Tamira W., born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland showed an interest in fashion and styling from a young age. Her aunt, Cynthia Belinda Wells-Jones, was her main inspiration as she grew up admiring her clothing company, New Heritage. Playing dress up with her aunt throughout her youth as well as observing her company’s success, sparked Tamira’s passion to carve out a similar career for herself. When Tamira’s grandmother passed away 11 years ago, she decided that she would make the move to Los Angeles in order to follow her dreams of relaunching her late aunt and uncle’s popular 90's streetwear brand as well as pursue a career in personal styling. She has successfully conquered both and is continuing to build generational wealth and an everlasting legacy.

Tell us about your business/company and where the idea/concept came from?

New Heritage is a 90's unisex streetwear clothing brand that was originally founded by my aunt & uncle, Rodney and Belinda Jones. My uncle was a graphic designer and created the images and my aunt was a trunk model for Michael Kors and worked closely with Manolo Blahnik. She had a lot of experience in the fashion industry. I relaunched the brand in 2016 to pay homage to them and to continue their legacy. New Heritage was featured on several 90's sitcoms and movies such as Boomerang, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and In Living Color.

What is unique about your business?

The black man motif is ubiquitous. There is no other brand with these strong images of black men and women.

What was your mission at the outset? Has it changed over time at all? If so, why?

My mission has always been to build a black-owned business that will survive and thrive for generations to come. I thought and still think it’s very important for me to continue the family legacy. It’s also important to me to build generational wealth and show others that it’s actually possible.

Why is building generation wealth so important to you?

I think it’s important to build generational wealth and set positive examples for those that are behind in that aspect. I want people to see what it means to be financially secure and to be able to continue a family legacy.

What are some challenges that you’ve run into when starting your business? How have you overcome those challenges?

There have been many challenges during the relaunch of the brand but the 2 that stick out the most are 1) sourcing merch and 2) using my own money, of course. I was able to overcome those challenges by watching YouTube videos and simply asking questions.

What has been your most satisfying moment in business?

Seeing my designs on television shows such as BET’s Boomerang, NETFLIX’s Astronomy Club, and Issa Rae’s YouTube series Giants. Every time I see my designs being worn, I think about how happy and proud I'm making my aunt and uncle. I get very emotional and am sometimes moved to tears.

What are your long-term goals for your business?

My goal is to eventually open a New Heritage creative house where artists are able to flourish and develop their talents. The creative house will be an incubator for designers, stylists and photographers to collab and create projects together.

What motivates you?

Keeping the legacy alive. The spirit of my aunt and uncle is what drives me and keeps me fearless.

How do you generate new ideas?

The people. As I travel the world, I take cues from everyday people on the streets. I also enjoy exploring museums and drawing inspiration from various forms of art whether it’s sculptures, portraits, historical artifacts, etc.

If you had a chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?

I would get my bachelors and masters degree in business. However, I am proud of my associates degree in fashion merchandising.

What would you say are the top 3 skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?

1. Being an effective communicator

2. Customer service skills

3. Financial management

Who has been your greatest inspiration?

My aunt who passed away and owner of New Heritage, was my greatest inspiration. She taught me about fashion at an early age.

Has the pandemic given you any creative inspiration or inspiration that might not have been manifested had there not been one?

No, the pandemic has actually slowed down my creativity but I’m always trying to come up with creative innovative ideas for the brand. For example, I’ve been thinking of ways to tap into the virtual market as well as connecting with like minded business owners.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Do your research and ask questions. Never stop asking questions.

Where do you see your business in 5 years vs. 10 years?

In five years I see New Heritage as a household name with a ton of press/ exposure, I see a future that includes several collabs with major brands. It would be a dream come true to work with the likes of Pyer Moss, Converse, Pharrell Williams, etc. In 10 years, I see New Heritage being well established and the creative house up and running in several cities and countries. I would love to see us in South Africa, Japan and London.

Is there anything else you want to say on this topic?

Entrepreneurship is not easy and it’s important to remember that it’s the little things you do that actually matter a lot in business. Small things become big things and so long as you keep doing the work, success will come.

Publish date: March 29, 2021