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Back story

by Sherrell Slobodan
Short version of the birth of Zen Lion. In 2016 I decided I wanted to make my kids clothes with words that iiiiii wanted on them. In 2017 I started putting these ideas in action but I was met with fear stemming largely from negativity from some people I confided in. I stopped before I even started. Fast forward to the next time I had a baby 2019, the desire for custom clothing for my kids had only amplified and I had so many ideas. I said to myself, I’m gonna pay off my debt and then buy the things I need to start my business. But then, one day, I decided this business is what’s going to help me pay off my debt, aaaand even if it isn’t successful, I’ll be able to make the gear I want for me and my friends. Well, it took off. Like so quickly. Quicker than I ever could have imagined. With a 2 month old. Some days I sat there with a board full of orders and a crying baby wondering if it was a mistake to start this business when she was so young. But with the support of my man, my besties and all of you, I kept going. I refused to listen to that inner mean girl telling me I wasn’t good enough. I kept pushing and here we are, 6 months deep into running this business and it’s become my main source of income in this pandemic. It’s become everything to us. It’s no longer a side hustle, it’s my livelihood, it’s my children’s future. I will forever push in every direction I can to continue to build this business. This was always my heart project. And for years these ideas sat in my brain quietly nudging me to bring them to life. I have always been a creator. My mom called me artsy fartsy my whole childhood. Some say it’s my lefthandedness that makes me so creative. But whatever it is, it’s there and it’s so amazing having an outlet for it. My grandmother was a gypsy. I say that with full conviction as she literally left her entire life, moved to Hawaii and ran a crystal shop. She passed away a few years ago. 🙏🏽 my cousin, her only other grand daughter, is also a maker. She is a dye artist, a mala maker, and now handmade linen clothing. (@the.quiet.linen / @bailey_leigh_irwin) We are the descendants of a creative force and I know that we will always persevere. 💟
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