( ENSPIRE Business ) Kinyatta E. Gray, CEO of FlightsInStilettos: “Travel, Glamour, Slay”
Kinyatta’s goal is to inspire women travelers to put their best selves forward when traveling and to think about their individual travel style. Since launching FlightsInStilettos, the signature t-shirts and travel accessories have been spotted around the world.
Talk about a recent obstacle you faced in reference to being a woman-owned business or black-owned business that you were able to overcome.
A recent obstacle that I faced being a black-owned and black-centric business is when I received a message from a woman asking me when I would put a blonde (referencing a white woman) on my Glam Girl Beach Towels. This was quite an issue for me because my Glam Girl Beach towels were specifically designed to depict women of color in a stylish and sophisticated manner. At the same time, as I thought about the issue, I concluded that I want to position my brand to appeal to all ethnicities. I decided that I would offer beach towels that are inclusive of other ethnicities in the future.
What is one of the greatest lessons you learned creating your own brand and helping others?
I learned that ordinary people have great ideas. I never set out to launch a brand or a business. However, my preference for traveling in style and wearing stilettos through the airport was a unique attribute of my personal preference — that I was able to monetize after encouragement and thinking it through. So, I would ask anyone to look deep into themselves and find that one authentic thing that everyone associates with you, that you are known for and ask yourself how can you monetize that thing that’s authentically you. I am huge on helping others whether it’s by sharing knowledge on my journey to becoming a brand and business owner, financial or otherwise. I believe that when we find ourselves in positions of influence and means to help others, it is a civic and divine duty to do so.
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