Providing equality in athletic wear. A foundation of inclusivity leads to thriving brand

President/CEO Supporting World Hope

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

A Clear Vision Guides the Transformational Leader

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." – Ralph Waldo Emerson Leading others is difficult because people are different. Each person has their own unique interests, concerns, and background that requires special attention and focus on the part of the leader. There is no program that will change people’s behavior. People must be inspired to change their own behaviors. Leaders can inspire that change by adopting a transformational leadership style. Transformational leaders are innovative, flexible, adaptable, and continually improve those around them. They experiment and take risks. And because they know that risk taking involves mistakes and failures, they accept the inevitable disappointments as learning opportunities. So, how do you become a transformational leader? Transformational leadership starts with the development of a vision — a view of the future that will excite followers. You, as the leader, must buy into it. Hook, line, and sinker.

The next step (which in fact never stops) is to constantly champion the vision. This takes energy and commitment, as few people will immediately buy into an extreme vision. And some will join in much slower than others. The

transformational leader must take every opportunity and use whatever works to convince others to climb on board. To create followers, a transformational leader must be very careful in creating trust, and their personal integrity is a critical part of the package they are selling. In effect, they are selling themselves as well as the vision. People do not just follow anyone. You cannot just say “follow me” and expect people to follow out of the goodness of their hearts. You must give them good reason to follow. Having a vision is not enough – you must be able to win commitment to the vision. In the workplace, the leaders you remember are those who win your commitment. How do they do that? Is it just charisma, or do they have some secret technique for winning people over? Surprisingly, charisma is not considered an essential leadership quality. Charismatic business leaders were found to be no more likely to be successful than uncharismatic ones. You must be willing to get to know people as individuals, and to show that you know what makes them tick. Effective transformational leaders have a clear set of ethical values and beliefs and live by them. Not living by a strong set of ethical values and beliefs will erode the confidence others have in the company. A clear vision guides the transformational leader. Finding the way forward can be an ongoing process of course correction, and the transformational leader will accept that there will be failures and blind canyons along the way. If transformational leaders feel progress is being made, they are comfortable, for they know they are on the right track. The next stage is to remain upfront and central during the action. Transformational leaders are always visible and will stand up to be counted rather than hide behind their troops. They demonstrate by their attitudes and actions how everyone else should behave. They also make continued efforts to motivate and rally their followers, constantly doing the rounds, listening, soothing and enthusing. It is their commitment as much as anything else that keeps people going — particularly through the darker times when some may question whether the vision can ever be achieved. Transformational leaders ensure the execution of a plan. There are positive results from the work that is done that makes a significant difference. When you think of transformational leaders in our history, the results of their leadership are evident.

Sabrina is a certified consultant, coach, facilitator, & bestselling author that helps nonprofits and small businesses build relationships that increase revenue. She provides workplace training, including How to Build a Superior Work Team, Creating A Conducive Workplace, Overcoming Negativity in the Workplace, and Leadership, Board, & Strategic Planning Retreats. Social Media LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sabrinawalkerhernandez/ YouTube: youtube.com/c/SupportingWorldHope Website: supportingworldhope.com Facebook: facebook.com/supportingworldhope Instagram: instagram.com/the_nonprofitexpert

Providing EquALLity in Athletic Wear

A Foundation of Inclusivity Leads to Thriving Brand

by Rocio Villalobos | photos by Bárbara Delgado

Tired of being limited to the same basic workout wear, Raquel Ponce decided to take action. Though she had no background or experience in design and production, Ponce did have ideas and a can-do spirit. And with that, she grew Miami Fitwear into a successful company that sells worldwide. Ponce, Miami Fitwear CEO and founder, said the brand is about uniqueness and inclusivity — offering extended sizes, from XXS to 4X. “I’ve struggled with my weight my entire life, and I couldn’t find my size in the leggings or brands I wanted to wear,” she said. “So, I know what it’s like to feel excluded. I want people to feel good no matter what size they are. “They can wear bright designs or certain colors and feel confident expressing who they are as people.” Ponce was living in Miami when she decided to start her company. Initially, she intended it to be a retailer housing other brands, but she soon realized the designs and quality of what was out there were not up to par. The research and development phase began in Florida, but once she moved to the Rio Grande Valley with her husband, she got production off the ground. “It took me two years to find the fabric, and then I worked on the website and worked on how I was going to create different designs for different body types,” she said. “Having tried other brands, I thought having a high-quality product that would last a long time was very important. I wanted it to be the best that I could make it.” Other core practices for the brand include using eco-friendly techniques and being ethically made in Texas.

Staying true to her values has proven worth it. From a small office with a single employee, Miami Fitwear has grown to have 15 employees — the majority female — and 30,000 square feet in total warehouse space. The brand has also expanded to swimwear and protective face coverings. Ponce shared she is grateful for the success and the impact, but never would have envisioned this entrepreneurial journey for herself. “If you would’ve told me years ago that I would be in this magazine and doing all this stuff, I would have laughed,” she said. “I would have said, ‘Yeah, right.’ I sold copiers. I was a salesperson and sold artificial intelligence software, so I would never have thought I’d be doing this ever. It’s so crazy.” While she doesn’t view her skillset from her sales background as transferable to building a brand, she believes her power resides in being authentic. “I’ve always felt like no matter where we come from, no matter what ethnicity, religion, we’re all

human,” she said. “We should all celebrate each other. I enjoy showcasing different body types. Not everyone looks like the standard definition of fitness.”

Through each of her collections, Ponce aims to celebrate different cultures and movements. Her team’s design process is all about getting creative and having fun.

“A lot of the time, we play music at the warehouse, and we’ll have dance parties, and we’ll be like, ‘OK, we’re going to listen to hip hop today, and we’re going to talk about making something based on hip hop. When I was designing my pride collection, it was, ‘Let’s put on pride classics or pride remixes.’” Amid the success of Miami Fitwear, Ponce remembers to give back. For various collections, she’s donated a portion of proceeds back to the communities that inspired the designs. The key lesson she’s learned in building a successful business that has worked with major brands, including Peloton, is not to get too confident or comfortable.

“Success is not about being on top; success is about maintaining what you have built,” she said. “Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster. You have your ups, and you have your downs. It’s all about maintaining.” In addition to a growing, thriving business to tend to, Ponce values spending quality time with family. This is all possible, she shared, through discipline, consistency, passion, and delegating. “I wake up early each morning to start my day, and really, that’s how I do it,” she said. “I have things structured. I know exactly what I’m doing every single day.” As for her vision for the future of Miami Fitwear, Ponce aims to launch a children’s line in early 2023. Longterm, she would like the designs to be sold in major retail stores. When times get tough, or a problem arises, she tries to remember just how much the brand is impacting lives, and the feeling she gets when she sees someone out in the apparel. “It gets really hard, and sometimes I feel like throwing in the towel,” she said. “Then, somebody emails me at the right time and tells me they are so happy to have these unique, fun options.

“I love people telling me how happy our leggings make them — how they last and are the best they’ve ever worn. I have clients that are cancer patients and who wear my leggings when going through chemotherapy because they’re so soft. It just really brings tears and joy to my life.”

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