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JANUARY 1ST, 2024VISION 365:PLANNING THEYEAR AHEADMOTHERING: THEBALANCING ACT OF SELF ANDCHILDRENMATRIARCHFASHIONRELEASEA NEW RESOLUTIONA NEW RESOLUTION

A peek behind thecurtain: Building anempire “We want to see more Black women in positions ofpower, and we want to see them be able to live thedreams God has placed in their hearts. I’m saying all ofthis to say that we want to be the change we want tosee in the world, and the future of MatriArch is to helpothers see that change while we lead the changethrough support, resources, and sisterhood.”I have been a marketer by trade for 15+ years andhave been in many industries, from interiorcompanies to automotive, healthcare, and, mostrecently, the pharmaceutical space. I decided totake a leap of faith and start my own companybecause I was truly underutilized for my skills andtalents. I wanted to be able to use my marketingskills to help others and make a difference in theirlives as I know what the Black Woman experienceentails, particularly in corporate America. You areoften the only one in the space who looks like you,and you are usually the only one who has thoughtsoutside of the “normal box” of what is consideredacceptable for a company. I wanted to be able tohelp other women in this space find their voices, beheard, and make a difference, as I found it verydifficult to find a good fit in the corporate space. Idecided to take my skills and expertise and usethem to create a company, MatriArch, honoring myfour grandmothers (Paternal: Grace Partlow, RitaLindsay, and Maternal: Joan Nixon and ElizabethMeek) and the contributions they made to my life.Joining MatriArch is honoring those before us whilebecoming MatriArchs of our own family legaciesand communities.Ashley WashingtonBy Ashley Washington Photographs by Whitney ClemsonTell me about your background and howyou got started in this industry.What inspired you to start your owncompany?I was very blessed to be raised around BlackEntrepreneurship. My aunt and uncle owned aBlack Beauty Supply store in Gastonia that stillstands to this day. I started working when I was 11.Later, at the age of 15, I spent the summer with myaunt in Waste Management. There, I learned aboutdrums, chemicals, and how to properly dispose ofwaste from hospitals, schools, and other homesanitary pumps. I was given the very hefty task offiling and cold-calling previous clients. Throughthese experiences, I learned so much about supplychains and the importance of doing business withother Black-owned businesses through servitudeand with a servant's heart. I have been blessed tohave mentors and have been surrounded byentrepreneurs who have taught me so much. So, Ihave always been inspired to start my owncompany. It was just a matter of timing and theright opportunity. As MatriArch is my secondcompany, I was able to use my skills and talents tobuild a legacy company. If I can do it, anyone cando it.

What are the challenges you have faced as a Black woman CEO?There are challenges when starting any business with gaining Market share, performing a SWOTanalysis prior to launch, and understanding the needs of your target market, and strategizing a Go-To-Market Strategy. Since we started MatriArch, there has been a lack of awareness of the serviceswe provide. There is a need for us to educate our target market on the need to invest in Blackbusinesses and how pouring into Black businesses has a direct impact on the growth of ourcommunity. We are in the process of creating a campaign to educate our community on theimportance of doing business with Black-owned businesses while providing events that teachthem how to start a business, pivot from their current positions, meet-ups for coffee, and amonthly newsletter. We create a safe space by creating an uplifting, God-led culture and filled with positive energy. Wehave a culture that is open to change and many situations that Black women face in Americaspecifically. We have a culture that is filled with vibrant energy that is both contagious andinspiring. We encourage our team to be vulnerable and share their opinions in the workplace, andwe celebrate our wins. We encourage them to be open to new ideas and take risks in theworkplace. We have an environment where we celebrate each other, all the while beingsupportive of those within our group. We send out prayers and have recently added a prayer listgroup. We are all about being strong together and encouraging one another. How do you create a safe space for Black women in your company?