Success Story: ZAMFORIA, clothing company

When you are doing something good, something is right. Then, when you factor in “LOVE” and use that as the main ingredient in what you do, you’ll flourish. I do not mean this  just as a metaphor to life but I mean this with a young clothing company whose mission is to do good and spread love. Take Zamforia.
ZAMFORIA, a clothing company based in Quincy, MA was founded by brother-and-sister team, Jonathan Mendez and Olivia Chamberland in 2009. They started selling their graphic t-shirts out of their jeep and pretty soon, they found themselves selling more than they could imagine.
What really caught me and brought me to feature their story was their multicultural concept of designing global shirts  and teaching us (the consumers) how to break cultural barriers from our traditional thought of a certain culture. Take for example their take on the Filipino word for love, pag-ibig - wouldn’t this catch your eyes as well?
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To learn more about them and purchase your t-shirts, see their contact information below and be sure to spread the word about them.
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ZAMFORIA
188 Sea Street
Quincy, Mass 02169
p. 617.934.1844
www.TheZAM.org
Alpha: Tell us about ZAMFORIA – and why did you name it as such?  
Jonathan: ZAMFORIA is  a clothing company and retail store.  We started by making t-shirts that said love in different languages and have extended the line to follow that same positive message.  At it’s core is a community and mentality.  I named it ZAMFORIA after we had been selling the shirts for awhile- originally it was called “It Say Love” but I wanted something more encompassing of our company and the things we wanted to do.  I created the name spontaneously in the car one day.  I was on my way to a meeting to name the company and I wanted to get one before I got there.  It need to describe how I felt and how I viewed the world at the time.  It needed to sound cool and look cool written on a t-shirt.  It needed to have a nickname if possibly.  It needed to be beautiful.  And that’s how it came to be.  I think it describes everything for me: it’s the moment in time that make life, life and is the connection between everything.  Like, do you know your favorite part of the movie that touches your soul?  That’s an example of ZAM.  It’s life!
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Alpha:I love your concept of printing T-shirts with Love in different languages. But, why “love”? What was your inspiration behind it?  
Jonathan: When I was a freshman in college, my sister sent me a little drawing on a piece of paper.  It was our family drawn as stick figures playing guitars in our living room.  It was silly and sweet.  For Christmas I didn’t have money so I redrew the picture, added color and “love in different languages”.  She loved it and weeks after I gave it to her she suggested we made t-shirts.  She got me to draw a logo and our first tee and she started selling them to her personal training clients.  One thing lead to another and we had a fun little company.  Love worked because it was positive.  But, from the start, I knew it wasn’t the cliche pink-fluffy-hearts-girly love, but that the company should embody a more realistic, more human, less silly idea of “love”.  How else are you going to get people to connect to it?   It has to be real.
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Alpha: So, how did you start it? Please walk us through your first set of challenges in setting up the business.  
Jonathan: We started with no money.  No connections.  No celebrities.  With more work than you think.  A lot of passion.  Years of learning.  Thousands of hours of research.  Hard work.  Asking for help.  Helping others.  Picking the right people to trust.  Keeping it real.  Remembering that your business partner is your sister and you owe it to her to.  Listening to a lot of music.  Staying in on the weekends.  Learning to go out on the weekends.  Learning from the mistakes.  Gaining experience and knowledge and know-how.  Reading.  Thinking outside the box.  Trying to stay grounded.  Remembering these acronyms: “K.I.S.S.” and “P.M.A.” which mean “Keep It Simple, Stupid” and “Positive Mental Attitude”.
Alpha: When you design a certain shirt, where do you get the ideas? What has been the most popular shirts’ design?  
Jonathan: Our designs come from everywhere.  I do a lot of research.  I read a lot of history.  We have great people tell us some really good ideas.  Creativity is endles.
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Alpha: I am sure you had your shares of challenges, but what has been the most rewarding and inspiring moment in your business?  
Jonathan:  The people are the most rewarding.  We’ve made a lot of friendships.
Alpha: Do you think profitability is the core measurement of success? Why and why not?  
Jonathan: Money lets you do things and it’s important.  Success is a broad word with plethora of meaning.  The core measurement of success is attaining your goals.  Many of our goals have been reached but there are still many more to be reached.  And to reach them, we need to make money.  It helps us do the things we want to do.
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Alpha: What is your vision of ZAMFORIA?
Jonathan: ZAMFORIA to me, as an idea, is a connection to life.  ZAMFORIA as a company is a connection between people- a community.  If you see someone in a ZAM shirt, you know you probably have something in common with them- and that’s important to be reminded of.  It’s how friendships are built.  The goal/vision is to bring people together and promote a good message to a lot of people, to help make a lot of excellent art with a lot of great people, and to have fun with people around the world, all in the name of ZAMFORIA.

To read other inspiring Success Stories, click here.

 

Alpha Sanford is the creator and editor of Aspire.Motivate.Succeed! a personal development website which aims to inspire and motivate people from all walks of life through its bi-weekly articles. She interviews and features inspiring individuals whose extraordinary work impact the lives of many people in the community. You can contact her via facebook, twitter, or email if you know of anyone whose story is inspiring and worth sharing. 

Success Story: Kimberly Mitchell, Loving with Purpose

Image 4 with Belle and Blanc

 

It has been almost a year ago when Kimberly Mitchell sent me a copy of her book, Loving with Purpose. Since then, whenever I have the time I would take a few minutes and read through some of her sage advice on loving, living and starting to see things in a more purposeful way in dealing with people. In some fashion, I would say that her book has similarities with the book that I authored with the rest of the AMSDaily writers last July – the only huge difference is Kimberly’s book focuses solely on loving and maintain relationships with purpose.

Today, she shares with us her story – and one lucky reader shall receive a FREE copy of her book. Make sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the interview.

Please do visit Kimberly’s website at  http://www.lovingwithpurpose.com. She has a lot of information on her site which will definitely help you see love with purpose. You can also like her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LovingwithPurpose. 

Here is Kimberly’s purposeful story:

 

Alpha: What inspired you to write your latest book?

Kimberly: I was at a crossroads in my life and decided to write again. I actually wrote most of my life, but never a book. Once I made the decision to write, I had to figure out what subject matter I wanted to take on. Then one night, when I went out to dinner, I saw an older gentleman escort his wife to the table by putting his hand on the small of her back. That’s when it hit me; I would write about chivalry! Once I started writing, I couldn’t stop. The book took on a life of its own; covering topics from dating to blending, and more. I’m actually working on my second book now, along with blogging for others, offering presentations and speaking engagements.

Alpha: What have been the rewards and challenges of writing it?

Learning each and every task necessary to publish my own book. The second challenge was telling my story, while protecting anyone in my life by hurting them. I wanted to make sure I was genuine, honest, and responsible.

Image 8 with Belle and Blanc

Alpha: What is the book’s core message?

The book is about a lot of things, but mainly it’s about a woman’s choices; her choices in dating or marriage, with her children, friends…even her finances! I talk about abuse, blending, discrimination, and religion, too. If there’s a choice for women to make, most likely she can find a section in the book covering that topic.

Alpha: What do readers need to know about you?

I am a woman with a purpose; to help women make better choices, while helping them realize their own self-worth.

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Alpha: Any advice to a struggling writer?

Make a table of contents BEFORE writing so you follow the flow as thoughts come to mind. Research, learn, and then write.

Alpha: Where do you see book publishing is heading?

Self-publishing and audio books. When you go with traditional, you still have to do most of the marketing, which is the hardest part of the work. I tried to go traditional, but after almost ninety proposal packages I gave up. Now, after doing all the work, I’m grateful for what I’ve accomplished. My only regret is that I can’t share my work with many of the bookstores because of nontraditional.

LwP bitmap

 

 

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To read other inspiring Success Stories, click here.

 

Alpha Sanford is the creator and editor of Aspire.Motivate.Succeed! a personal development website which aims to inspire and motivate people from all walks of life through its bi-weekly articles. She interviews and features inspiring individuals whose extraordinary work impact the lives of many people in the community. You can contact her via facebook, twitter, and email.  You can also join her FREE monthly newsletter where you will get tips to a more successful life. Emailamsdaily@yahoo.com with the heading NEWSLETTER to join. If you are already an amsdaily subscriber, you will not automatically receive these monthly newsletters unless you email her.

Success Story: Angela and Roi Lee of A & R Handbags

Angela Lee Roi Lee

 

 

When I came across Angela and Roi handbags earlier this year, I knew I had to feature their story here. Yes, I bought my first A & R and I was truly impressed. When I received my purchase, I could not help but admire the beauty of the bag and also their strong community responsibility and their philosophy behind their products. I love what they do and most of all I love their classic designs with a contemporary twist! I also love the fact that I was able to support a cause from the purchase I made (made me feel good!). Each A & R handbag is designed with a color signifying a certain cause that the company supports. Each purchase you make, A & R donates five dollars to the designated charity.

“Angela & Roi was founded by a couple, Angela Lee and Roi Lee. They decided to name the company Angela & Roi because their relationship is the most important part of their lives.” It is a Boston-based company whose handbags are meticulously crafted from from vegan leather and are manufactured in Korea.

You can buy Angela and Roi handbags at http://www.angelaroi.com/. You may also contact Angela or Roi via email at hello@anelaroi.com or call them at 781-742-3501. Trust me, they are very very friendly!

This is their amazing and inspiring story:

 

Alpha: Tell us about A and R and your mission? Who or what inspired you to start A&R?

 

Angela and Roi: Our mission is to build a community where fashion can intertwine with philanthropy. With a portion of our sales, we promise to support various health related causes.

 

When we attended a fashion show that supported the ribbon movement related to AIDS, we were inspired and applied the concept to our handbag brand. We believed that we could create a sustainable model where fashion consumerism meets philanthropy. Since Roi’s father had diabetes and faced a serious cerebral hemorrhage when Roi was 10, he realized that the most significant factor in individual life is health. Therefore, we decided to include health issues in our company model. We realized that there are so many people and families in the world who struggle with health problems and don’t get enough support.

 

 

Alpha: I love the concept of A&R being a socially aware brand but why did you start creating vegan leather collection for modern handbags and at the same time tying it to every color with a cause?

 

Angela and Roi: Using vegan leather is good in two ways. First, we don’t harm animals. Second, we get to keep our price affordable. Although we are not focused on building an animal-friendly brand, we are aware that it is better not to harm living creatures. We realized that designer’s handbags with leather are thousands of dollars and even more. We try to find a right price point so that consumers can enjoy luxuriously designed handbags at consumer-friendly price.

 

We strongly believe in moral principles and ethics. The two factors we mentioned and ‘Donate by Color’ mission represent our belief. We try our best to Do Good for society and to satisfy fashion consumers.

 

 

Alpha: So, you started A&R last year, correct? What has been the most challenging part of your journey? What has been your greatest achievement since its launch?

 

Angela and Roi: We did start A&R last year even though we recently re-launched with our own handbag line and the philanthropic mission. The most challenging part was to find right bag manufacturers. One thing we focus on most is the design and quality of our handbags. We struggled with some suppliers since their quality was poor. Even though we finally discovered right partners to make our handbags, it took great effort and time.

 

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Alpha: How do you envision A&R in the next year? How about in ten years?

 

Angela and Roi:  We would like to build more variety of handbag designs and colors for consumers and to support more causes in the next year. In a long term, we would like to apply our belief of fashion consumerism meets philanthropy to other goods.

 

 

Alpha: As a business owner, what would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs to be successful? What do you think are the most important skills they should have in order to make their dreams come true?

 

Angela and Roi:  First, it is very important to have a strong belief and philosophy. If your belief and philosophy are strong enough, you won’t do anything that’s against it and will build something around it.

 

And, in order to build something around your belief and philosophy, you need to be a hard worker. There are no shortcuts. Working hard is the most important skill. 

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Alpha: With your current collection, what is your favorite and why?

 

Angela and Roi: We treat our bags like our babies. Each of them is special in its own way and all of them are our favorites.

 

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Alpha:  Lastly, what is your definition of success?

 

Angela and Roi: Keeping one’s belief and philosophy from the beginning to the end. 

 

To read other inspiring Success Stories, click here.

 

Alpha Sanford is the creator and editor of Aspire.Motivate.Succeed! a personal development website which aims to inspire and motivate people from all walks of life through its bi-weekly articles. She interviews and features inspiring individuals whose extraordinary work impact the lives of many people in the community. You can contact her via facebook, twitter, and email.  You can also join her FREE monthly newsletter where you will get tips to a more successful life. Emailamsdaily@yahoo.com with the heading NEWSLETTER to join. If you are already an amsdaily subscriber, you will not automatically receive these monthly newsletters unless you email her.

Success Story: PJ Valenciano, Palamuti jewelry designer

PJ

I love jewelry and that is a fact. So when Michelle, the international distributor for Palamuti by PJ Valenciano approached me for a potential opportunity – I jumped right in. Not only because I have an affinity with jewelry but because of the unique story of Palamuti.

 

Palamuti is the Filipino word for jewels. PJ Valenciano, a University of the Philippines graduate started making jewelry during her spare time. Her background in fine arts combined with her passion for culture and the arts make her designs a breath of fresh air.

 

You can contact and buy her wonderful collection by calling her (02) 964.1997 or (0917) 860.7193. You can also check her out at the following sites:

www.pjvalenciano.com / http://palamutishop.com

http://palamutibypjvalenciano.blogspot.com

http://facebook.com/palamutibypjvalenciano

http://twitter.com/palamutibyPJV

 

This is her story:

 

Alpha: Tell us the story of your Palamuti Jewelry and why you started it?

 

PJ Valenciano: I started designing accessories as a hobby, which was introduced to me by my sister, which ended up two years later as my full time career. After completing several courses focused on bead weaving, intricate wiring, and advanced embellishments, I decided to spend my time in creating one-of-a-kind fashion accessories. These products have come to be known as Palamuti Storytelling Jewels.In time, I decided to use Palamuti as a way to provide employment opportunities to women, especially those from the urban poor communities in Metro Manila and from rural provinces.

 

 Alpha: Tell us about the biggest successes and failures in your business. What worked, what didn’t, and what did you learn?

 

PJ Valenciano:Our business is still growing, but one of biggest achievements is being able to find people who believe in our enterprise and who our willing to invest. When Michelle, our US counterpart for Palamuti, got in touch with us when she watched us on THE FILIPINO CHANNEL, it was a big opportunity for us to expand our business abroad.

 

For the past years, we have been faithful to our vision of empowering women through creating and designing with Palamuti. Gradually, we are gaining momentum locally, and people are becoming aware that we do this not just for profit, but also as a business with social responsibilities.

 

We take the good with the bad. I see failures as stepping stones on how to improve and manage our business better.We won’t associate with people who will shortchange our products on price. There are people who will take advantage andit’s expected that there are people who will copy our designs. Rather than focus on going after and engaging these sorts of people, we focus on improving our work instead.

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Alpha:  What do you want to achieve in:

PJ Valenciano:  

the next week: Finish a mermaid inspired necklace

the next year: Make Fine Jewelry

the next 10 years: Chain of Palamuti Stores all over the world J

 

Alpha:  What was your most inspiring moment doing what you do at as a jewelry designer?

 

PJ Valenciano:Seeing our trained craftswomen fulfill, not only because they earn money for their family, but because they are have a source of pride with their continually expanding skills.

 

Alpha:  If you were to tell us what are the most important skills that you need in order to be successful (in general) in life- what are they?

PJ Valenciano:  Aside from acquiring the necessary skills and techniques, and continually improving them, it is equally important to stay inspired.  Being passionate with what you do, and inspiring people that see your love for what you are doing.  They are more willing to support and be part of your journey.But above all, learn to share your blessings.

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Alpha:  How would you define Success?

 

PJ Valenciano:  Success is being happy with what you do. It’s doing what you love most, first thing in the morning and before you sleep. For me, success is being able to inspire others to make a difference not necessarily in a grand scale,even if it’s just one person at a time.

 

Alpha:  What are your favorite things?

 

PJ Valenciano:

Movie: Spirited Away

Book: The Girl with no Shadow by Joanne Harris

Place on earth:  Home

Travel: Cambodia

Quote: Follow your passion and fortune will follow

 

To read other inspiring Success Stories, click here.

 

BE ONE OF THE TWO LUCKY WINNERS TO WIN ONE OF THESE NECKLACES FROM PJ VALENCIANO

pj whitepj red

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Alpha Sanford is the creator and editor of Aspire.Motivate.Succeed! a personal development website which aims to inspire and motivate people from all walks of life through its bi-weekly articles. She interviews and features inspiring individuals whose extraordinary work impact the lives of many people in the community. You can contact her via facebook, twitter, email or pinterest.

Success Story: Stacey Shipman, Speaker and Coach

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Stacey Shipman helps individuals increase personal and professional effectiveness by strengthening presentation skills. She provides speaking programs, workshops and services that focus on reducing speaking anxiety, presenting yourself with confidence and authority, connecting to your audience and clearly communicating your message.

 

Growing up, she was the quietest girl in class but she was able to prove that with training, persistence and motivation she is now considered as one of the best speakers, businesswomen and freelance writers in the South Shore!

 

Stacey was also named as one of the 40 under 40 by the South Shore STARS in 2011. She is a well respected community leader, author and has been featured in multiple newspapers and magazines in Massachusetts as an entrepreneur. You can check out her company at http://www.staceyshipman.com. You can also contact her  via email at stacey@staceyshipman.com, via Twitter: @staceyshipman and also by phone at 617-548-5877 for your professional and personal needs.

 

This is her story:

 

Alpha: Tell us the story of your company and why you started it?

 

Stacey: Originally I became self-employed to rid myself of corporate stress. When the stress didn’t go away I had to dig deep and figure out why. As I evolved, my work and business evolved. Although I won the Quietest Girl Award in 6th grade, today I have a career as a professional communicator -speaking and writing with a focus on helping others speak up with confidence. We all have a story to tell.

 

Alpha: Tell us about the biggest successes and failures in your business. What worked, what didn’t, and what did you learn?

 

Stacey: Success: After presenting a speech called Feel Your Best, I guided the audience through a relaxation exercise. After the program ended, one audience member approached me with tears in her eyes. She lives with chronic pain and for the fifteen minutes of that exercise, she didn’t have any pain. Work doesn’t get more satisfying than that.

 

Failure: Look, it sounds cliche, but the truth is, no matter how frustrated and stressed out I get wondering where the next gig ($$$) will come from, I wouldn’t give any of the experiences I’ve had back. I am where I am today and have a really strong message because of the ups and downs. Women often ask me, “How do I know I’m doing the right thing?” and I tell them, “You don’t. And you’ll never know if you never take a step.” I truly believe the only failure is not trying at all.

 

Alpha: What do you want to achieve in your company or in what you do:

 

the next week:

 

 

Stacey: I want to have the first draft of my book done. It’s about creating a bigger presence and impact by strengthening your presentation skills.

 

the next year:

 

 

Stacey: I’d like to speak in schools – youth, college and teens – share my story as quietest girl and why I became the quietest girl, and how tools like yoga, meditation, writing helped build my confidence, reclaim my voice and make a difference in my community

 

I’d also like to get an essay published, I’m still identifying publications and drafting the essay.

 

the next 10 years:

 

Stacey: Honestly, I never think that far out because if you told me five years ago I’d be a speaker and writer for a career I would have laughed out loud. That said, my big goal has always been to write. Write articles, blogs, books and then share that information and inspiration with others. I’m on that path.

 

Alpha: What was your most inspiring moment doing what you do?

 

Stacey: See above when I mentioned the woman in pain. Also, I love getting emails from people who read my blogs, newsletters and articles telling me how helpful my words have been. Words are powerful. I wished more people shared their stories. I know from first hand experience how hard that is, though. You have to be ok with vulnerability.

 

Alpha: If you were to tell us what are the most important skills that you need in order to be successful in life- what are they?

 

Stacey: Resilience, perseverance, flexibility to adapt, strong support system, good health – if you’re not healthy mentally and physically, the rest won’t matter. Your health and having coping skills in place must come first.

 

Alpha: How would you define Success?

 

Stacey: Funny you ask. I wrote a blog post about it. The last line of the post sums it up: “If I’m helping people feel better personally or professionally, whether I’m paid or not, that is success.”

 

Don’t get me wrong, I prefer to get paid!

 

You can read the full blog post here: http://www.staceyshipman.com/2012/05/22/how-do-you-define-success/

 

Alpha: What are your favorite things?

 

Stacey:

 

Movie:

Footloose (the original version from the 80s) is the first movie that popped into my mind!

 

Book:

I don’t have a favorite book!

 

Place on earth:

Hanging in my backyard on a summer evening with my husband and our cats

 

Travel:

Italy and Costa Rica

 

Food:

Pizza and Syrian food

 

Drink:

Lately it’s the fruit smoothie’s I make: banana, berries or mango, and kale. believe it or not they are yummy!

 

Quote:

“Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.” – Chinese Proverb

 

To read other inspiring Success Stories, click here.

 

Alpha Sanford is the creator and editor of Aspire.Motivate.Succeed! a personal development website which aims to inspire and motivate people from all walks of life through its bi-weekly articles. She interviews and features inspiring individuals whose extraordinary work impact the lives of many people in the community. You can contact her via facebook, twitter, email or pinterest.