We recently connected with Nakira McCrea and have shared our conversation below.
Nakira, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Being an entrepreneur I spend a lot of time working on the non-creative aspects of the business. I keep my creativity alive but scheduling time for creativity. I’m intentional about creating something often because I come alive when I see something I thought about in my mind brought to life. From social media content to diy projects, anything that fuels my creative fire. Lately, I’ve gotten back into sewing. My daughter is very creative so we spend time painting together. Those creative outlets fuel my fire and help me accomplish everything else.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m the owner of Suede Wines, an alcoholic beverage business. The most exciting part about my entrepreneurship journey is connecting with people and building community. Suede’s product is fun, colorful, and welcoming and the goal was to get away from the stuffy pretentious outdated wine culture.
Soon Suede will evolve into an inclusive beverage company for the sober community. Aside from expanding our wine varietals, we’ll include non-alcoholic beverages. The idea is to continue to create a fun brand experience while catering to a larger consumer base without having to sacrifice brand loyalty.
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?
My biggest advice for anyone embarking upon an entrepreneurial journey would be to develop resiliency. Some seasons are up and other seasons are full of tough lessons. You’ll want to quit but you need the drive to keep going even on those hard days. Effective communication skills are also important because you’re communicating with so many people and when conveying your message to vendors you want to communicate as clearly as possible to avoid as many errors as possible. Finally, leadership skills are vital. If you aren’t naturally a leader or have never led a team I would invest in courses and read leadership books. A lot of time people have a great idea and work hard to bring it to fruition however, they don’t take into account you have to build a team. You have to lead your team and outside vendors to make this business thrive. As your team grows you have to grow and one of your biggest investments should be into your leadership skills.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
I’m always reading and learning on the job, one of the most impactful books I’ve read would be Atomic Habits. I revisit this book at least once a year. It’s a great reminder of how important our good habits compound and change your reality. I love that the author, James Clear, stresses that you should make your habits clear, attractive, easy, and satisfying. We all would love to be great at setting massive goals and crushing them each time however, that isn’t the reality. It’s best to make it easy and really set yourself up for success. It’s a muscle and creating good habits will take time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sipsuede.com
- Instagram: @sipsuede
Image Credits
Raba @raba.jpg @sippinwithmeteandi
