Asha Santee was broke. She was sitting inside of her college dorm room filled with half-empty paint cans, sitting Surrounded by old t-shirts and Nike sneakers. It was an Important Piece of Clothing that Became the initial focus Santee’s Small Business. At first, Santee would paint her stylized stickman figures and music inspired drawings on t-shirts and sneakers as a way to save money on clothing while in school. What she did not know then was That These drawings would be the beginning of what would’ve become her purpose in life.
Providing affordable and styling t-shirt / hoodie designs as well as canvased art pieces, the 28-year-old Santee now runs Note 2 Self LLC, a multi-brand company T hat focuses on art, music and clothing. Although it started as a clothing fire, It has now grown to include drum and piano lessons, Santee’s public speaking services, and even her own musical talents, Which she showcases in five DC band.
While wearing one of her creations, a basketball teammate asked where she got it from and Offered to Pay $ 20 for one. It was apres That conversation, Santee Decided to make her shirt into a business.
“When I started making the shirts, I was just making them for me, Because I was Broke And Could not afford the ones at the Mall , so I was like, I’m just going to paint my own shirts, “she said. The artist and musician combined her two passions into an online clothing fire.
” The whole basketball team ended up buying them, and even my coaches, then it spreads to friends, and then we started doing fashion shows, and selling at Homecoming, “she said.
” I went to see her at a Raw A rtist show in Penn City sometime in August, ” said Erika Carroll, an inspiring artist who purchased a small canvas piece and clothing button. “Asha’s stuff is vibrant and thought provoking,” said Carroll, who compared Santee’s work to the style of Keith Haring, a performer know for his stickmen designs.
Cristina Payne, documents currently a radio talk show host for WLVS radio, was a friend of Santee’s in 2007 and at the time baked cakes and cupcakes for Hip-Hop and R & amp; B stars. Her cakes havebeen Delivered to Gladys Knight, John Legend, and Floyd Mayweather. Santee asked Payne to wear than the original shirt as she did Deliveries In Hopes That the exposure would lead a celebrity to wear one. Her shirt designs’ll have publicized it on some well-known musicians Including Jamie Foxx and Anthony Hamilton.
“I was painting all musical designs, records and pianos, but the main thing is the stick figure designs,” said Santee.
Santee was born in San Francisco but moved to Houston When She was 8. It was where she did her “real growing up.” While in high school, Santee recalled having a book called “The Happy Book” Which was 10 pages of stick figures in Funny Situations That would help When She was having a bad day.
“I told my mom one day ‘hey, I’m just going to do knitting art’, and she was like ‘Asha, come one, you just can not draw stickmen ‘, “said Santee as she laughed before yelling,” It’s all I know how to draw. “
” Yes, I am an artist. But I do not draw faces or animals, “said Santee.
” I just stuck with what I knew, I knew I can draw stickmen, and I was going to put music notes in his hand and headphones, and he was going to ask a cool stickman. “
Note 2 Self LLC did not come to pray without adversity. Santee worked in the admissions office of Howard University in 2008, but was laid off after a year. She attended Howard University on a basketball scholarship, and After being laid off she tried to Pursue a career in basketball. But she broke her leg the week she Decided That She would start training harder. “I was in bed making some of my best music lying on my back with a key board into my lap, and I was like, ‘aright the basketball season of your life is over, you Need to be doing what your poison was’. “
” There was so muchmore school That I knew that I needed, “said Santee on starting a business.
In 2012, Santee lived in an apartment without electricity for two months.
” I remember lastyear Painting with tea lights in my hand, “she said.
” I do not know how many people havebeen in real darkness, but I’ll just say, Light is an important issue. “
Shortly after, Santee was homeless for four months and lived on the couches of her friends, before her Aunt Offered to pay for a year’s rent in December of 2013.
“She called me up and said ‘I see what you ‘re doing, I believe in What You’re Doing, and I believe in your dreams’. She gave me 12 months to get myself together, “Santee said. Santee distressed her profits to reinvest in her business and saidthat” Trying to build a business right and Trying to live at the sametime, “Became overwhelming.
“To be honest, I am afraid of loans, and I am afraid of debt,” said Santee who did not take out a business loan and instead chose to use her own money fromprevious Vacancies, music gigs, and profits from her artwork to reinvest into her clothing line. Currently she is redoing her business plan to apply for grants, and look into other monetary Opportunities Including investors.
Located only minutes away from where her first t-shirt was made in 2007. Santee’s apartment n ow serves, as a Functioning studio for her art in DC As a result, Santee writes off her residence in her taxes. Note 2 Self LLC Became a limited liability company in 2011.
Ariana Scott remembered going to one of Santee’s speaking engagements last year and said, “I remember when she Told us That She was homeless just a couple months before. You would never even know, her spirits are always so high. “Scott described the event as an” Inspiration and painting seminar, “where Participants were Told to paint what inspires them on old record discs, while having an interactive conversation of Following one’s dreams with Santee.
“I think it’s just great to know thatthere are still opportunities to be successful doing the things we love to do,” said Scott.
“Happiness is something you design. So Dance If You’ll have happy feet. Pick up a’ve got dang paintbrush If you love color. And remember; Prot ect Your Vision with unwavering faith “, said Santee.
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