Conversations with the Inspiring Farhana Cannon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Farhana Cannon.

Farhana, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always loved fashion. When I was a little girl I would design clothes for my barbies and I would have photo shoots with my cousins and friends where I would style the looks. I went to Northeastern University for International Business and Marketing but transferred my sophomore year to The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. Here, I studied fashion merchandising management in hopes to one day be a buyer and have my own store.

I interned for Vitals Magazine whose editor in chief was Joe Zee now the editor of Elle Magazine and Latina Magazine. I loved helping to curate the looks for the editorials and staying on trend. I also worked for the style editor of The Today Show and once I graduated, I worked in wholesale sales for a couple of fashion brands. I really enjoyed curating looks that would work for different markets and different customers. The creation of these story boards for different clients really had me take a look at what women would want and what they would feel beautiful in. I feel as though I have a natural eye and can really make women in their many shapes look beautiful and fashion forward.

After working in brand and event marketing for many years when I moved back to Boston, I decided that I really wanted to see my dream come true and started Reina Valentina. Reina Valentina is an online women’s modest clothing boutique for the professional woman. I source from female designers and socially conscious brands. I curate looks into collections that are on trend for the season. Our mission is to make women feel beautiful from the inside out. I really care about supporting women owned businesses and sharing their stories. We also give back a percentage of proceeds to The Hunger Project.

I also create fashion and wellness pop-up shops that incorporate other female business owners. Women can come shop, have some snacks, network and have the opportunity to participate in a health and/or beauty workshop. We have offered Kick it by Eliza classes and Namastay Sober Yoga classes to name a couple. We really love the idea of supporting local female based businesses and creating really fun events for women to come to.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Starting a business is never a smooth journey but its really about enjoying the journey and learning from the things that come your way. I think it is important to do what you love and give it your all with no regret. I feel like when you choose to do something that you love it doesn’t feel like work anymore but more like an expression of yourself. I love fashion, supporting women businesses and helping women feel confident (and sometimes that looks like the perfect outfit for a meeting or event.) I get to do all of this in my business on a regular basis.

I think one of the biggest struggles for me is managing the overwhelm. As an entrepreneur, you always have to wear many hats and your work is never done. There is always more creating and marketing to be done. There are days that I want to hide under the covers, but I know that is not going to get me to where I want to be, so I jump up to hit the gym get those endorphins going and then power through my day.

The 4 tips that have helped me the most are:
1. Maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
I schedule my workouts into my day, eat healthily and take supplements to have me feeling my best. Without taking care of my body first I wouldn’t be able to accomplish all of the rest.
2. Collaborate
I find amazing women and businesses to partner and do collaboration projects with them. I feel as though we all have our strengths and can add benefit to each other. When you support each other it is easier to grow and take things to the next level.
3. Always learn
People, marketing, industries, trends are always changing. I am constantly reading and trying out new innovative methods to get me to the next level.
4. Scheduling
I schedule out the tasks of the day. Although my to do list is never ending I prioritize what needs to get done and schedule blocks of time to get specific things done each day. When I complete the day, this method gives me a sense of accomplishment.

what should we know about Reina Valentina? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I would call myself a branding specialist and stylist. I help people and businesses create a cohesive message throughout the different marketing channels as well as in their personal style. I provide personal styling sessions for clients and have an online clothing store Reina Valentina, www.shopreinav.com that people can purchase my curated looks. I find pieces that are unique, contemporary and fashion forward but suitable for the office or an evening out. My pieces are versatile and can be styled at various levels of modesty. I also host fashion and wellness pop-up shops in which I collaborate with other female business owners. I center my heart and soul in everything I do and really care about the people that I work with.

Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
There are many women that have done so many amazing things in this world that have inspired me to believe in myself. I love reading about what women have gone through and how they have persevered and accomplished so much. But on a personal level, the women who have really inspired me are my great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother. All of these women are kind, humble, beautiful and strong women. They also all can sew wonderfully and have fashion in their blood.

My great grandmother use to sew and make patterns for all of the people in her village in Trinidad. Every time I would walk into the house in a new dress she would tell me how she had a dress like that and would tell me how to make it.

My grandmother came this country in her early 20s with little education and became an entrepreneur owning first a clothing store and now a salon on Mass Ave in between Newbury and Comm. She worked very hard and didn’t let anything stand in her way.

My mother is a retired Lt. Colonel in the U.S Army. She is always doing something to make this world a better place. Her activism, knowledge of the world and compassion for humanity never ceases to amaze me.

These are the women who raised me and taught me to go after my dreams and do everything with love in my heart.

Pricing:

• Pieces from Reina Valentina run from $40-$250
• Personal Styling Sessions are free with a merchandise purchase of $250
• Vendor event participation runs $25-$75 depending upon event

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shopreinav.com
• Phone: (917) 426-2416
• Email: farhana@shopreinav.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/shopreinav
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/shopreinav
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/shopreinav
• Other: www.pinterest.com/shopreinav

Image Credit:
Feda Eid, Khand Tenney, Timothy Eugene

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