We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sha’ron Pryor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sha’ron , thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
I grew up in Compton, a city that has always gotten the short end of the stick but also has a lot of achievements and achievers come through. I think seeing this first hand is what fuels my optimism and why I continue to push no matter how long it will take. Now living in South L.A I see alot of resilence and unbreakable spirits over here. Alot of people working together to bring positive change because it quite simply cannot be bad all the time. There has to be a balance. That’s why optimism is more of must than a maybe. My optimism is’nt blind it’s a deliberate mindset to uplift, innovate, and contribute to the healing and growth of my community. I look at my optimism as a guiding light that even in the darkest times can still burn brillantly.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I own a apparel decorating business in South Los Angeles. I specialize in heat applied graphics, embroidery, and screenprinting. I started in 2019, eventhough I am a a lifelong artist. It was’nt until 2021 when I took a huge leap of faith and left my job that I began to form connections that would influence the trajectory of my business and what social impact I want to have going forward. With the influx of various printshops spread across not just L.A county but statewide I want to challenge conventional norms by focusing on environmental challenges and solutions within the print industry.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Throughout my journey I have continously sought out business accelerator programs. These type of programs have been invaluable with the knowlege, resources and connections made. I learned alot about business planning and financing. In 2022, I got involved with a major apparel company Gildan as a standout apparel decorator. Through this program, I got exposed to the behind the scenes of shirt manufacturing, environmental efforts,marketing and merchandising. This has been life changing for me.
The advice I woukd give to others is to not wait for opportunities to be given, actively put your best foot forward. Once you are in the midst of the opportunity keep your eyes and ears open Soak up everything you can. Don’t just take notes, implement them into steps that will help your individual goals.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am actively seeking collaborations and support networks with other community based visionaries, orgs, and mentors with a focus on environmental and social justice. I hope to amplify my impact and create a collective momentum through the art medium of apparel. I can be reached through my website:
www.squirrelprintz.com or via
Email: [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.squirrelprintz.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/sqrrlxprntz
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sqrrlxprntzLA
- Other: www.tiktok.com/sqrrlxprntz
