It’s taken me a long time to get where I am today.
Not just in business, or in my physical achievements, but with my mindset.
I’ve always been driven to achieve and succeed.
But my idea of achievements and success have transitioned over time.
I used to think once I had a certain thing, or reached a certain level of wealth, I’d feel like I had succeeded.
The truth is, I’ll never feel like I’m at my peak. I always want more.
I do not mean more money, recognition or status.
I mean more personal growth, inner strength, and belief in myself.
I’m never gonna be finished working on myself, which means I’m never gonna be finished working on my businesses.
When I began my own branch of apparel outside of Hybrid Legacy, I knew it wasn’t gonna be for everybody.
I knew Scandal would push boundaries, turn heads, and definitely wouldn’t be to everybody’s taste.
And I went ahead and created it anyway.
Why?
Because it’s authentic, it’s real, and it’s 100% me.
I recently defined Scandal as being;
Bored by comfort. Excited by challenge. Stopped by no one. Afraid of nothing.
It’s everything Scandal encompasses, because it’s everything I am, and all I strive to continue to be. This is why I’ll never be done.
I don’t want to reach a certain level then coast along. That would bore me to tears. If I feel like I’ve peaked in one area, then I’ll find something new and start from scratch.
Challenging things are thrown at us all in life. They’re stressful, anxiety inducing, and fucking hard.
But the personal growth you’ll see when you overcome these challenges is worth every bit of difficulty you went through.
I’ll also never allow people to get in my way. This doesn’t mean I’ll clamber over my peers to get to the top, or that I’ll bulldoze my way there.
It means I won’t allow myself to be restricted or held back by anyone.
If someone doesn’t share my vision - that’s ok.
If someone thinks I should go in another direction - that’s ok.
And if someone thinks it’s “too risky” - that’s ok.
If these opinions come from someone I respect, I’ll listen to their reasoning. Then I’ll decide if I want to stick to my guns, or realign.
If it comes from strangers on the internet, I’ll drown it out and get on with my own shit.
Afraid of nothing is a pretty arrogant thing to say, right? Everybody has fears. But it’s how you manage those fears that separates us all.
There are things in life that make me feel on edge. Concerned. Worried. Unsure.
But afraid? I wouldn’t say so.
I ask myself “what’s the worst that could happen?”
I don’t catastrophize situations. I think about the most likely outcome and the worst case scenario. The chances are I’ll land somewhere in between the two at worst.
And it’s never as scary as I initially thought.
Or sometimes it is but I think, “fuck it” and do it anyway, lol.
With every design, from conception to production, will encompass these four things.
Bored by comfort. Excited by challenge. Stopped by no one. Afraid of nothing.
If this seems like a vibe you’re on a level with, you can shop the full Scandal collection here.
I’ll continue to bring my A-game to this brand - it’s all I know how to do.
Strength In Style,
Stefi