By Sofia Lamdichi | February 24, 2025
Photo Credit: Hope McGirt / Videni Website
Supporting Black-owned college businesses is more than just a purchase - it's an investment in the future. These innovative enterprises, often spearheaded by ambitious students and recent graduates, bring fresh perspectives and unique products to the market. From fashion lines to beauty addressing community-specific needs, Black-owned college businesses are driving change and fostering diversity. By choosing to support these ventures, you're not only helping young entrepreneurs succeed but also contributing to a more inclusive and equitable economy.
Hope McGirt is among the many ambitious UAlbany students who have found success and support through a clothing business. One may wonder what her process was when creating her clothing company.
“The idea of creating my own company was rooted in the skills and self-discoveries I made in quarantine,” McGirt said. “Everyone in quarantine was essentially trying to entertain themselves while also finding themselves. For me, I was trying to find my sense of style. I am 5’6, some people might not consider me that tall, but I have long legs.
“Most of the clothing I was buying did not fit me the way I wanted or was bootcut,” she said. “I also liked clothing that was comfy and tall-girl friendly which I didn’t find around that time, so I proposed the idea to my mom, and she completely supported me.”
The next step for McGirt was to look for a vendor and produce a sample. However, after coming up with the name “Hope’s Vision” for her brand in honor of her name, she ran into roadblocks with getting the ball officially rolling.
Unfortunately, the vendor executed the sample horribly and that discouraged me,” McGirt said. “I gave up.”
Following a discouraging event, McGirt was able to lift herself up to continue her business venture.
“Three years later the feeling that I had of creating something not just for myself but for other people wouldn’t go away,” she said. “I tried again with a new design, found a new manufacturer, and invested money into a few samples. My family and I loved the finished product, so they helped me raise enough money to buy a bulk. Now that I was older the whole ‘Hope’s Vision’ thing felt corny to me, however, I still loved having the name of my clothing brand correlate to the way I envisioned clothing, so I shortened it to ‘Vision.’”
The fashion market is more competitive than others, making it difficult to stand out. McGirt was no stranger to this competition, and had to find a way to amplify her own brand.
“At this time, many people were starting a lot of clothing brands and it was challenging not to create designs that were already trending,” she said. “I didn’t want my clothing brand to be another ‘copy and paste’ brand, so I looked up ‘vision’ in different languages and found ‘Videni,’ which is vision but in Czech. I loved it.”
Starting a business takes support, drive, and the courage to face challenges—challenges that even those twice McGirt’s age would find difficult to navigate.
“The next challenge was promoting my brand, which scared me,” she said. “I knew how much I loved clothing and designing, and I didn’t want to put myself in a position where people could judge something so personal and vulnerable to me. I usually don’t care about judgment, but I worried people wouldn’t like what I was putting out there. I felt like the people that would judge my brand would be judging me and it would be a reflection of who I am as a person.”
“Thankfully, I had a great support system of family and friends who reassured me,” McGirt said. “Not everyone will like what I create, and that’s okay. It doesn’t diminish the hard work and time I put into starting my business. My clothing resonated with people, and I am incredibly appreciative of every order I’ve received and every bit of support, whether it was a purchase, a like, or a repost.”
Being a college student means barely finding the time to do anything other than your assignments and hang out with friends on the weekends, and this was something McGirt had to work around in order to help her business be successful.
“To balance my school life and my business, I create a schedule,” she said. “I allocate time for business tasks like packaging orders, emailing clients, answering FAQs, designing, and promoting, all based on my school and work schedule. When I was in high school, I would plan around my assignments to make time for my business. I also complete assignments in advance to free up time. I keep my customers informed about shipping times and response delays, ensuring clear communication. Thanks to my organized schedule, I usually have time to pack and ship orders the same day, keeping both school and business well-balanced.”
When asked what buyers can find on her website today and what’s coming soon, McGill said, “Right now, my website offers items available for preorder, including unisex sweatsuits in various colors and sizes. However, I’m excited to take things in a new direction. I’m currently designing and creating shorts for spring and summer, along with loungewear and unique statement pieces. They’ll be comfy, fashionable, and, of course, tall-girl friendly.”
Future business owners may need advice before they take a chance on themselves the way McGirt has.
“I wish I knew that quality items will always be successful. It might seem like common sense, but experiencing it firsthand made it real,” she said. “My items had great quality, and people loved them, constantly asking for more. I didn’t expect so much support, so I ordered small batches, which led to feeling pressured and rushed when I sold out. This stress caused me to make decisions that compromised quality and cost me money.”
Investing in quality will never harm your business’s ability to succeed, which is something McGirt learned during her journey.
“I learned that it’s better to invest in quality products because if your items are good, you can always make your money back - two times, three times, five times, even 10 times more,” she said. “Building strong relationships with the people who help create and sell your products is also crucial because it allows for better negotiations. Something may seem more expensive upfront, but it’s worth it in the long run.”
“Lastly, I wish I had learned to promote better,” McGirt said. “I was afraid to put myself and my business out there, but in reality, I was selling myself short. Now, I would promote every second of the day.”
To shop Videni, visit this link: https://videniap.myshopify.com/