Recently, I had a chance to ask Ajaya about her path to success as well as the challenges and opportunites facing her generation — the first generation to reach adulthood in the new millennium.
Bobbi: What have you learned that might help others?
Ajaya: The most valuable lesson that I have learned in life is bumping my head. A lot of times younger people think they have the answer to everything. It’s important to realize that there are people who have been living a lot longer who can give us the wisdom and structure we need in order to not make the same mistakes that they made. The biggest thing I’ve learned is having faith in God and knowing that all things are possible if I just believe.
Bobbi: What most concerns you and other young people your age?
Ajaya: The biggest concern facing my generation today is parents who don’t spend quality time with their children, parents who don’t show up to the soccer games, parents who don’t teach their little girls how to be ladies, or teach their sons how to treat women.
If a little more time were spent preparing children for real life, my generation would be a lot further ahead. There would be more business owners, more teachers, more hard-working human beings, and maybe my generation wouldn’t take life for granted.
Bobbi: How can my generation help yours?
Ajaya: I believe wisdom is power. Your generation can help my generation by investing knowledge in us, and giving us a chance. Whether it's sitting and spending time talking to us, allowing us to express our own feelings, or showing us why we should save our money, it all helps. We need to be educated about what type of interest we can gain from saving and investing over a period of time. You can teach us about investing in stocks. Not all young people just want entertainment.
Bobbi: How did you get started as a fashion designer?
Ajaya: I got into fashion design by watching my mother hustle in order to pay the bills. She has always been creative in making things and selling them. Watching her "do her thing" with arts and crafts made me want to step out and make something to sell, too. After my mother and I became homeless, it developed into a business for me.
When we were homeless, our finances were slim to none. I wasn't able to buy all of the new "name brand" school clothes my friends got. So, I took some of my old things and made them new by adding my own flavor of creativity. One thing led to another, and I became a fashion designer.
I was really surprised when I got the scholarship from Guardian Life Insurance. My mother and sister had submitted one of my hats (without my permission) along with a letter about who I was and what I was up to. The next thing I knew, a DHL package arrived for me. Boom just like that, my life changed.
Bobbi: How did you come up with the name for your own designer brand?
Ajaya: A lot of people have a hard time pronouncing my name so I made up the nick name "AJ." I own a custom design business so why not add a little creativity to the name? I changed "custom" into KUSTOMZ. And that’s the story behind the brand AJ KUSTOMZ.
Bobbi: What do you see happening for you in the next five years?
Ajaya: In five years I see myself with 3 different businesses:
- AJ Kustomz which is a hip hop clothing brand,
- Joe Yellow which is more high fashion, and
- A girls and boys youth center with motivational speakers like myself speaking to young people about how it takes hard work and perseverance to get to your dreams.
Bobbi: And longterm?
Ajaya: My major goal in life is to own a business that can become a household name. I want to change the way people think, and be remembered, and honored for that. I want to teach people that if I can do it, they can do it. In order for me to be an inspiration for others, I have to do it right. I want to be someone who parents will want their children to look up to.
