress-free and become more open-minded. Relieving stress and positivity has always been my focus in life and that’s what my clothing line will represent.
Do you have a mentor?
I do not have a mentor but I have plenty of people that support me and see the potential and greatness that I can accomplish even when I didn’t. I’ve been told by people that are close to me that I should do more with my talent as far a business and fashion and that I should not just settle working a job that just provides for me financially but work a job that I have a passion for, even if that means starting one myself.
What have you found to be most difficult about starting a business?
The most difficult part of establishing a business is having patience when you’re starting. It takes hours, days, weeks, [and] even months because when you’re first starting a business and trying to get it up and running, it becomes a learning process from research to finding out the things you need and all the tools you need for it to be successful. It becomes a real job that you have to put in a lot of time into, to actually build a business from scratch.
What makes you think that you are ready to navigate being an entrepreneur?
I knew I was ready to navigate being an entrepreneur for a very long time, even when I was in high school. The vision to become an entrepreneur was more transparent while I was in college working. I truly felt that I had a strong sense of fashion and didn’t want it to go to waste. I knew that I did not want to have a job and follow what someone says as far as fashion and what to create, but create my own ideas and follow my vision. I understood that doing what I love involved me having my own business and brand.
Tell us about your business.
The focus of my business is to create a company that promotes nothing but positive vibes all the time and that always motivate people of all ages to push forward and do the right thing in life. No matter where you are, no matter what you’re going through and even if you’re rich or poor, you have to get up every day thinking today is going to be a better day. That’s the mentality I have always had and I try to give off positive energy to whomever I encounter. I honestly feel like whether we are doing good in life now, we all have a story or will have one. I have been able to stay on track through hardships and want to be an example that others can do the same. I’m fortunate to have this platform and start my business. I truly want to promote positivity. My business is not just a line that sells clothing; we also strive to give back. Whether it’s helping the homeless, mentoring younger kids, helping them with school supplies and materials, I have a huge vision that I plan to accomplish with my business.
What does success look like to you?
Success to me looks like pure happiness. I don’t mean by having the fancy cars, big houses and the finer things in life. At the end of the day, that does not bring you happiness. Pure happiness comes from the pursuit of joy and to live life in a way that makes you happy. Happiness makes you feel free from everything and doesn’t violate the rights of others … people look forward to seeing and hope to get positive energy from you. Working in your own business where you’re happy at what you’re doing for a living and enjoy putting in time and effort, that’s what success looks like to me.
