Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Frankie Blice. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Frankie , so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
My optimism comes from my overall positive outlook on life and my strong belief in manifestation. Although the other side to manifesting what you want out of life is putting the work in to ultimately achieve your goals and bring your vision to life! Our brand and community is called Vybe Trib3 and we are an all inclusive, “human being brand” for everyone who chooses love over hate. We are advocates for loving yourself and each other and seeing the good in the world. We are a group of friends who are more like family and our journey started with attending music festivals together. Now we look forward to bringing Vybe Trib3 to events and music festivals to you all year round. With that being said, this is a passion project for me and our family and it’s very easy to maintain optimism with the amount of fun we’re having, combined with the support and love that we’ve received from the beginning.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Vybe Trib3 is a direct reflection of myself and those around me that make it all possible. As for myself, I am 34 years old and I’ve been a Master Barber for over 15 years now. I’ve co-owned my own barbershop, The Vintage Barber Lounge, for the past 7 years in the Highland neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky. Most would consider our area the weird/artsy part of town which has always fit me as an artist and creative. All of my adult life I’ve focused on one career path and now our brand Vybe Trib3 has been official for almost 2 years. What’s Vybe Trib3? Well, we are more than a brand, we strive to be more of a community that is ultimately about spreading love. Originally we began years ago as a group of friends attending music festivals together and the moniker “Vibe Tribe” was born. Around 2018, my best friend Aaron Brown and his fiancé Alex Feldbusch, and myself, all began a venture to create a brand out of what our friendship and friend group had become. We were a breath of fresh air in an ultimately negative world. We believe in positive affirmations and colorful designs that empower you to feel the best you can to take on the day. We want everyone who chooses love over hate to feel apart of our group as we grow and become a staple in music festivals and events world wide! We use the spelling “Vybe Trib3” to differentiate ourselves and stand out as well as represent Aaron, Alex and myself for starting our brand officially. Unfortunately in 2018 we didn’t have the resources to begin our journey just yet. And In 2021 the worst day we could’ve imagined became a reality. Aaron Michael Brown, my best friend, passed away at the age of 30 unexpectedly from complications of an enlarged heart. He is our motivation and guide along this path and in 2022 we began our journey officially, in his memory and honor! Today we’ve been in business for almost 2 years and we continue to grow each day. We are currently partnering with a nonprofit, The Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition to do a benefit walk to raise money for their cause. It will be called the Vybe Trib3 Heroin and Opioid Awareness Walk on October 5th, in the highland neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky. Today Alex is like a sister to me and Aaron’s younger sister Grace Brown is part of our team helping us grow and thrive. We are a family that’s teaching the world the love and acceptance Aaron taught us. We hope you all check us out and join the Trib3 today!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
A lot of times I’ve felt the most important skills and qualities that have been most impactful were hidden talents that I uncovered by starting this journey. Obviously in my career as a barber, my profession is a need for most people’s lives and professions. Vybe Trib3 is an entirely different business model and is not a necessity so a part of the goal is to make people feel like it is. Vybe Trib3 is bigger than just clothing and accessories. Vybe Trib3 is a mentality and should be worn with pride. We are a symbol of togetherness and acceptance. So one skill I’ve learned about myself is communicating that to people whether it be in person or through social media content, which is all made in house. Which leads me to my next skill which is art. We make all our designs and color ways in house. We like to have a personal touch with our art that is stylish and also means something much more. As someone who likes to work with their hands I also press all our shirts myself, I think part of my OCD and perfectionism is absolutely a skill in this field lol. And also even as an introvert I’ve been through a lot of different walks of life so bringing people together has been another very valuable skill throughout this journey. All of these skills were kind of hidden as far as me not realizing the potential I had until I did it. Which is another piece of advise I give anyone starting a new business. You have to love it with every bit of your being and ignore the self doubt, just jump in and take everything with one step at a time to work towards your ultimate goal.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
Everything is about balance. I’m a libra so that’s a big part of my life and mentality when it comes to working through feeling overwhelmed. I honestly overwhelm myself on purpose, project to project. It takes patience to focus on one thing at a time, whether it’s a new drop for tshirts, new design for harem pants, or a brand new division of our brand like branching out to hats and handmade jewelry. I have to do what’s manageable at one at a time. I may have 4 or 5 projects lined up in my head but I don’t act on one until the first one is finished. This way I overwhelm myself to a point and I allow myself mental breaks between projects. Once one idea is finished I can rest easy knowing i accomplished what I set out to. I obsess over every little detail of everything, it’s a gift and a curse but I tend to appreciate it. Between being a full time barber, running a shop full time, raising kids and taking care of my family, rest isn’t easy to come by but I’m driven to work hard and manifest the vision I have. All in all it takes drive and balance I believe. Being overwhelmed tends to take a backseat when what you’re growing is a passion project and a vessel for creating. Feeling overwhelmed is often accompanied by a feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Vybetrib3.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/VybeTrib3
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/VybeTrib3
Image Credits
Photography: Cory Lemos
@picsbycory
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
