R2RB Podcast - Indie Artists and Women Entrepreneurs Chronicles

Asza Dupree owner of Comfort Zone Clothing

May 22, 2022 Debra LaMotta
R2RB Podcast - Indie Artists and Women Entrepreneurs Chronicles
Asza Dupree owner of Comfort Zone Clothing
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Show Notes Transcript

Asza Dupree owner of Comfort Zone Clothing talks with me about the ups and downs of owning your own business.  How it felt like a hobby, in the beginning, an expensive one at that, and then making the turn in taking her business seriously. 

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hi, I'm Debra LaMotta and this is Woman Entrepreneurs Spotlight. I started this podcast because I believe that every woman entrepreneur has a story to tell. And by sharing that story, she could be helping the next woman entrepreneur looking for some guidance. So tune in, get comfortable and enjoy the series.
Hi and welcome to Women Entrepreneurs Spotlight. I am so excited to have today Asza Dupree who started Comfort Zone Clothing, back in 2017. Am I right? 2017, yes. Okay. Asza has created her own logo, which is a story of its own Asza and I have worked together for several years. We met probably about five years ago but before we get started with that
I always ask two questions. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? Let's see. Honestly, I would probably live in Amsterdam and I say that because of, I feel like when I visited, it was such a sense of freedom. Living here you get a certain look and sometimes get the sense of you're uncomfortable in certain situations or places.
So when I went to Amsterdam, it could've just been an experience, but I didn't get one. Look, I didn't get a, is that a girl or a guy kind of look.  Me being   African-American and I didn't get any looks, it was just comfort, comfortable. And everyone was accepting and, I don't know. So I picked Amsterdam.
It was. A lot slower pace and I can be present. So, and it was beautiful. Yeah. I have visited Amsterdam. I, I was young, so Amsterdam. I like it. What's the most important lesson you have learned over the course of your career. To be patient, if you have a plan, just be prepared that it's going to go the opposite way and just to be patient with yourself, to trust the process, to make sure that.
  At the end of the day, you're doing it for what? For the reason that you love it, you're not doing it because of the money or you're not doing it because someone else told you do it, you doing it because you're passionate about it just to make a difference at the end of the day. And that, and that makes the difference right there.

I mean, you have to do it for yourself and not for all those other reasons that you had just mentioned and patience and I think patience for some many things in life.  Tell me about Comfort Zone Clothing, and how you got started. and your logo, which you created, and how you came about that? 

Okay. So I started Comfort Zone back in 2017, I was like doodling on an iPad and I needed to come up with a logo because I was always told life begins at the end of your comfort zone. So I was okay, let me focus on Comfort Zone. And let me try and create a logo that represents my comfort zone, but also at the same time my life LGBT+ community. So I incorporated the rainbow colors along the sea and the zone is arrows, meaning different directions that you can go in is what it means.

I guess what it means to me, I guess I'm living in it now. So before I was, oh, life, begins at the end of your comfort zone. I wanted, I felt like I was. To be honest, I feel like I'll get a hypocrite because I was in my comfort zone for so long. And now I'm finally living out of my comfort zone. So I understand. So now I appreciate it so much more. And I understand that you have to be uncomfortable for life to actually enjoy life and to see possibilities are endless and it's your life and you can do whatever you want with it.

And the clothing line. So what made you, or draw you closer to a clothing line?
Gotcha. Just to get the message across, to see to just, I, at first I put on a t-shirt and I was like, oh, let me just pass this t-shirt I'll give this t-shirt to someone, give this t-shirt to someone. And then people were asking for more merchandise and I'm just oh, they like this message, as this message, can get across to other people that life does begin out of your comfort zone.
Be comfortable in your own skin. So I figured I could put it on hoodies and sweatpants and just comfortable clothes that remind people to be comfortable in their own skin, hats, and sweatpants. So I decided clothing, because I liked clothing, that makes me comfortable and feels good on your skin. And I go with quality and long-lasting.

So you've taken that comfort zone which you have stepped out of, you've created this clothing line, and if somebody wanted to get in contact with you to purchase any of the clothing line, where are they getting contact with you these days? 

If you guys have Instagram, I'm on Instagram and it's at Comfort Zone Clothing. And if you go on Instagram, there's a link to the website. Also there, the website is ComfortZoneClothingco.com. Or you can just shoot me a message. I can give you my email address comfortzoneclothing@yahoo.com. You can also reach out to me there and I can also give you my phone number if you send me a message.

Did you put a business plan together in the beginning? So I did not at first I called it an expensive hobby because at first, I was just doing it out of fun. And I was, oh, this is fun. I can make this and I'll do this here. And then the more people ask, I was, oh, I have to do, I have to keep up with like the demand. And then  I had to reach out, use my own money. So I was saving money separately to be able to fund for Comfort Zone to pay. At the time I was paying a guy to make the hoodies. He was doing screen printing, screen printing, and pressing vinyl onto the product. So I was paying him to order the shirts, hoodies, and everything I needed and then paying him to do the work.

And then YouTube, everyone was like, YouTube is the biggest teacher. I started to use YouTube and then I bought a press for myself. And then I started to buy wholesale items and I was I can do all this for so much cheaper rather than paying someone else. So I basically used someone first and then I taught myself, which I enjoyed a lot more because I was, oh, I'm creating this stuff. And then I get to see people wear it and then I can see the impact it makes. So it became a lot more personal. 

Don't go anywhere. The interview will continue right after this.

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And now the conclusion of my interview with Asza Dupree of Comfort zone.

So, if you had to do that part over again, would you start with a business business plan? Would you have put more, put, put more thrown into it? Absolutely. A hundred percent. I would have put a lot more thought into it rather than just jumping in blind it, but again, you live and you learn and then, and we can go back to, you know, your comfort zone and stepping out and then taking it on yourself. 

Yes. I like would go to Michael's and get screen printing kits and go on YouTube, and try to figure it out. And then it's just trial and error, trial and error. And then, you finally get used to it, then you start to enjoy it. And you're just proud of yourself.

What hurdles have you had to jump over? Get around to get to where you are at this stage with Comfort Zone Clothing. I think the hurdle probably may be financially, I wasn't  I didn't know how much money it would take to put into owning, having a business that business part of it.

I had no idea. So I would do a lot more research about it. And just jumping into it. I didn't know, I had to register with the state of Connecticut. I didn't know. I needed to get a tax ID number.  I didn't know, I needed to get, I needed a business credit card. I need all these other things and I'm just oh, and then, so I would do so much more research, but at the same time, I was trying. I was doing all of this during the pandemic, and started to get into the start of the pandemic more, which allowed me more time because we were stuck home.

So I had a lot more time to do research. So I'm blessed about that part, but I would definitely do more research. Yeah. And bring it back to the business plan. Kind of the same with me with podcasting. Fortunately, I don't have to sink too much financially into it, but during the pandemic, I was going to start it up earlier than I'm doing.

I took the time I've done my research. And hopefully in the end, as you said, you put a plan together and it'll all come together out of my comfort zone. What would you change? Or what would have made it easier, in the beginning, to get things started for you? I think maybe having a partner,  someone else alongside me that can kind of be my support, or we could support each other,  balancing so many other things.

And then focusing on this, I feel like I needed to be a whole other person. Right., I feel like I knew, another the brain another set of hands, extra arms like octopus or something. I don't know. But just having someone, I dunno, more support, I had a lot of support,  with my friends and like, especially you too, but just like physical help, I think. 

And then just the research part, for sure. And I think for me during this podcast, which I've mentioned to you before the interview is that if this helps connect people, connect other entrepreneurs that you could mentor, or you could join up with, or somebody else to talk to somebody else that's local, where can I outsource this?

One of what I want to accomplish with this podcast, besides just getting us all out there as women entrepreneurs. And I think you've just said it, having that, whatever it may be, somebody physically there, somebody to pick up the phone and say, Hey Would that have helped you in the beginning if have you had, that network?

Absolutely. I went into it just blinded. I don't know. But just like you said, like networking,  I started to do pop-up shops and then I would meet other people and then they would help me, oh, here's this card,  contact this person. They can help you with this. Or this is how I started.
And this is where I am, I tried this, you should try that. Maybe it didn't work out for me, but it might for you. It was a bunch of networking. And that just made me, it was like the reassurance. I need that, Asza you're not on the wrong track. You're doing everything fine.
Like you just you'll get it. Right. So I just did that boost and I think we all need that boost. I mean, I know sitting, you know, thinking and contemplating putting my podcast together. It's like, what am I crazy or is like, and who can I talk to? So I have a great DJ friend. Her name is Kathleen Kulas. She's a DJ out of Seymour DJ Jazzy Kat she's my go-to.

Who can I interview? And I think, I think we all need that. Again, from this interview with you, would you do that from the next person? Would you be a mentor to somebody else? Absolutely. That's like everyone needs that. Like I would a hundred percent, no matter what, like, I wouldn't even hesitate because I know.

I didn't and I think we're afraid sometimes to ask for help, right. You're going to be a burden somehow or like a burden, or we should, we already should know that like, it's yours. Why are you asking me for help kind of thing? But we, you know, it's needed. Definitely. Absolutely. It's definitely needed. If you had one piece of advice to give to another entrepreneur just starting their own business, what would it be?

It probably would be to remember why you started in the beginning. When you feel you want to give up,  just remember why you started it and then you can be that ounce of hope for someone there's someone out there that you can impact their life, even without you even thinking you are, so just don't give up.

And like you said, if you need help ask, don't be afraid to ask. There are no stupid questions. And YouTube is the biggest teacher, honestly, YouTube. Absolutely. And I've used it not only for where my, you know, learning how to do a podcast, putting my things together, but I'm also a. wedding officiant and I've gone to YouTube also to watch other people yeah, you have to do your homework with whatever you're doing. Take an extra five minutes out of your day to do some homework and put a plan together. Invest in yourself. Don't be afraid to invest in yourself. That's absolute. Yeah. 

Any anything else that you can tell our listeners, anything else you want to let them know about you?

And you can also give all your contact information again to the listeners. I appreciate just your listening. I value your time. If you want to reach me, I can be reached again on Instagram and it's at Comfort Zone Clothing. And my email address is comfortzoneclothing@yahoo.com and the website is comfortzoneclothingco.com.

And I am just really appreciative to be in this position, even though I didn't even think it would make it to this point. I never thought I would be interviewing about Comfort Zone on a podcast. I'm just very grateful for this experience. I'm very humble. I am grateful. And I just, I never, I feel like I went in, I won an award.

I know, I know personally how hard you have worked, and how much Comfort Zone means to you, and I wish you all the best and all the success. And I think your tag tagline, I struggled to see where I fit in. Later, realizing I was born to stand out. And that says it all for you. I mean, I can say right here that that is you, in a nutshell, you are an amazing person.
You continue to push forward, but it's true. You have had hurdles to jump over, and get around in so many parts of your life. Kudos to you. I appreciate you. I appreciate it. I appreciate you too. Yeah, Asza and I can, can really lay it on, but I, in all honesty. Support her. I support her.
Check her out, check out the clothing line Asza again. Thank you. I love you. And we are out. 
I hope you enjoyed listening to the interview with Asza Dupree of Comfort Zone Clothing. And this is Debra LaMotta of WomEn Entrepreneur Spotlight. Keep checking back for that next woman entrepreneur.