Today we’d like to introduce you to Model, Philanthropist and Entrepreneur Tasia Sli.
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
It’s a pleasure to get this opportunity to speak with you. I’m Protasia, but I go by Tasia for short. I am Consultant and Interpreter working in Child Poverty and Social Protection. I’m also the Co-Founder of a Fashion Label ( Flawed The Label, previously known as Flawed Fabulously). I’ve been dabbling in both humanitarian work and fashion for over 6years now. Fashion has always been my passion, but my studies and love for children lead me down the consultancy path, and it’s really been wonderful being able to do both. I started sewing at a very young age as I grew up watching and learning from my grandmother who would make me and my dolly’s clothes from patterns she had around the house. Never did I think my passion would lead to me (and my best friend) starting our own fashion line that’s blossoming even though the health struggles I’ve faced in the past couple of years. As of recent, I’ve written a children’s book, and working on my second one.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
On the personal side, I’d say health issues (cancer diagnosis in my late 20’s) had been my biggest obstacle, it really put a halt on my career and through life completely off course. On the business end of things, I would definitely have to say increased competition in the fashion industry and keeping up with fast-changing trends. I started off making individual pieces for my clients then branched off into wholesale and I would take on only a few clients here and there as my job got more demanding. Supplying for a larger audience (rather than individual clients) at first proved to be very challenging, but a lot of learning and adapting has happened along the way.
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
I work with disadvantaged children in developing countries to make sure we provide food, shelter, schools, and vaccines (amongst other things), I have worked and volunteered with organizations such as UNICEF to address child poverty. As much as my brand is for profit, we still donate a percentage of our sales to different organizations, we give our customers a choice from children’s organizations, Cancer Research and BLM. We are also now working on only having an eco-friendly fashion line, which is sustainable and provides longer-lasting clothing which in turn is better for the environment. Not only are we trying to provide our customers with the latest trends but we also care about the impact we have on the environment and work to give back to our communities.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
Success comes after the risks, failures, sacrifices, and rejections. There will always be people to criticize and doubt you, but your hard work and persistence will always pay off. Success is also not about hustling 24/7, it’s also knowing when to take breaks, rest, recuperate and start again, you end up harming yourself more in the long run if you don’t pace yourself. Celebrate the small victories along the way, it’s those small victories that build up to your end goal.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
Success is different for all of us, for me it’s the following:
-Achieving the goals I’ve set out for myself
-Being able to run a profitable business
-Finding a good balance between work/business and spending time with loved ones
-Making a positive impact in other people’s lives who are less privileged / being able to give back
What’s next for you?
Anna and I are currently working on our first luxury swimwear line that we hope to showcase during the Swim Week Fashion Week in 2022. We have decided to step away from the wholesale business and focus on creating eco-friendly, ethical, and quality swimwear. We also both have our own personal projects on the side, she’s currently working on releasing her first album while I’m working on my second (and third) kid’s book. I scaled back on a few things the past couple of months for health (especially mental health) so I am still yet to decide when release dates for the books (both audio and print) would be. Baby steps:)
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
I’m on most social networks but mostly active on Instagram. If you head over to my website (www.simplytasia.com) I have a link to my email there. You can find me on socials: IG: _simplytasia_ TikTok: _simplytasia_