Meet Mina Dia-Stevens

We were lucky to catch up with Mina Dia-Stevens recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mina , first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
As a Creative, I consider mental well-being an extremely important topic. Imposter Syndrome was that subtle; but insidious thing that kept me bound in creative mediocrity. It’s a nagging voice in your head that tells you that no matter how much you achieve, you will never be good enough.

It is the thing that kept me from going after the big promotion, or striking out to achieve my greatest entrepreneurial endeavors. Imposter Syndrome made me feel uneasy when receiving accolades for something I rightfully earned and deserved.

Understanding what Imposter Syndrome is, was crucial in overcoming it.
I first heard the term many years ago during therapy and it was defined as “the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved.”
This kind of thinking affected how I perceived my successes.

Overcoming it was not an easy feat. I first had to admit that it was in fact imposter Syndrome that made me feel uneasy about being celebrated for professional and creative achievements.

For me, Imposter Syndrome caused my confidence to waver; which kept me in a mode of “fake it till you make it”; which I realized was a self-destructive mindset to have as a Creative. I had to lean into knowing that the value of my work, and who I am as a Creative does not lie in the applause, the accolades or seeking approval.
Instead, I learned to focus on the pure joy that my creativity brings me and to share that joy with the world with zero expectations.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a 20+ year professional designer and fashion educator who is the product of a bicultural upbringing. I was raised in the US and West Africa in a rare family environment that afforded me the best of both cultural worlds. This greatly influences my work as a Creative. I am a fashion graduate of Moore College of Art and Design. My professional journey was unlike that of my peers. My ultimate creative goal was to have my own brand, but the road to fashion entrepreneurship for those who shared my reflection was narrow; and almost non-existent. I required and needed industry experience. Unlike my classmates, I was a bit older, overly ambitious, and anxious to start my career in fashion. My industry experience includes working directly with a head designer and master pattern maker at a prominent bridal brand and interning for a top sportswear company that pioneered fashion marketing by using hip-hop artists as brand ambassadors. Following graduation, I accepted an apprenticeship in London, England at a trend consultancy that serviced fashion brands globally. I also earned a Master’s degree and fell in love with being a fashion educator in secondary and post-secondary educational environments. Guiding the next young visionaries through their educational journey is one of the highlights of my career.
In 2019, during a trip to visit my family in West Africa, I was inspired to start an e-commerce lifestyle and fashion brand called Royal Fulani Living. Royal Fulani Living has taken basic everyday products and creatively combined them with the distinct beauty of Senegalese-inspired African prints. The brand is complete with living room and dining decor; and pet products (Pet Afrique). We initially began with soft decor; like pillow covers, dinner napkins, and placemats. We have had a licensing agreement with WAYFAIR and we are members of the pioneer cohort of Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator. We now have an apparel collab with SHEIN; and we are currently working with overseas manufacturers to launch a line of flatware, glassware, and dishware. Our apparel work has been featured on the SHOWTIME series The Chi.
This endeavor is not just creatively rewarding, but it is socially rewarding.
We have transformed African traditions into modern everyday trends.
We’ve researched and created our own original textile designs; and had them printed on new and innovative fabrications; such as glass and leather.
The history of West African textiles involves centuries of design, production, and ownership by European companies. The origin of those designs is purely of African inspiration, and are solely derived from African cultures. Those textiles are then sold to African vendors who benefit very little financially and/or creatively from their sales in comparison to European corporations. Therefore perpetuating a false impression that the consumer is purchasing, wearing, and experiencing true “African” fabric.

Also, a limited view of African print is often expressed in apparel. Our goal is to take those prints and expand them to a range of products for you, your family, and your home; in addition to specialty apparel in a range of fabrications; not just cotton. When you expand the fabric type/material; then you can expand the range of where and how the traditional African print is used.
Royal Fulani Living is proud to design and OWN the textile prints that we create and feature. Every print is inspired by my life as a West African and Black American, Female Creative.
I also wanted to continue to remain impactful in fashion education. I started a YouTube channel specifically for beginner sewers who are neurodiverse, a novice, or just a new sewer. The channel was inspired by many of my former student designers who were diverse learners. In each sewing tutorial, I use what is called the “chunking method’. It is a teaching strategy that allows each tutorial to focus on a specific fundamental and foundational technique of sewing. The goal is to build the confidence of beginner sewers, before introducing them to a major project of executing an entire garment.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Becoming more self-aware was one of the most impactful qualities along my journey. Acknowledging my areas of challenge helped me to evolve personally, spiritually, and creatively. I am 50, so I don’t believe that there is an age at which you arrive where you no longer learn, grow, and evolve.  Stepping into my full creative self was paramount for me to elevate to where I always desired to be in every aspect of my life. I realized that fully leaning into the approval of others can stifle a Creative’s work. There has to be a balance between being receptive to constructive critique; while remaining confident in your capabilities.
Another impactful revelation for me was learning how to preserve and protect the sacred space around me that nurtures my creativity. I had to eliminate habits that drained my creative energy. Saying “No” to things I would normally say “Yes” opens up more opportunities for me to focus on those people, places, and things that spark pure joy; and inspire my work.

My advice to those who are early in their journey towards creative discovery is to ask yourself two important questions. First, what is the right work environment for you in your creative industry? Secondly, where will you thrive creatively? I present those questions because following graduation I was asked to join a thriving fashion brand in New York, but I knew the hustle and bustle of city life was a mismatch for my empath and sometimes ambivert personality type. Finding your professional tribe and the work environment that nurtures you, is essential to maintaining good mental and emotional health.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Learning how to manage my time more effectively has limited feelings of being overwhelmed. Being a Wife, Mom and entrepreneur has its challenges. To balance all three; I must include myself in that equation. I accomplish that through self-care. What that looks like for me is going to look very different for someone else. My self-care entails daily workouts before my remote work day begins; getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night and trying to maintain consistently healthy nutrition. I also encourage taking a step back from work when you feel professionally overwhelmed and taking mental health days.

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