Anya Oleynik shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Anya, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m most proud of the internal discipline behind my brand, 4NML. The systems, boundaries, and decision rules that keep the brand aligned with its mission even when no one is watching. Things like turning down shortcuts, slowing growth when something doesn’t feel right, and building infrastructure that prioritizes transparency and accountability over optics. None of that shows up in a photo or a launch, but it’s what makes the brand real and sustainable.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m the founder of 4NML (“For Animal”), a luxury streetwear brand born from three of my passions: fashion, finance, and animal welfare. I’ve loved fashion for as long as I can remember and have worked as a part-time model. At the same time, I’ve spent years volunteering with animals whose lives depend on people choosing to care. I wanted to build something that could move beyond individual effort and create impact at a larger, more lasting scale. My background in finance shaped how I approached that idea, leading to the creation of 4NML’s Qualified Sponsorship Payment (QSP) model, which embeds giving directly into the structure of the brand rather than treating it as an afterthought. At least 50% of profits are committed to sponsorship payments to vetted animal charities, and we’ve begun sponsoring some charities even before generating profit. At its core, 4NML is about proving that creativity and compassion don’t have to compete, and that you can build something beautiful while still being accountable to the lives it touches. Right now, I’m focused on building the brand slowly and intentionally, making sure the values behind it remain just as strong as what people see on the surface.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Bonds break when people stop listening to one another with compassion and assume intent instead of asking questions. They’re restored through self-awareness, honesty, and the willingness to stay present even when it’s uncomfortable. Trust isn’t rebuilt through words alone, but through consistent action over time.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that has held me back the most is the fear of fully committing to a path and then failing after giving it everything I have. It’s not a lack of ambition or curiosity; in fact, it often shows up in moments when I’m most excited. I tend to move toward new ideas, careers, or businesses with a lot of energy and vision, but when the initial momentum fades and real challenges begin – uncertainty, slow progress, or ambiguity about whether I’m “on the right path” – doubt creeps in. I start overanalyzing every decision, questioning whether the struggle is a normal part of building something or a sign that I made the wrong choice.
That fear has led me, at times, to step away too early. Instead of allowing myself to stay through the uncomfortable middle, I’ve redirected, convinced that clarity would come from starting over rather than pushing through. It wasn’t fear of hard work; it was fear of investing years of effort and still falling short. Over time, I’ve realized that this pattern was a way of protecting myself from disappointment, but it also kept me from fully discovering my capabilities.
What I’m learning now is that uncertainty doesn’t mean misalignment, and difficulty doesn’t mean failure. Commitment itself creates clarity. Staying with something long enough to let it mature – especially when it stops being exciting and starts being demanding – has become an intentional practice for me. Facing that fear, rather than working around it, has changed how I view challenges.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, but it’s a more composed version. Privately, I’m more reflective and critical of myself, but the underlying values are the same. I don’t believe in performing a persona that can’t be sustained. Integrity requires consistency, and that means the way I show up publicly has to be something I can live with privately. I’d rather be understated and honest than impressive but disconnected from who I actually am.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
What I’m building today is not designed to pay off quickly; it’s designed to last. Instead of optimizing for speed or visibility, I’m investing in systems that honor people, animals, and the future we’re shaping together. That means committing to sustainability not as a trend, but as a responsibility; treating the people who make our clothing as essential partners rather than invisible labor; and structuring the brand so that financial success automatically translates into tangible good for animal welfare.
More broadly, I’m working to challenge the idea that wealth is something to display rather than something to deploy. In an industry that often equates excess with success, I want to demonstrate that true luxury is restraint, accountability, and the ability to use resources to protect life rather than exploit it. My goal isn’t simply to sell clothing, but to help build a cultural shift, where what we wear reflects what we value, and where success is measured not only by growth, but by what we choose to give back. If 4NML becomes a movement that redefines ambition as responsibility and influence as care, then the payoff will extend far beyond any single collection or decade.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://4NML.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/anyaiw
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anyaiw
Image Credits
Josh Thomas, Daniel Images (photographers)
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