Promoting Confidence through Fashion
~Ana Lacerda
Brazil
My Project: ANAVITA
Anavita! My partner Andy Clayton and I started an activewear company, with Brazilian roots, which we are very passionate about. The gear is uniquely designed by us in California, handmade in my hometown, in Brazil.
Our mission? We have a commitment to empowering women through our versatile, fashionable, and comfortable fitness gear. Encouraging them to find the confidence to promote in themselves, their way up to a healthier and more active lifestyle.
What was your Inspiration?
We had a great desire to inspire people to pursue a healthier lifestyle, to make people feel better about themselves, and live better. We saw a gap in the market and making fashionable, comfortable clothing that promotes exercising and an active lifestyle was the way we found to pursue our desire to inspire people.
It was also easy to find great inspirations for our designs in beautiful and colorful Brazilian fabrics!
What challenges have you faced?
There were many challenges when starting our business…
We dove into the unknown. Because of that, it took a while for us to find the right people to work with and the people we were sure we could rely on. Eventually, we found great local partners and resources that we can trust.
We made our website from scratch, and we are proud of how it’s looking. It took long nights to figure it all out. You can call it a challenge, but I call it fun!!
Making business in Brazil living in the US, there is a big-time difference. Dealing with that time difference was/is a bit of a challenge. There are many nights that I don’t sleep, having to deal with major decisions and business calls. It is super worth it though!
What you have found to be your best resources?
Where we are, there is a business development center. They are really great! They gave us a scholarship. They offer classes on how to start a business. Look locally! Look online, look up YouTube. There are cheap online classes. Ask me!
What advice do you have for your peers?
I would say something I heard recently from a random businessman I met at the airport that was great advice for me…. That you should always work very very hard, however, don’t stress too much about it, sometimes you have to wrap it up, chill and leave it for tomorrow.
Something I would personally say as a piece of advice is when starting a business, start small and test the market. Whatever you do, make sure it’s what you want. It has to be something you believe in because if you believe in it, you can sell anything.
Do you have any future projects or ideas?
Yes!! Many ideas and new designs for our upcoming collections. We are starting to work with more technologically savvy fabrics, ones that will be new to the market. Currently, we are working with biodegradable technology. Working with an eco-friendly fabric is very exciting for us! We can’t wait to bring it to the people!
If you have any questions, reach out to Ana either on their website email OR check their latest products with the following links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myanavita/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myanavita/
Website: https://myanavita.com/