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

Hi Erica, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?

“Perspective is everything.” God curates our lives, but we get to choose how we experience it. I try not to approach life surviving the second, minute, and hours. Instead, I try to experience life from a macroview and see the big picture: Life is a chain of events that either gives us sparks of joy or teaches us lessons.. . Saying this to myself moves me out from self referencing to considering alternate ideas and vantage points, which helps when making business decisions.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

I am the owner of The Other Side of Compton, Incorporated (TOSOC, Inc) a company that houses to business lines: Asali, an ecommerce business that imports fabric, fans, jewelry and other accessories from multiple countries in Africa; and Compton Soul, an urban luxury apparel brand that uses West African kente cloth to embroider the name of historically Black neighborhoods and cities on the clothing. .

What am I most excited about?
I started TOSOC, Inc in July 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 epidemic, so I am excited to see how the two business lines grow as the world continues to thrive post pandemic. Asali’s sales are growing exponentially year over year, and my hope is to sell our African earrings and fans in Target or Zara, and our fabric in Walmart. For Compton Soul, I am excited to see our design on Comptonites and Angelenos  both near and across the country. Our sales have increased outside of California, and I look forward to reaching customers outside of the region and keeping them proudly connected to their roots.

How did you get to where you are today business-wise?
I have been doing business since I was 9, selling candy and lanyard string in elementary school. I love business, transacting, sharing best practices, and growing my network. I was taught the fundamentals of business like UCLA’s Riordan Scholars and Sacramento Entrepreneurship Academy. I have been mentored by business people from the UC Davis’s African American ALumni Association, at church, the Los Angeles Urban League, Cal State LA’s LEEAF program, and the Long Beach SCORE. I read a lot; I am constantly taking in information from all kinds of books, articles, and resources to learn strategies and stay abreast of the global economy. Even with all this information and guidance, the biggest lessons I learned were acquired through experiences: : trying, failing, assessing, improving, winning, and trying again.

Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?
Business is not easy; it is a constant test of willpower, endurance, confidence, decision making and agility. My first official company, Happy Baby Vending, a vending machine for baby products, as well intentioned and beautifully packaged as it was, didn’t work out. I ran the company for 5 years. After it closed, it took about 4 years to grieve and recover. What helped me were my mentors’ wise words, my friendship, and therapy. After a life changing experience in Kenya, Africa, sparks of joy reignited my passion of doing business again.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?
These are the lessons I learned:
– God is not a genie, but prayers do work. My relationship with God is my highest priority. Spending time daily gives me insight, understanding, patience, evens out my temperament, and helps me manage my expectations
– Give myself grace. I am human. I mess up; I don’t always make the best decisions, and that too is okay. This is how we all grow. Forgive myself, apologize to others, and keep it moving,
– My friendships are my saving grace, always make time for them.
– Put myself on my calendar. Rest, exercise, quiet time, and therapy are just as high of priorities as generating revenue. I am learning how  to set aside time for myself so that I don’t burn out.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Africa is where my heart lives and my soul is rooted deeply in the soils of Compton, CA

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

We would start the day at Patria Coffeehouse on Alameda for honey lavender chai, then head to the Compton Museum on Compton Blvd. Next, drive across the train tracks to Watts Tower Art Center to visit the towers and the museum. We may take a Fly Compton Tour to get a birdseye of the LA/OC coastline. Then grab a late lunch at Johnson’s Brother BBQ on Compton Blvd. The rib tips are my favorite, and don’t forget to grab some peach cobbler or banana pudding cheesecake. We’d drive to Magic Johnson Park on El Segundo to eat and take a leisure stroll around the pond. Finally, we’d end the night at a Jazz In Compton or 1st Sundaes Open Mic event.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

It took a village to raise, protect, and teach me. My family, especially my mother, brother, deceased uncle and grandmother instilled empathy, hope, and financial literacy in me. I learned from and was well trained by the most amazing and dedicated teachers & administrators at Ronald McNair Elementary School, Benjamin O Davis Jr Middle School, King/Drew High School, and the University of California, Davis. I also want to shout out the organizations that taught me valuable lessons about life, expanded my curiosity, and gave me permission to grow beyond any limitation: Charles Drew Saturday Science Academy, 4 Seasons West Ski Scholarship Program, and Riordan Scholars at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

As a budding entrepreneur, I was mentored by the late great Dr. Velma Union. I also participated in programs and workshops hosted by several small business development centers (SBDCs), the Sacramento Entrepreneurship Academy, the Los Angeles Urban League, Pasadena Community College, and CSULA’s LEEAF Program.

Website: www.comptonsoul.com and www.shopasali.com

Instagram: IG: @comptonsoulclothing @shopasali

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-harris-178b1610/

Facebook: @comptonsoulclothing @shopasali

Image Credits
For Compton Soul photos: Damion Lowe, 100 Karot Photography For Asali photos: Mia Ra’chelle

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.