Allister Hill shares insight about decision to start family business and pave the way for self-empowerment and motivation for his children, and their peers, and the next generation of youth with Inspirational Affirmation Apparel while adapting to change.
By LaMar Anderson | November 19, 2020 | 6:00am
Please tell us who you are, and about your business also how long you have been in business.
My name is Allister Hill, and my business is Inspirational Affirmation Apparel. A family business of Me, my wife, and two boys. We have been in business for a little over six years in retail. Selling: t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, jackets, hats, accessories, candles. We do not have a brick and mortar we are in the mall [Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Shopping Mall] and online, but with Covid-19, we found other ways to keep the business going.
What is Inspirational Affirmation Apparels theme or specialty?
The theme is inspirational affirmations. We do custom printing, and we do not print anything negative. We print for churches, schools, businesses.
How long have you been coming out to Leimert Park Village?
We have been coming out to Leimert Park, I would say within a year off and on. We do different events, expos, and shows. We used to travel a lot across the country.
What does Leimert Park Village mean to you? Are you from the area?
I grew up in South Central. I went to Crenshaw High down the street. Of course, I took the bus or walked this way to go home growing up in the ’90s. A different time. It’s [Leimert Park] a community, and everybody fills up and takes care of each other. If you have questions about your business and want to help it grow, you can ask someone, and maybe they can point you in the right direction. But my wife and I figured it out on our own, and that is how we started.
How has your self-empowerment and motivation themed apparel business been fairing this year with the changes and challenges of 2020?
Since we have been doing a lot of custom printing, it keeps us afloat to keep our name and brand out there and alive.
What can we expect from you and the business in the next couple of months and the new year?
All thing’s trending up hopefully we can look into a brick and mortar and of course still build off our online presence.
What motivated or inspired you to go into this particular line of business? You mentioned it’s a family business. Are you the next generation owner?
So what prompted the business was, I have two boys growing up in school, and being of darker pigmentation or with low self-esteem, and at times not feeling they are enough. We started printing and making shirts by hand putting -I am a future basketball player or doctor or lawyer. We got feedback from their peers and teachers saying their shirts were nice and asking who made them. Also, their peers asked where can they get some, and this was the seed that started the business. Trying to inspire our kids turned into inspiring others.
You are paving the way for self-empowerment and motivation for your children and their peers for the next generation.
Yes, definitely, trying to do our part.
How can we support and connect with you online?
You can support us at:
IG: @blacknaturalandbeautiful
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