One moment can change the whole direction of your life forever.
This was certainly the case for Olori Swank, serial entrepreneur, celebrity fashion stylist, author, and a woman with an electric spirit that’s always been destined for greatness.
“I’ve always walked to the beat of my own drum and I’ve always embraced my own uniqueness,” said Swank during the latest episode of the Black Tech Green Money podcast with host Will Lucas. “I’ve never tried to conform to what seems normal or standard.”
Since age two, Swank had a vision for growing up and becoming a doctor and that was soon about to become her reality. Then she decided to take a break from school after completing her undergraduate degree.
After four years of all work and hardly any play, Swank decided to take a year off from school before moving on to medical school. At the time, she didn’t even realize that going out and having fun was actually networking and putting her in place for the moment that would change the course of her life forever.
While out one night, the VP of A&R at Jive Records was drawn to her style and approached her for an opportunity to style one of his artists.
“It goes to show that life isn’t always going to take the course that you’ve planned for yourself,” said Swank who admits that although she’s always been fashionable, she never knew that she could make a career out of it.
She attests to her authenticity as the reason that things fell into place for her.
“Me just being my authentic self is what I think really not only stood out to that person but just people in general when they meet me,” she said.
Now as the founder of SWANK blue and eBoutique 101, she encourages people that want to start a business to start by finding a problem.
“For me, it starts with problems,” said Swank. “Find a problem in the world and the solution for it and there you have your business idea.”
Listen to the full episode of Black Tech Green Money below:
