Bridney Winfrey is a fashion designer and book author whose clothing and ebook “Female Boss Empowerment” motivate and uplift women. Her persistent drive and kind spirit has allowed great opportunities to come into her life. Shoe Designer JESSICA Rich and actress, tv host JOSETTY HURTADO, both were seen wearing Bridney stylish blazers. Bridney also got the attention of NBA champion Lamar Odom who recommended Bridney to make a men’s blazer line. So be on the lookout for that. We here at Sheen congratulate Bridney on all her success. We know this is only the beginning and looking forward to what’s to come. Bridney truly inspires her fans and supporters check out her exclusive interview below.
Tell us about your journey of depression and healing. What helped and motivated you during that time that you like to share to help others?
In June 2021 my sister Bridish (27) and nephew Isaiah (7) went tubing and drowned in the Dan River after falling off of a dam in North Carolina. I took my struggles with mental illness and depression hard as I was alone dealing with it with zero support from my siblings and the majority of my family. So thank God I had the virtual friends I had supporting me. My journey of healing has been full of twists and turns without an end in sight. I needed to find someone who knew what it was like to battle mental illness, depression, someone who also lost someone dear to them, but who also remained hopeful and optimistic during difficult times. That person was singer/songwriter/author, my friend, MELISSA B. I came to pray to God more, became interested in healthy eating, working out, reading entrepreneurial books to keep me from giving up on my business, started being in certain rooms on clubhouse (fashion meets music) where I was able to speak to people, laugh, joke and network, my favorite was singing and dancing with my sister and nephew like old times. This all kept me active. It brought me hope, it brought me peace. Their souls live on and I will see them again in Heaven. That makes me smile. Hurt can be a powerful motivator. My blazer line became another way for me to heal. They helped me connect with her again, and they reminded me that with strength comes responsibility: the responsibility to give back and help others who were once where I have been. I will for sure continue to make my sister proud of me and my blazer line as she was before they transitioned.
What inspired you in relaunching your blazer brand?
What inspired me to relaunch is the women empowerment movement I started and the commitment I made to myself on not giving up and if I did I would at least go into something else instead of not doing anything to get me where I want to be. I want to continue to empower young adults. To give them the sense of confidence that they can do anything powerful, especially in a blazer. I also want to give back to women who aren’t as confident, don’t feel powerful, and who may be depressed during their success like I was. I care, so my focus is on my supporters, not just building my empire. I have an ebook “Female Boss Empowerment” and offer one on one girl chats for my supporters wanting to be empowered and uplifted by me at the same time giving tools & resources to help them in business.
What is the story behind your blazer brand? How did the idea get started?
Having talents and always wanting to be a professional singer/dancer I found that entering that industry can be more complicated than I imagined. Not necessarily giving up on that dream I just decided to venture off into something a bit more realistic. Inspired by so many well-known brands & being highly inspired by 90s fashion and fashion shows, I’ve always wanted to start my own successful well-known fashion line. In 2016 I started a career in real estate, always wearing stylish blazers while successfully closing deals. I realized success was also in the way that you dress and carry yourself. So, I decided to start a self-named blazer line BRIDNEY WINFREY. Why blazers? Because they are the most powerful item you can own. They’re a way of saying, “I have places to be that are more important. ” They’re a way of saying, “I am in charge here. I’m the boss” and that’s how I want women to feel.
What was one of the biggest challenges you had to overcome earlier in your career?
My biggest challenge as a business owner was to face my fear of failure. Having never run my own company, I wanted to succeed in an industry that seemed so over-saturated. What I do, primarily women’s blazers is a very low-barrier, lowest-hanging fruit business when you only sell blazers. It made it hard to set myself apart from the pack and stand out as a lot of women are looking to buy what I don’t sell. I had to realize back then that maybe they weren’t my target audience but there were a ton of other women that are. Now, those same young ladies buy blazer jackets from BRIDNEY WINFREY and style them with the outfits they buy from other brands. For them, they see how much a blazer is needed when they still want a specific look, especially when going out and they’re cold. That experience made me want to expand my store to more items. Dresses, Jumpsuits, Two-piece sets, etc. that can go well with my blazers.
What advice do you have for people that are looking to expand their brands?
My number one will always be to NETWORK. By networking, I was given an opportunity to take over the old STEVE MADDEN store in Chicago which would have been my first brick and mortar. The store was perfect. The monthly rent was even more perfect. For a few reasons, I had to decline the offer. It just wasn’t my time and I was ok with what my gut was telling me. If you’re looking to expand your brand It’s about who knows you and likes you enough to mention your name and brand in rooms where you haven’t stepped foot in YET but would love to. Being shy won’t cut it. You have to open up and introduce yourself and go out and network because you never know who can help expand your brand. Learn from other people’s experiences that they share and allow yourself time to learn, make mistakes, and grow. Think big, but focus on small wins toward your vision, but also be realistic about how to achieve them. Once you reach a win, celebrate it! Celebrate every small win because they’re adding up to big wins for your future successes. Lastly, If you have a gut feeling about something please listen to it as it can save you from a lot of disappointments.
Why is versatility/investments so important to you? Do you have any advice for readers that are hoping to venture out into their own business?
I was once told, “How you think creates how you feel and how you feel becomes an emotion, an emotion becomes a vibration, a vibration becomes a magnet and that magnet attracts things to you.” So, be mindful of the things you manifest for yourself. Blazing your own trail is never easy. It takes guts, determination, and an unwavering belief that you create the life you want for yourself. If you are going after a big challenge, put your whole heart into it. Also, remember that barriers don’t exist if you think positively. I know a lot of people want to start a business and are not sure what to start. I would recommend researching what people are searching for and taking over that industry and solving people’s problems. But I’ve learned that the most important thing you need to be successful in business is perseverance. You will probably encounter obstacles, some of them (quite) large, but the determination to overcome these challenges and keep moving forward is what counts in the long run. Your business will only succeed if YOU want it to. If YOU want it enough, you’ll find a way to make it happen
Where can customers support your business?
My supporters can support my business at BridneyWinfrey.com and keep up with me on all social media platforms at @BridneyWinfrey & @BridneyWinfreyCollection
Photos courtesy of Bridney Winfrey
👑 Nice
Truly amazing!