Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeslyn Miller.
Jeslyn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
As cliche as it sounds, I believe I was born to create.
Since childhood, I have had a pencil in my hand. I would write poetry and short stories, create pictures, design outfits and sketch ideas.
In high school, I took my ideas from paper to the computer with the help of a great teacher and graphic design class. Before leaving high school, I was determined to turn my love of creating into a career.
At Howard University, I majored in Fashion Merchandising and spent a semester in Milan, Italy studying fashion internationally.
Post-grad, I worked as a Floorset and Sales Associate for The Limited and Nine West, and it was there that I received first-hand experience in the do’s and don’ts of running a successful retail business.
In 2015, with the help of my mother’s encouragement and not-so-subtle suggestion, I decided to launch a business of my own, and that’s how Unique & Lovely was born.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
From the outside looking in, I believed owning a business was easy.
It wasn’t until I had to start filing paperwork, getting logos trademarked, creating a website, etc., that I quickly became versed in how difficult it was.
I naively maneuvered through my first five years of being a business owner, and because of my naivety, I learned some expensive lessons.
By year five, 2020, I was ready to quit. I had experienced several life-altering losses back-to-back, and I lost the desire to continue. I shut down my business for six months while I worked on myself, and by giving myself that time to rest and restore, I found the desire to recommit and rebrand.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In June 2020, I relaunched my business to be a women’s empowerment brand. I created all new designs and began expanding beyond apparel.
These last two years, customers have learned that if they’re looking for empowering t-shirts, stationery, and accessories, Unique & Lovely has them covered.
Our weekly affirmations help replace negative self-talk with positive mantras. Our themed journals and planners have customized affirmations that complement where our customers are in their empowerment journey, whether they’re ready to seize all new dreams, inspire success, or nurture opportunities intended for realignment. Our t-shirts and pins boast bold messages and illustrations that uplift our customers and anyone they meet.
After being so close to closing Unique & Lovely for good, I am very proud of how far we’ve come and how many lovely customers we’ve been able to touch along the way.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I spent hours entertaining myself with books, and video games, telling stories to anyone who cared to listen, and sharing drawings with anyone who showed interest.
When I was bored, I would make pillows and clothes for my dolls out of scraps of fabric and old jeans.
My friends and family can confirm that I have always been content with spending my time creating and imagining.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.uniqueandlovely.biz
- Instagram: uniqueandlovellyllc
- Facebook: uniqueandlovellyllc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unique-lovely-llc/
- Twitter: uniquelovelyllc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7uRZfAyqGEexuEFh2P3X7w
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@uniqueandlovelyllc?lang=en
