Meet Zavia Empey | CEO of Zavia Walker and English Teacher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zavia Empey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zavia, why did you pursue a creative career?
Ever since I was little, I’d dress up in my mom’s and older sister’s clothes and be modeling all over the house. Haha. I have always been creative and use to draw all over my notebooks in school. In 2013, while living in Jamaica, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune illness and navigating it brought on a lot of stress. I turned to my love for Art as a way to make me feel better and to reduce stress. I started making jewelry and sandals and used YouTube tutorials to perfect my craft. My friends, family and co-workers became interested in the products after seeing me wear them, so they started ordering these items from me. At the time, I was a high school English teacher in Jamaica and the resources I needed were very limited there. I migrated to the United States in 2018 and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take my small business to the next level. My artistic abilities have grown so much since then and my brand, Zavia Walker has evolved into a lifestyle brand. I create original artwork which fuses classic style with exclusive hand painted prints for those who want to look and feel good.
My products include apparel, jewelry, home decor items as well as beauty products. My customers are the real heroes in my story. It brings me great joy when they send me pictures and messages telling me that my clothes are their “go to confidence outfit”. With all the chaos going on all over the world it makes me feel good when I can put a smile on someone’s face or just help them to feel good about themselves.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am most proud of my journey and the fact that I never gave up even when things didn’t go how I wanted them to. Every set back became a teachable lesson. This is how I got to where I am today. In business, something will definitely go wrong, and you have to be strong enough, have faith and believe in your abilities and think positive always. My business is growing and the universe is sending me all these great opportunities that I am so grateful for. What sets me apart from others is I always view myself as a student because there is always something to learn to make me better as a person or to make my business better. My ideas and style are unique. I would like the world to know that no matter where you are from, you matter, your ideas matter, you talent matters. I would also like others to know that in business not everyone will be for you and that’s okay. It is all about finding your tribe and those who align with your values.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them to Jamaica! There are so many cool places to visit. I am from Portland, Jamaica, home of the world famous Blue Lagoon and Jerked Chicken. We would go rafting on the Blue Lagoon in Portland, then stop to feast on Jerk meals in Boston. Our journey would continue to Sommerset Falls, where the beautiful cascading water falls calms the soul. I would also definitely stop at my sister’s house in Buff Bay, Portland, Jamaica to cook a scrumptious meal (cooking is my other passion) Haha. Our trip would end with a hike to the top of the Blue Mountains to watch the sun rise while we sip on Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee and bask in the morning glory.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my customers and everyone who has supported my business, even if it is a share of my posts on social media. They have all motivated me to keep creating and I have inspired many others to go after their dreams and/or passions.

Website: zaviawalker.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopzaviawalker

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zavia-walker-empey-6b5b78199/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopzaviawalker