Jamila Payne celebrated her most recent birthday in February by taking down the website for the successful mail-order fashion business she started some 10 years ago, Mila By Mail. If that seems somewhat cynical, rest assured it’s just Jamila being Jamila. If anything, the birthday wish come true is a sign of Payne’s genuine, progressive approach to entrepreneurship, sustainability and life.
“The crazy thing about entrepreneurship is I don’t think you’re ever 100 percent sure about anything until it’s done,” she says.
Mere 40-under-40 lists don’t do Payne, a Mount Airy native and Drexel University graduate (with an MBA from LeBow), justice. She might be the most inspirational woman in the city.
An entrepreneur since grade school, Payne has been an author (From Payne to Power is her motivational book helping entrepreneurs achieve success and happiness), political candidate (falling short for the 195th district’s state representative seat last year), and community activist (she has started multiple nonprofits, including the National Association for Sustainable Fashion Designers).
She’s been featured in Style, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Payne has worked as a designer for large fashion brands, consulted with big city economic development groups on entrepreneurship, and earlier this year wrapped up her term as chairman of the board for the Sustainable Business Network, which provides the backdrop for her most recent venture.
Payne is set to launch a green co-working space on Lancaster Ave. in West Philly. The idea, she says, is to bring together people that have shared values, create collaborative opportunities and learning that will help with the success of the participating businesses. The space will target early stage and established social entrepreneurs and green businesses and feature full- or part-time desks, meeting space and creative workspace. The space is scheduled to open in the fall (more info available by email)
The space is almost as inspiring as Payne herself, evident within minutes of sitting down with her. One can’t help but feel motivated after spending a few moments with her. See for yourself in the following interview (condensed and edited):
Keystone Edge (KE): Have you always been so entrepreneurial?
Jamila Payne (JP): I was sort of a weird kid. Entrepreneurship was always a part of life. I started my first business at 10 years old, a cleaning business where me and my girlfriend would clean up hair salons in the neighborhood. We want ice cream? Got money? If not, then we had to make some. I was really lucky I had parents hwo never told me I couldn’t do something. They just let me go with it. Every once in awhile they had to pull me back, but they were just like go, go, go.
KE: How’d you start to get into fashion?
JP: My great-grandmother taught my mother how to sew and my mom taught me. I wanted to practice but my mom was always on her own machine, so I asked if she could buy me my own machine. She said I should get my own. I had to raise the money so I started this business making throw pillows and as soon as I earned enough to get a machine I did. By the time I got to college, I was very passionate about fashion and as a freshman I put on a huge fashion show and over 500 people came and the Inquirer covered it.
KE: You’ve had to make a lot of big decisions, personally and professionally. What guides you?
JP: What I’ve learned is we all have this internal voice that sort of encourages us to move on or to shut up and sit down. There was this internal voice that kept saying “This is what you really want to do.” Just like starting Milla by Mail. I kept thinking about starting an online women’s apparel business. The next thing you know I have business cards. Then I’m out at networking events. Then I’m working with a designer on a website. Everything’s already happening. It’s just stepping out on faith.
KE: What’s your take on the fashion industry?
JP: Fashion is one of those industries that people see as more glamorous for what it is. Through my business I probably mentored around 30 college students and when they come in for that initial interview, I’d ask if they knew Excel. They’re like, “Excel? Not interested.” Fashion is all about analysis. Of course there are a lot of fun and cool events, like Fashion Week, but I think people don’t often see all the work it takes to make something happen. There are a lot of mean girls in the industry that you have to have a tough skin for.
KE: What made you decide to run for an elected office?
JP: My decision to run initially was very sudden. I knew I always wanted to participate in a political office in some way but thought it would be much later in my life. It’s also startling to me that Pennsylvania ranks 46th in the country in the number of women elected officials. Then this position opened up and I was very lucky to be tapped by State Rep. Tony Payton, who believed I could do it. I think sometimes if you’re lucky and surrounded by the right people, they can see things in you that you can’t see in yourself at that moment.
KE: What can we expect at your new Greenspace?
JP: Greenspace will be a community, a cool and creative space with lots of events and programs that will have an impact in Philadelphia. It’s important to have a location in West Philly because it’s a neighborhood of innovation nestled between two universities along with a hodgepodge of cultures and diversity and when you’re talking about being sustainable and green, there tends to not be a lot of people of color engaged. The crazy things that in communities of color in many ways are being green and living sustainably not because they choose it as a lifestyle, but out of necessity. There’s a huge opportunity here to bring together the whole cultural kaleidoscope of people in a place where they can interact around values.
Joe Petrucci is managing editor of Keystone Edge. Send feedback here.
