It all started after Tamica Banks stumbled upon a Jamaican earring artist in Atlanta. The earrings were bursting with bright colors and beautiful patterns, and Banks felt drawn to the art. Her admiration for the Jamaican jewelry sparked an idea for an Africa-inspired artistic business of her own.
In 2017, Banks founded SoulSistah3.0—making and selling hand–painted earrings, authentic earrings from Ghana and wood–burn earrings. Newer to her brand are natural skin and hair care products and t-shirts. Her business is centered around community, culture and sisterhood, as well as promoting literacy to at-risk youth within the Birmingham community.
“I wanted to start a business to inspire young girls of African descent to see beauty in themselves, their culture and mother country: Africa through sisterhood,” Banks said.
For Banks, giving back to the community where she grew up has always been a top priority. The Woodlawn community holds a special place in her heart because it’s where she worked her first job at McDonald’s on 1st Avenue North and attended Kennedy Middle School and Woodlawn High School.
“You will always see green and gold earrings in my collections,” Banks said. “When I am in the community, I am always at home and love seeing old classmates, which brings back special memories.”
Banks spent 2020 growing her business, creating new products and utilizing digital platforms like Etsy, Facebook, Instagram and her new website to reach her customers.
In January 2021, Banks started working with REV’s Client Relations Manager Robert Emerick to strengthen the foundation for that growth. They’ve worked together to better organize her business finances, from creating an accounting system to hiring a tax accountant; developing a plan for an optimized vending booth; and using her resources to build a website and business accounts. Through one–on–one coaching with REV, Banks has created a solid business plan that will allow her to continue building her brand and growing her business.
SoulSistah3.0 participated as a first-time vendor at the October 2020 Woodlawn Street Market—which, while significantly scaled back because of COVID, was enough to convince Banks that the market is a valuable opportunity for building and growing her business. She’ll be back on 55th Place for the April 2021 Woodlawn Street Market.
“Being able to meet my customers, their friends, and family while vending is my favorite part about being an entrepreneur in Birmingham,” said Banks. “It’s a wonderful feeling knowing who is wearing your product and knowing a piece of you is in someone’s home!”
Feedback gained through her Woodlawn Street Market experience has led her to diversify SoulSistah3.0’s products. Speaking with customers face-to-face, Banks realized her customer base was more diverse than she thought. Now, she is adding bracelets, necklaces, a men’s jewelry line, and hand-painted African art imported from Ghana to both her street market and virtual platforms. Banks has also added t-shirts promoting reading and awareness of the school-to-prison pipeline, as well as natural skin and hair product lines for all skin and hair types.
“Woodlawn Street Market has given me the opportunity to make customers from all ethnic backgrounds and diversify my brand,” Banks said. “Now I’m creating products for all women, which has opened doors to other community markets, increased my sales, and has grown my brand.”
Related News
-
The Big Pitch contestants: where are they now?
Filed Under: Big Pitch, Front Page, Small Business, Uncategorized
If you’ve been following REV for a while, you probably remember The Big Pitch Competitions we used to hold back in the day. The Big Pitch presented by PNC was essentially our own little version of Shark Tank. And a lot of your favorite local businesses that participated in this competition now have active retail storefronts that you can go check out. Let’s start with some of our finalists that are based in the City of Birmingham and see what they’ve been up to!
-
Downtown Birmingham's latest development is proof that small buildings can have big impacts too!
Filed Under: Developer, Downtown Birmingham, Filling Vacant Spaces, Front Page, Potential-Proving, Uncategorized
Have you been to Downtown Birmingham’s newest development located on 25th Street? If not, you need to head down there ASAP and check it out! This new single story development is a product of a collaboration between David Baker Architects (DBA) and Locke General Contractors, led by DBA’s very own Amanda Loper. It is intended to be a “collaborative commercial space in a catalyst development area of Birmingham.” Both DBA and Locke General Contractors will be tenants of the space, along with June Coffee Roasters, Zephyr Barber, and Last Call Baking Cooperative!
-
The music scene in downtown Birmingham is booming!
Filed Under: Downtown Birmingham, Events, Front Page, Uncategorized
One of Birmingham’s many hidden treasures is the music scene downtown. The sheer volume of concert venues we have in downtown Birmingham is something most people aren’t even aware of – but it really is remarkable! There is truly something for everyone, whether you’re into the smaller, more intimate venues or the large-scale venues for those big name artists. Keep reading to check out some of the cool venues downtown Birmingham has to offer.