What do you do when the brand you spent a decade building stops connecting - and quitting starts to feel reasonable?
On this episode of I'll Just Let Myself In, Lish Speaks sits down with Harlem designer, stylist, and BeEyeConic founder Ashlee Muhammad for an honest conversation about fashion entrepreneurship, self-love, faith, slow sales, and knowing when to pivot without walking away from your purpose.
Ashlee shares how childhood insecurity about her eye, the experience of leaving an abusive relationship, and her love of personal style shaped BeEyeConic (pronounced "Be Iconic"). What began as a fashion brand became a love letter to Black and brown people - a reminder that the things others call flaws may be the very things that make us unforgettable.
Her fashion resume includes work connected to Cardi B, H.E.R., and Usher, while BeEyeConic eyewear has become part of rapper YG's signature look. But this conversation goes beyond celebrity moments. Ashlee gets candid about the two hardest years of her business, watching trends like quiet luxury challenge a colorful brand, crying behind closed doors, and finding a new creative lane through design work for Crystal Renee Hayslett's Keep It Positive, Sweetie and the Sweetie Social Club.
In this episode:
Why nearly every entrepreneur thinks about quitting, even when the business looks successful from the outsideHow to tell the difference between quitting and making a necessary pivotWhat slow sales and changing fashion trends can teach you about reinventionWhy "problems don't have a brain" - and how to use your experience to outthink the obstacleHow self-expression and personal style can become armor without hiding who you areWhy one friend asking "How can I help?" helped Ashlee find her way back to her creativityWhat meaningful support for Black-owned businesses looks like beyond likes and repostsWhy authenticity, integrity, and real human connection still matter in the age of AIHow Ashlee thinks about marriage, motherhood, legacy, and raising the next generation of disruptorsIf you are building a business through a difficult season, questioning whether your idea still has a future, or trying to rebuild your confidence after life has tested it, this conversation is for you. You may need to slow down. You may need to change the route. You do not have to abandon the calling.
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