Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Harrison.
Hi Nicole, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
SassyFrizzle Designs & Gifts was born in early 2020. The threat of the impending pandemic coupled with exhaustion with corporate America led me to take my last paycheck and purchase a craft cutter. I had no idea what I wanted to do, I just wanted to do something, anything, other than work for someone else another day of my life. I have always been creative and much of what I know is self-taught, so naturally, after some research and a lot of trial and error, I started to create tees.
Shortly thereafter, while wearing one of the t-shirts I made, my sorority sister (and now mentor), Dr. Toye Latimore challenged me. She said, “I want you up and running by Monday. You NEED to sell these shirts.”
Never, ever, one to back down from a challenge, I did just that. Over a year later SFD is still thriving and growing. Every single day I am amazed at how many people watch and applaud my talents. I wasn’t groomed to be an artist, so when my talent is recognized, it feels amazing.
A lot of people wonder why I stopped working in the “real world” to make t-shirts. The answer is easy; it’s exactly what I wanted to do. Often, it’s not that people wonder why you “take a leap of faith,” it’s that they are confused as to how you did it because they are afraid to.
The beautiful thing about owning my company is, no one can ever fire me from me but me. That’s precisely the type of security I need.
As Langston Hughes said, “I’se still climbin’, and life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” I understand that more than I sometimes would like to.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not. Nothing worth having rarely is appreciated if it comes easy.
There was a time in my life where I didn’t think I would live to see this age, let alone be running a successful business. I still say every time I walk into my studio, “wow, this is all mine. I built this.”
I have been assured a lot in life that I wouldn’t amount to anything. That alone can make or break an individual, but I have made it my mission not to let anything stop the greatness that is. I like to tell people; you can let the hard parts of your life stifle you or you can use those hard parts to stand on and tell your story. Trauma can most definitely be a microphone for greatness; if you let it.
The places I’ve been, the things I’ve seen, all were supposed to kill my drive and my will to succeed. At times I thought it would be easier if I quit, but quitting would require me to admit that I “can’t” and my grandmother told me that “can’t” isn’t a part of my vocabulary. 🙂
Again, most of what I know is because I taught myself, and with that comes mistakes, a lot of wasted resources, and tons of frustration that could have been avoided. I am a work in progress, but I wouldn’t change the progression for the world.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
SassyFrizzle Designs & Gifts is a Black Woman/Reintegrated Citizen-owned business founded in January 2020. SFD is based in the greater Washington, D.C. area. At SFD, we believe in the empowerment of marginalized people, support of other Black Owned Businesses, and giving back to the community.
That’s just a fancy way of saying that when you purchase a handmade tee from me, you are supporting a dream. I’m small but mighty and I believe that truly sets me apart. There are not many companies that offer the handmade touch anymore and at SFD I take pride in knowing that my hands created something that makes someone laugh or smile. It’s refreshing.
My nickname is “Sassy” – and I am, *smile*. The beautiful part about it is, it is BECAUSE I am Sassy that my company does so well. For me, it’s a lesson in knowing you are enough. We all struggle with this at some point and my advice is this: embrace the real you and stop relying on others to define you. Learn to take both praise and criticism with a grain of salt. Take what you can from their feedback and ignore the rest. Remember, you are the sole captain of your life, don’t allow others to steer it.
I am most proud of my tenacity and my drive. I’m probably made of some industrial rubber because the way I bounce back surprises even me. Most of the time when people compliment me, I have to ask myself, “what exactly did I do that was so spectacular? Not quit?” I’d like to believe it’s a side effect of remaining grounded.
At my store, you will most definitely find a sprinkle of Sass’ in almost everything I offer. I figure, “if you can’t say it out loud, say it with your chest…on a SassyFrizzle Designs tee of course.”
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Have you heard the bread aisle analogy? Well, let us apply that to the apparel business. By 2028, the Custom t-shirt printing market will be worth $7.6 BILLION. There is nowhere to go but up.
Will the industry change? Absolutely. Will I change with it? Also, absolutely.
Everyone loves personalized items; everyone loves statement tees; the apparel business is here to stay.
Contact Info:
- Email: sassy@sassyfrizzle.com
- Website: www.sassyfrizzle.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/sassyfdesigns
- Facebook: facebook.com/sassyfdesigns
- Twitter: twitter.com/sassyfdesigns
Image Credits
Derrel Todd
FootPrint Fotos
Chandler Davi
Chan And His Camera
