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

Hi JOVANNI, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Starting a business is not easy. Not only is there a lot that goes into making a business successful but it also requires a tremendous amount of time that at first, I was not sure I was capable of managing. Aside from founding and operating FitsByJVNI, I have been a professional dancer for 14 years. I have gone on to share the stage with notable credits such as Paula Abdul, Demi Lovato, Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, Selena Gomez, and many more. With the demands of having to attend auditions, be on set, travel etc, I couldn’t imagine adding more to my plate. However, I felt that I had more to offer and there was more to life than what I was doing so I began to push myself by brainstorming ways to do both effectively and efficiently. I started thinking about my purpose and WHY the business was so important to me. What is the purpose of behind it? What kind of clientele did I want to target? How would I want to be treated as a client? It took me a few weeks to simmer on my responses to these questions. I knew that without these answers I would not be able to successfully move forward. I contemplated on numerous business names, studied my favorite stylist in more depth, took time to understand what was happening in the world of styling, created and designed the FitsbyJVNI website, set up it’s social media accounts, and launched the brand on Feb 9, 2020. Although I am still an up and coming stylist, I’ve been able to successfully produce content that my clients are happy and excited about. That is always my main mission on a job in addition to making it an enjoyable, authentic experience.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am of Dominican and Puerto Rican decent but was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. Growing up in the projects and having been exposed to lots of negative things around me, my parents always assured that my brothers and I stayed focused, chose the right path, push beyond our limitations, and remained humble no matter what situations we were currently in. Having been the oldest of 4 boys, I have always strived alongside my parents on setting the example when it came to work ethic, consistency, self-love, and being authentic. Coming out to my family at the age of 14 and being accepted so easily for who I was allowed me to genuinely be myself without question still to this day. While attending performing arts high school, I was constantly exposed to so many artists that inspired me tremendously when it came to dance. My obsession with dance, music videos, concerts, and live performances was my first exposure to the world of fashion. Although I was always in Aw by what I was seeing, I never truly imagined recreating or diving into the world of fashion. It was not until I relocated to New York City to attend The Juilliard School in 2011, that my sense of style began to develop. Shortly after, my peers began to acknowledge me for my bold and vibrant looks.
When I think back to all the skills my parents instilled in me growing up, and looking at the body of work i have produced to this day, I constantly remind myself that none of it would have been possible without the leadership, fight, and examples from those I surrounded myself around growing up.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Absolutely, They’re a numerous amount of people I can thank. Friends, family, mentors, and everyone who has inspired me whether that were through social media, films, etc.

Website: Www.FitsByJVNI.Com

Instagram: @FitsByJVNI

Twitter: @FitsByJVNI

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jovanni.soto.

Other: Pinterest: @FitsByJVNI

Image Credits
Alissa Roseborough Monica Guitti Claudio A. Robles Bertram Knight

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.