As much as Skylar Yoo is a company, I want you to feel like you know who the people are behind it. Who created this company? What do we stand for? Right now, it's just the two of us who are working behind the scenes, I'm Alice and there's my completely amazing friend Kat. Today, I thought we'd answer a few of the same questions for you. Hope you enjoy this brief Q&A!
I'll go first.
What are three adjectives that describe you?
I would say that I'm ambitious, gritty and an introvert. I devour business books, I hope to, one day, run a good sized company and inspire a team. I love reading about successful women entrepreneurs, they motivate me and make me feel proud. (Shout-out to SwissMiss, you're my hero!) Angela Duckworth defined grit as "perseverance and passion for long-term goals." I enjoy working, I like coming into an office each day and thinking about where I want to take Skylar Yoo next. I'm a total introvert (wannabe extrovert) that would rather cuddle up with my dogs or read a book than attend a dinner party. I wish I could be the warm, friendly person who ran around giving hugs and kisses to everyone she meets but the best you'll get out of me is a totally awkward hug. Though I am an introvert, I like to express myself so that's why I have a personal blog, Adventures of Yoo. One day I'm sharing my favorite products and the next I'm telling you about my mentally made up bully.
What is your favorite quote and why?
"Be the change you wish to see in the world" by Mahatma Gandhi. I've always felt as though you're in charge of your own destiny and that, if you have "grit," you can achieve anything. Some day I hope to raise awareness of mental health. Being bipolar and having experienced multiple manic episodes, I want to share, first-hand, what those experiences are like. I'd love to head up a non-profit and film videos of people with mental illnesses. At the end of the videos, I'd like to show ways in which people are dealing with their issues and what others can do to help.
What are some achievements in your life that you're most proud of?
The first thing that comes to mind is starting My Modern Met. It was crazy when it started taking off, seeing it grow from 10 visitors a month to 3 million. I'm also proud of the fact that I'm a mother of two young boys. As any mom will tell you, it takes a good amount of energy to keep up with kids. Though Skylar Yoo hasn't taken off like My Modern Met (yet!), I'm happy that I created a second company. I find it a thrill to be an entrepreneur.
What kind of messages do you hope we promote through Skylar Yoo?
My mission with Skylar Yoo is to inspire and empower women to be their boldest selves. That means feeling great about yourself, loving yourself, and appreciating who you are. It also means being a proud feminist - standing up for yourself and acknowledging the fact that women and men should have equal rights. (Hint: Our next collection will be moving more towards that feminist route.)
Can you share some lessons that you learned from the hardest times in your life?
Hands down the hardest time of my life was being locked up in a mental hospital for six weeks. At the time my boys were 7-months-old and 2 1/2-years-old. It broke my heart that I couldn't be with them. I had to stay at the hospital till they could find out how to treat my mania. Only looking back can I appreciate the freedom I have, to see my sons, to live a "normal" life. My husband I decided early on to co-sleep with our sons, so every night, the four of us say "good night, I love you" to each other. It's easily my favorite part of the day. From that hospital experience, I learned to appreciate all the small moments in life and I found a new appreciation for the relationships I have with my close family and friends. Their visits to the hospital are what kept me sane.
What is something no one knows about you?
I own 50 pairs of leggings! It was only in the past few years that leggings became legit but I've been wearing them since, practically, birth. Before I started Skylar Yoo and went into statement tees, I thought I'd sell leggings. In order to see what was already in the market, I bought every pair of leggings I could find. So who wins for best leggings? For comfort, LuLaRoe or Viv Collection, for workout Outdoor Voices and for workwear American Giant. Let me just end with, I live in leggings.
Kat's up next!
What three adjectives describe you and why?
Optimistic, introspective, and playful. I have a positive perspective on life, I spend a lot of time reflecting and observing, and I have a lighthearted way of approaching and viewing things.
What is your favorite quote and why?
My favorite quote is by Edgar Cayce. "The conquering of the self is truly greater than were one to conquer many worlds." I love this quote because it reminds me that self-mastery is a critical part of our own self-actualization. Self-mastery and growth are incredibly important to me, and this quote reminds me of their importance in my journey.
What are some achievements in your life that you're most proud of?
Most of the achievements I'm proud of are internal. I have been through a lot (mentally and emotionally), which have strengthened my mental fortitude and my ability to overcome difficulties. I see the fears I've overcome as huge achievements - like dropping the fears of what others think of me, fears of expressing myself, and fears and insecurities about my work and my art. Every fear I tackle is a huge accomplishment because I come closer to reaching my fullest potential. Overcoming limiting beliefs about myself and reaching greater levels of self-love and love for others is greater than any achievement I can obtain in the material world.
What kind of messages do you hope we promote through Skylar Yoo?
I hope we can promote messages that empower others to be fully themselves - authentic, bold, unique, and unafraid. Fear can be a crippling thing in our lives that prevents us from doing and achieving the things we want to do. By promoting a fearless, brave, and courageous message, we empower others with the confidence and strength that is very much needed. I hope that we can uplift and inspire others with the fact that: anything is possible, that you are amazing just as you are, and that you can truly do anything you set your mind to. We are all very powerful, and the ultimate gift is to remind others about the great power that lies within them. I think that's what empowerment is all about -- reminding others of their power so that they can rise up with strength.
Can you share some lessons that you learned from the hardest times in your life?
In my weakest moments, I have discovered the great capacity of my strength. Overcoming depression after the loss of my mother really showed me how powerful my mind is in influencing how I feel and how I view the world. Going through this difficult time helped me to deepen the relationship with my inner self and learn how to navigate between my emotional states. I also learned how I could control my mind and skew it toward the positive. Such a loss also taught me about the preciousness of life and how to honor it with more gratitude and reverence. The greatest lesson I've learned is that happiness is not dependent on any external factors, but is entirely an inside job. As a result, I am the happiest and most positive I've ever been because I know that I am in control of how I feel and how I think about my life.
Since I've had to deal with loss at an early age, death has taught me so much about living. I've learned that life is incredibly short and can end at any moment, so we must really live it to the fullest. To me, living fully means loving as much as we possibly can, experiencing the most out of this life, and continually pushing past our comfort zones into new and unexplored territories. We're here to learn and to love... and expansion for both of these is very important.
What is something no one knows about you?
I can make myself laugh more than anyone I know. I have so much inner dialogue with myself (most of which I think is really funny), that I am constantly laughing at the stuff I come up with. Long drives are my favorite because my car becomes a place where I am the ultimate DJ, podcast host, dancer, spoken word artist, actress, singer, and comedian all rolled up into one. If people only knew about what goes down inside of my car! It's quite laughable, but I really enjoy how much I can revel in my weirdness.
Hope you feel like you know us...just a little bit more. Have a great weekend!