Meet Akila Jackson | Designer

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

Hi Akila, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
One major contributor to my success in my opinion is learning to become comfortable with being uncomfortable, Being able to create opportunites by stepping out my comfort zone . An example for me specifically would be overcoming my anxiety to be present on social media platforms as they play a big part in marketing and networking.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Tress’ure Chest LLC began from an idea and a sketch on paper. When I first came up with the ‘Bundle Bag” concept it was because just about all genders wear some type of wigs or hair extensions, whether its for fashion or health reasons. As we all know hair extensions can be very pricey and once those extensions are installed we take extra measures to take care of them with satin scarfs and pillow cases etc. However nothing was being done to protect the extensions prior to being installed and were often carried in a plastic bag. My thought was how can we protect our investment (the extensions) as well as be fashionable and discreet ! With this concept being new I first did my research on how to protect the idea, which lead me to the U.S. Patent Office, it wasnt easy but utilizing the resources they provide I was able to file for a Patent myself and currently have a pending patent on my “Bundle Bags “with the USPTO. Once my idea was protected I did some additional research and acquired a handbag manufacturer. Dealing with the manufacturers can be difficult because they are accustomed to dealing with larger companies so their requirements for minimum orders can be quite expensive for a small start up business. This is when coming out of my comfort zone first came into play because in order to continue pursuing this I knew I had to be able to negotiate with the manfacturers to get down to reasonable terms and quantities. Once I obtained a manufacturer and began working on the tech packs (blueprints for fashion) , I realized that I was limiting myself by only catering to this one aspect. So I started designing my bags to encompass more features to cater to more items. This allowed me to have a larger target audience to grow my brand because I was able to design a leather bag with unique features that can also be used as an everyday Tote Bag to carry personal items including laptops. My theory was backpacks don’t just carry books. A few things I would love everyone to know is that it’s never to late to pursue your dreams and accomplish your goals. Never give up trying and evolving to create your best self, business and products. It’s okay for your business to grow and evolve just be sure to maintain the principles and values of the business and deliver great customer service.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love a little staycation and bonus points for hanging out with my bestie, not to mention we are in Las Vegas with all the action. On day one we will head over to LoLo’s Chicken and Waffles and enjoy a nice lunch with mimosas before heading over to the Venetian Hotel to ride the Gondola, once the night sky is lit up we will head over to the LINQ where we can ride the Ferris Wheel, get a great view of the Las Vegas Strip and have happy hour all at the same time. To wrap up the day we’ll have dinner at Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen. Next Day we’ll hang out pool side at Mandalay Bay Beach pool , catch a few rounds at Top Golf and nice dinner with a great view at the Sugar Factory on the Strip. We must take some time out to get over to the Fremont Street experience where we can ride the Zip Line and people watch because there is so much to see downtown. Before my bestie leaves we must also catch the Jabowakeez show and have a great experience dinner at Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse in the Fashion Show Mall. Last but not least we will watch the water fountain show at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is a hard one, my family has been so supportive. My aunt Anisa has sat for 8+ hours outside in 110 degree Vegas heat to do Pop-up shops with me, My husband Marques motivates, encourages me and reminds why I started this journey, and my Dad Dennis always reminds me to manifest the things I want and to never lose sight of the goal.

Website: www.tressurechestllc.com

Instagram: TressureChestllc

Facebook: TressureChestllc

Youtube: AkilaJackson

Other: TikTok: Akila_Jackson

Image Credits
BluFox Media Group