IAM2451 – Creative Provides Cultural Exploration Experience Specializing in Dance Fitness
Special Throwback Episode with Chermika Farkwar
Chermika Farkwar, the founder of Soka Tribe, discusses her entrepreneurial journey and how she built her brand.
Her business, Soka Tribe, now offers a variety of services, including fitness classes, performances, and products that connect people to Caribbean culture, especially Carnival.
Chermika highlights the importance of storytelling in connecting with consumers, noting that her narrative resonates with her audience.
Chermika combines her marketing experience with a deep understanding of culture, which helps her stand out in the competitive fitness industry.
Chermika advocates for new business owners to focus on their vision, not fear failure, and be open to adjusting their business strategies as they grow.
Moreover, she aims to expand the educational side of her business, keeping the spirit of Carnival alive while continuing to grow Soka Tribe’s community.
Website: Soka Tribe
Previous Episode: iam262-creative-provides-cultural-exploration-experience-specializing-in-dance-fitness
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Transcription:
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Chermika Farkwar Teaser 00:00
Getting the actual insight to how carnival started. So it's a whole reenactment the weekend before carnival. It's just like, wow.
So this idea of evolution, going with the flow, thinking about it from a business perspective, brand extensions, how else can we evolve with our customer?
What else can we provide that we need? It's been a journey. And now we are actually in the space of creating products.
Intro 00:25
Are you ready to hear business stories and learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and level up your business from awesome CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders without listening to a long, long, long interview?
If so, you've come to the right place. Gresh values your time and is ready to share with you the valuable info you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.
Gresham Harkless 00:51
Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO Podcast, and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Chermika Farkwar of Soka Tribe. Chermika, it's awesome to have you on the show.
Chermika Farkwar 01:01
Huh? What'd you say?
Gresham Harkless 01:03
It's awesome to have you on the show.
Chermika Farkwar 01:04
Gresham is over here talking so fast, I can barely hear him. I'm really excited to be here as well.
[restrict paid=”true”]
Gresham Harkless 01:09
Well, I have such a laser focused podcast. I have to talk really fast so I can make sure that everybody hears all the awesome things that you're doing.
So I know you're here at PurpleCon. I wanted to hear how the event was going.
Chermika Farkwar 01:19
PurpleCon is going really awesome. We just had a panel about storytelling. And I think as a creative who like my product is based on people being engaged in my why.
And my story was just really powerful to hear a variety of entrepreneurs talk about the power of story and brand building.
Gresham Harkless 01:36
Absolutely. I think story is, you know, one of the biggest things that a lot of people usually start out with because it helps.
Correct me if I'm wrong, kind of build that emotional connection with somebody because you kind of hear exactly what they're going through.
Chermika Farkwar 01:46
Yep. And that's what people identify with because there's always another competitor or another choice, but only like you can be used.
So the better you are at telling your story to folks, the more likely you connect with your right consumer.
Gresham Harkless 01:57
Makes perfect sense. So now I'm going to put you on the hot seat. I want to hear what I call your CEO story, since we're talking about stories.
Chermika Farkwar 02:03
All right. My CEO story started, it's going to be four years and three weeks ago.
Started actually with Solutions by SF, which was initially called Spring Forward Solutions, but Solutions by SF was the cheaper domain at the time.
And so we talk about being an entrepreneur, being a resourceful. Eight dollars, two G's. OK, now here we go.
And I kept saying I'm going to change it and it just hasn't happened. So Solutions by SF, the goal was to be a growth strategy consultant focusing on taking whether it be an individual or an organization to the next level.
So I don't know if you've ever tried to start a consultancy, but it's really based on what does your client book look like?
So as I was waiting for this awesome client book to build, I started doing something on the side.
I was like, I'm going to teach a dance fitness class. to Soka music? Because I'm actually an important part of my story.
I'm a Brooklyn-born Trinidadian. What does that mean? Both of my parents were born and raised in Ireland, Trinidad.
I grew up in Brooklyn, very much immersed in the culture. And I just thought that was normal.
Like literally it took, I was in my thirties when I moved to DC and I was just like, wait, this isn't every day.
And so at this point in time, I'm no longer in, I would say the community of a workplace.
I'm a 30-something in a new city, so just trying to build these connections and not having that sense of home, I was really homesick.
So I'm like, I'm going to teach this class. And what I realized is like, well, I'm going to get my fix with Soka.
Whoever likes Soka music is likely to show up. And fitness is a very, I would say, accessible thing.
Like, we don't need everybody to be the best dancer. We're just here to try and have a good time.
I'm going to do this ever so often. I'm just going to do this until I get this client book, right?
Fast forward four years later, most people call me Sokanista or Soka Tribe on meeting me.
No one knows anything about Solutions by NSF. I've taught in five countries, 15 cities around the world, and it's just, it took a life on its own. That's the abridged version now.
Gresham Harkless 04:07
No, I absolutely love that. I love because a lot of times I feel like some of the best businesses, organizations that are started is because somebody is looking for something and then you realize that that's not here.
So let me create it for myself. And then all of a sudden you start telling one or two people and then they're like, oh, I really want to do that. Next thing you know, you have a business. That's kind of what happened.
Chermika Farkwar 04:24
It's exactly what happened. And the interesting thing about it, and I would say the the artist, the creative in me.
I just let it let the community kind of drive where things were going, as well as how I was shifting.
So as I got more into the dance space, into the fitness and dance space, it was like I started dancing when I was four.
And it's one of those things that I want to completely corporate. I like I was a management consultant at the big platform, like all of that. So I like let that go to the side.
So now I'm back in this creative space. I'm like, I want to perform again. So I started Soka Tribe Convoy, which is our performing division.
And what's interesting is you'd be surprised how many adults had that love for dance and are willing to put in the time and effort.
So right now the convoy is 30 adults. When I say adults, our youngest member is maybe 26 full-time jobs when we show up.
Like last year, for example, we got to perform at the Kennedy Center. And it's just about being dedicated.
And this idea of Soka Tribe being community, because that's where it started, right?
I was homesick. People wanted this class. I'm going to teach this class. I'm like, I want more.
And there's an appetite for more. This community, it just started to flourish.
Thinking about what's the meaning and the impact, I also started to remember, like, why is Carnival so important to me?
So I grew up in a mass camp, right? And I would say I have one of those things, like we show our language of love is like service and working on things together.
My dad had a mass camp and we would all, like the whole community, I want to say the community, like in terms of the pumpkin vine uncles and friends and family. We work in the mass camp.
Gresham Harkless 05:56
And what's a mass camp?
Chermika Farkwar 05:57
I was just about to say, we work in the mass camp, which is, it's the actual, called like the workshop or the site where these bands or the organizations that provide costumes for carnival, that's where they congregate.
And that's where like the building happens. At least in the olden days, things are changing a bit now, but that's what I grew up in, right?
So like every summer, heads down, hours and hours. And then in New York, it happens around Labor Day.
It's a huge West Indian Day parade. We get on the road and we're in our costumes. Like we've been there.
We've been doing this all summer. And so it's just interesting. I started to then, and again, like when you start to have the space to ask the questions and the room to grow in this creative way.
So we had the fitness class and then we went to the convoy and then people who, it's not just, it's the convoy is literally open auditions, no experience needed, a variety of backgrounds.
So people are now being introduced to this culture and they want to know more.
I'm starting to ask questions like, well, why do we do this? How else can I bring this to the forefront?
And when I first started teaching, I used to say, I wish I could bring everybody to Congo with me, but since I can't, let me bring a little bit to you.
And then I'm like, but you know what? I'm proud to say that I am literally on the heels of our first Soka Tribe trip to Carnival in Trinidad.
Gresham Harkless 07:07
That's awesome.
Chermika Farkwar 07:08
So there were 13 of us this year that just passed. We all played masks. We did the whole Fenton thing.
We went to the reenactments, like getting the actual insight to how Carnival started.
So it's a whole reenactment the weekend before Carnival. It's just like, wow.
So this idea of evolution, going with the flow, thinking about it from a business perspective, brand extensions, how else can we evolve with our customer?
What else can we provide that we need? It's been a journey. And now we are actually in the space of creating products.
So yes, we've done, we've been doing gear and t-shirts since like year one.
So that's the easiest thing to do, but thinking more so about the educational product, which will speak more to the mission of the brand, which is being a gateway community to the carnival culture.
Like, how can we make sure that we're not losing the heritage by explaining, and as we bring people in for the fun, but this is the history behind it. This is why we do these things. Right.
Gresham Harkless 08:03
I love that. You said the gateway experience to the carnival culture.
Chermika Farkwar 08:06
Yeah. A gateway community. Because we're very much like, come through, come join us.
Because carnival, I would say, why is it the greatest show on earth? Because it's a participatory sport.
Like, you need to get in. We're actually going to have Soka power break after the next panel.
Look, everybody's like, get off your seat. The mall isn't about washing, you gotta get into it.
Gresham Harkless 08:27
Exactly, exactly. And people love that at the end of the day, because I feel like a lot of I'm a big sports junkie, but I feel like the thing about it is just the joy of moving around and having that movement.
So you probably same thing with, being able to do Soka and dance and things like that.
So I wanted to ask you for what I call your secret sauce. And this is for you or your organization, but what do you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique?
Chermika Farkwar 08:46
I think my individual secret sauce is my story. So as a, like all the unique things that have brought me here.
So I came into an industry that some would consider saturated in terms of like the dance fitness market.
So I have dance training, but I also have the cultural expertise because I grew up doing these things for years. Right.
So I had that instinct credibility. My first job out of college was at Entertainment Weekly in their marketing department.
So I had, look, you're going to put this, push this marketing. I'm like, I am nobody's Misty Copeland.
All right. However, I know, like just, just from a marketing, like messaging perspective, like making sure that I'm putting a lot of me genuinely into the story.
And I also think being that transparent of why it started, because I missed my people.
And then what came to me were people who were also like, I want a connection.
And it doesn't hurt that we are blazing in the studio, burning up a sweat. And here's a secret.
I was like, I am not the one that's crazy about the workout. Like, I like to look like this.
So therefore, we have to do these things, which is also just very like so contrived workout is meant for the people who are like, look, this ain't what I'm trying to do, but I'm going to get a good workout. You know what I mean?
Gresham Harkless 10:00
Exactly. I would say take the L for the W.
Chermika Farkwar 10:03
Exactly. And so I think that evolved into how the brand was able to be like recognized and just like, then it was attracting.
So now they think about the brand, the consistency, like people know what they're going to get when they come to Swiffer Tribe.
I do have two other instructors who I've brought on and as I'm trying to grow. I've grown slowly from a staff perspective because I'm really big on the culture, right?
Because the culture, if we go back to the unique, part of our secret sauce is what we're offering to people.
So I didn't want to dilute and grow too fast. So I'm literally right now battling through the, what's the right way to bring on more people into that space?
And I think about the convoys, the whole bunch of people who are going to be around and they're going to get it.
So in a perfect world, Girl! You come to class. Then you roll up like, I'm going to teach this class. I'm like, yes!
Gresham Harkless 10:50
Exactly, exactly.
Chermika Farkwar 10:52
But we'll see.
Gresham Harkless 10:53
Yeah, we'll see what happens. But no, it definitely makes perfect sense. You want to make sure to maintain that culture and the vision that you have for your organization, not have it step out.
And that's always kind of like the hard balance when always bringing more people on.
That makes sense. So I wanted to switch gears a little bit and ask you for what I call a CEO hack.
And this might be an app, a book or a habit that you have, but something that makes you more effective and efficient.
Chermika Farkwar 11:13
I love Wave apps. Let me tell you, because this is about to be due. This is not due. It's, I mean, it's the fact that I still use the free version. And they do like invoicing and things.
They do invoicing. You can run reports, like your P&L statement, like all the basic accounting statements they have there.
So I feel like anybody who is not the greatest with staying on top of your stuff, it can work for you.
I say it can work for you, but I also want to acknowledge the fact that I'm also an MBA.
Gresham Harkless 11:44
Just drop that in there.
Chermika Farkwar 11:46
So it's weird because I'm like, it's easy. Sure, you know you want the Chicago Booth, right?
However, right, you attach it to your credit card the same way anybody, like you if you were doing Mint or something. Right.
So if you don't have to do anything, you just attach it to your credit cards and the invoicing, you can put that to basic numbers, right?
What you may want some support is what are these particular reports for? But I do think because the system has so many things going on, it makes it hard.
But what it can make, I think, for an entrepreneur with a little bit of time, it's attached to these credit cards. And I also do, I will say, back to these hacks, I avoid cash at all costs.
Gresham Harkless 12:29
Makes perfect sense. So now I want to ask you for what I call a CEO nugget, and this is a word of wisdom or piece of advice, or if you can hop into a time machine, what would you tell your younger business self?
Chermika Farkwar 12:40
So if I can happen to a time machine, I would say, don't be afraid to fail. Like I, as a, so a bridge version, marketing, business school, management consultant in a big firm education and ops and direction, right?
Very structured. This is the right answer. This is the input, the output. And then when I got into the entrepreneurial space, I had a white space.
And I often was just paralyzed by, oh my God, there's so much, so many things that I could do.
What if this is the wrong answer? But the fact is the time is going to pass and then you can't get it back and it's gone.
And like, that's just it. And like our biggest asset is our time and how we spend it.
So I would say, don't be afraid to fail, whether it be and the relationships and partners that you build, or the new aspects of things that you try to track the business.
Because clearly I'm just out here like, we're going to try this, we're going to see if it works. If we don't, we're going to do something wrong.
Gresham Harkless 13:35
Exactly.
Chermika Farkwar 13:36
With that, I'll actually tie it to my second point, be focused and flexible, right? So when I first started, everybody automatically was like, you need to be the next Zumba.
And I'm just like, no, I don't. Cause Zumba has a Zumba, first of all. And actually one of the biggest Soka artists is, has a huge contract with Zumba and Soka's a lot about the music that you use.
So for my, I was like, that's not exactly the direction I want to go. And what's important to me is the story.
Right. So yes, I am focused on growing. But I got to be flexible on how I do that, because you never know.
Right. Like I'm still working with limited time and resources. So what was really important is that as I listen to people and be flexible and open to conversations, because I by no means know everything. Right.
But at the same time, I need to understand, like, what's my goal? What's my vision for it?
So that no one's pushing me too far off, or I'm not being so flexible that I've completely lost sight of the vision.
Gresham Harkless 14:31
Right, exactly. And trying to figure out what and how you got there. It's kind of like what happens when you sometimes go to social media and you're like, how did I end up here?
A lot of these black folks. Yes, these black folks. Facebook me up. Exactly. They know. It's all psychology.
Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Today was Friday when I started. Now it's Monday again. I want to ask you my absolute favorite question, the definition of what it means to be a CEO.
And we're hoping to have different quote unquote CEOs on the show. So what does being a CEO mean to you?
Chermika Farkwar 15:07
Well, right now, the CEO is the chief everything officer. What it means to me is having an understanding of everything so that's where I'm going for like chief everything.
I used to be doing everything right now I want to have an understanding of everything so I can appropriately delegate to the team like I'm so excited to say that folks in the tribe have been stepping up and taking more leadership roles and ownership.
And it's like, I don't need to be involved in everything. I need to understand so I can make the important decisions, but then free up that mind space to move forward and make the bigger business decisions.
Cause that's how you got to keep the company going. If I'm stuck in the weeds, it's just not going to go anywhere.
Gresham Harkless 15:41
Absolutely. That makes perfect sense. So I truly appreciate your time. What I wanted to do is pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional you want to let the readers and listeners know, and then how best they can get a hold of you.
Chermika Farkwar 15:51
Thanks for listening. Definitely check us out on social media at Soka Tribe. That's S-O-K-A-T-R-I-B-E. That's also our website, www.sokatribe.com.
Gresham Harkless 16:05
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. We'll make sure to have those links in the show notes and I appreciate you again. I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.
Chermika Farkwar 16:10
You too, thanks.
Intro 16:12
Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by CBNation and Blue16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co. I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community.
Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Subscribe and leave us a five-star rating. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless Jr. Thank you for listening.
Chermika Farkwar
00:00 - 00:23
getting the actual insight to how Carnival started. So it's a whole reenactment the weekend before Carnival. It's just like, wow. So this idea of evolution, going with the flow, thinking about it from a business perspective, brand extensions, how else can we evolve with our customer? What else can we provide that we need? It's been a journey. And now we are actually in the space of creating products.
Intro
00:25 - 00:51
Are you ready to hear business stories and learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and level up your business from awesome CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Grist values your time and is ready to share with you the valuable info you're in search of. This is the I Am CEO
Gresham Harkless
00:51 - 01:01
podcast. Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresh from the I Am CEO podcast, and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Shamika Farquhar of Soka Tribe. Shamika, it's awesome to have you
Speaker 2
01:01 - 01:03
on the show. Huh? What'd you say? It's
Gresham Harkless
01:03 - 01:03
awesome to have you
Speaker 2
01:04 - 01:09
on the show. Gresham is over here talking so fast, I can barely hear him. I'm really excited to be here as well.
Gresham Harkless
01:09 - 01:19
Well, I have such a laser focused podcast. I have to talk really fast so I can make sure that everybody hears all the awesome things that you're doing. So I know you're here at PurpleCon. I wanted to hear how the event was going.
Chermika Farkwar
01:19 - 01:35
PurpleCon is going really awesome. We just had a panel about storytelling. And I think as a creative who like my product is based on people being engaged in my why and my story was just really powerful to hear a variety of entrepreneurs talk about the power of story and brand building.
Gresham Harkless
01:36 - 01:46
Absolutely. I think story is, you know, one of the biggest things that a lot of people usually start out with because it helps, correct me if I'm wrong, kind of build that emotional connection with somebody because you kind of hear exactly what they're going through.
Chermika Farkwar
01:46 - 01:56
Yep. And that's what people identify with because there's always another competitor or another choice, but only like you can be used. So the better you are at telling your story to folks, the more likely you connect with your right consumer.
Gresham Harkless
01:57 - 02:02
Makes perfect sense. So now I'm going to put you on the hot seat. I want to hear what I call your CEO story, since we're talking about stories.
Chermika Farkwar
02:03 - 02:21
All right. My CEO story started, it's going to be four years and three weeks ago. Started actually with Solutions by SF, which was initially called Spring Forward Solutions, but Solutions by SF was the cheaper domain at the time. And so we talk about being an entrepreneur, being a
Speaker 6
02:21 - 02:22
resourceful. Eight
Chermika Farkwar
02:22 - 02:47
dollars, two G's. OK, now here we go. And I kept saying I'm going to change it and it just hasn't happened. So Solutions by SF, the goal was to be a growth strategy consultant focusing on taking whether it be an individual or an organization to the next level. So I don't know if you've ever tried to start a consultancy, but it's really based on what does your client book look like? So as I was waiting for this awesome client book to build, I started doing something on
Speaker 5
02:48 - 02:48
the side.
Chermika Farkwar
02:48 - 03:23
I was like, I'm going to teach a dance fitness class. to Soca music? Because I'm actually an important part of my story. I'm a Brooklyn-born Trinidadian. What does that mean? Both of my parents were born and raised in Ireland, Trinidad. I grew up in Brooklyn, very much immersed in the culture. And I just thought that was normal. Like literally it took, I was in my thirties when I moved to DC and I was just like, wait, this isn't every day. And so at this point in time, I'm no longer in, I would say the community of a workplace.
Chermika Farkwar
03:25 - 03:44
I'm a 30-something in a new city, so just trying to build these connections and not having that sense of home, I was really homesick. So I'm like, I'm going to teach this class. And what I realized is like, well, I'm going to get my fix with Soca. Whoever likes Soca music is likely to show up. And fitness is a very, I would say, accessible thing. Like, we don't need everybody to be the best dancer. We're just here to try and have a good
Speaker 6
03:44 - 03:44
time.
Chermika Farkwar
03:44 - 03:54
I'm going to do this ever so often. I'm just going to do this until I get this client book, right? Fast forward four years later, most people call me Soka Nista or Soka Tribe on meeting me.
Speaker 2
03:55 - 03:55
No
Chermika Farkwar
03:55 - 04:06
one knows anything about Solutions by NSF. I've taught in five countries, 15 cities around the world, and it's just, it took a life on its own. That's the abridged version now.
Gresham Harkless
04:07 - 04:22
No, I absolutely love that. I love because a lot of times I feel like some of the best businesses, organizations that are started is because somebody is looking for something and then you realize that that's not here. So let me create it for myself. And then all of a sudden you start telling one or two people and then they're like, oh, I really want to do that. Next thing you know, you have a business.
Chermika Farkwar
04:23 - 04:23
That's
Gresham Harkless
04:23 - 04:23
kind of what happened.
Chermika Farkwar
04:24 - 04:49
It's exactly what happened. And the interesting thing about it, and I would say the the artist, the creative in me, I just let it let the community kind of drive where things were going, as well as how I was shifting. So as I got more into the dance space, into the fitness and dance space, it was like I started dancing when I was four. And it's one of those things that I want to completely corporate. I like I was a management consultant at the big platform, like all of that. So I like let that go to the side.
Chermika Farkwar
04:49 - 05:23
So now I'm back in this creative space. I'm like, I want to perform again. So I started Soca Tribe Convoy, which is our performing division. And what's interesting is you'd be surprised how many adults had that love for dance and are willing to put in the time and effort. So right now the convoy is 30 adults. When I say adults, our youngest member is maybe 26. Awesome. full-time jobs when we show up. Like last year, for example, we got to perform at the Kennedy Center. And it's just about being dedicated. And this idea of Soka Tribe being community, because that's where it started, right?
Chermika Farkwar
05:24 - 05:54
I was homesick. People wanted this class. I'm going to teach this class. I'm like, I want more. And there's an appetite for more. This community, it just started to flourish. Thinking about what's the meaning and the impact, I also started to remember, like, why is Carnival so important to me? So I grew up in a mass camp, right? And, you know, I would say I have one of those things, like we show our language of love is like service and working on things together. My dad had a mass camp and we would all, like the whole community, I want to say the community, like in terms of the pumpkin vine uncles and friends and family.
Chermika Farkwar
05:54 - 05:56
We work in the mass camp.
Gresham Harkless
05:56 - 05:57
And what's a mass camp? I
Chermika Farkwar
05:57 - 06:06
was just about to say, we work in the mass camp, which is, it's the actual, called like the workshop or the site where these bands or the organizations that provide costumes for carnival,
Intro
06:06 - 06:06
that's where
Chermika Farkwar
06:06 - 06:08
they congregate. And that's where like the building happens.
Intro
06:08 - 06:09
At least in the
Chermika Farkwar
06:09 - 06:22
olden days, things are changing a bit now, but that's what I grew up in, right? So like every summer, heads down, hours and hours. And then, you know, in New York, it happens around Labor Day. It's a huge West Indian Day parade. We get on the road and we're in our costumes. Like we've
Gresham Harkless
06:22 - 06:24
been there. We've
Chermika Farkwar
06:24 - 06:51
been doing this all summer. And so it's just interesting. I started to then, and again, like when you start to have the space to ask the questions and the room to grow in this creative way. So we had the fitness class and then we went to the convoy and then people who, it's not just, it's the convoy is literally open auditions, no experience needed, a variety of backgrounds. So people are now being introduced to this culture and they want to know more. I'm starting to ask questions like, well, why do we do this? How else can I bring this to the forefront?
Chermika Farkwar
06:52 - 07:07
And when I first started teaching, I used to say, I wish I could bring everybody to Congo with me, but since I can't, let me bring a little bit to you. And then I'm like, but you know what? I'm proud to say that I am literally on the heels of our first Soka Tribe trip to Carnival in Trinidad.
Gresham Harkless
07:07 - 07:08
That's awesome.
Chermika Farkwar
07:08 - 07:43
So there were 13 of us this year that just passed. We all played masks. We did the whole Fenton thing. We went to the reenactments, like getting the actual insight to how Carnival started. So it's a whole reenactment the weekend before Carnival. It's just like, wow. So this idea of evolution, going with the flow, thinking about it from a business perspective, brand extensions, how else can we evolve with our customer? What else can we provide that we need? It's been a journey. And now we are actually in the space of creating products. So yes, we've, we've done, we've been doing gear and t-shirts since like year one.
Chermika Farkwar
07:43 - 08:02
So that's the easiest thing to do, but thinking more so about the educational product, which will speak more to the mission of the brand, which is. being a gateway community to the carnival culture. Like, how can we make sure that we're not losing the heritage by explaining, and as we bring people in for the fun, but this is the history behind it. This is why we do
Gresham Harkless
08:02 - 08:02
these
Chermika Farkwar
08:02 - 08:03
things. Right.
Gresham Harkless
08:03 - 08:06
I love that. You said the gateway experience to the carnival culture.
Chermika Farkwar
08:06 - 08:23
Yeah. A gateway community. Because we're very much like, come through, come join us. Because carnival, I would say, why is it the greatest show on earth? Because it's a participatory sport. Like, you need to get in. We're actually going to have Soka power break after the next panel. Oh, nice. Look, everybody's like, get
Speaker 2
08:23 - 08:27
off your seat. The mall isn't about washing, you gotta get into it. Exactly,
Gresham Harkless
08:27 - 08:44
exactly. And people love that, you know, at the end of the day, because I feel like a lot of, you know, I'm a big sports junkie, but I feel like the thing about it is just the joy of moving around and having that movement. So you probably same thing with, you know, being able to do soca and dance and things like that. So I wanted to ask you for what I call your secret sauce. And this is for you or your organization,
Chermika Farkwar
08:44 - 08:44
but what do
Gresham Harkless
08:44 - 08:46
you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique?
Chermika Farkwar
08:46 - 09:15
I think my individual secret sauce is my story. So as a, like all the unique things that have brought me here. So I came into an industry that some would consider saturated in terms of like the dance fitness market. So I have dance training, but I also have the cultural expertise because I grew up doing these things for years. Right. So I had that instinct credibility. My first job out of college was at Entertainment Weekly in their marketing department. So I had, look, you're going to put this, push this marketing. I'm like, I am nobody's Misty Copeland.
Chermika Farkwar
09:15 - 09:51
All right. However, I know, like just, just from a marketing, like messaging perspective, like making sure that I'm putting. a lot of me genuinely into the story. And I also think being that transparent of why it started, because I missed my people. And then what came to me were people who were also like, I want a connection. And it doesn't hurt that we are blazing in the studio, burning up a sweat. And here's a secret. I was like, I am not the one that's crazy about the workout. Like, I like to look like this. So therefore, we have to do these things,
Speaker 2
09:51 - 09:52
which is
Chermika Farkwar
09:52 - 09:58
also just very like so contrived workout is meant for the people who are like, look, this ain't what I'm trying to do, but I'm going
Speaker 2
09:58 - 09:58
to get
Chermika Farkwar
09:58 - 10:00
a good workout. You know what I mean?
Gresham Harkless
10:00 - 10:02
Exactly. I would say take the L for the W.
Chermika Farkwar
10:03 - 10:24
Exactly. And so I think that evolved into how the brand was able to be like recognized and just like, then it was attracting. So now they think about the brand, the consistency, like people know what they're going to get when they come to Swiffer Tribe. I do have two other instructors who I've brought on and as I'm trying to grow. I've grown slowly from a staff perspective because I'm really big on the culture, right?
Speaker 2
10:24 - 10:25
Because the
Chermika Farkwar
10:25 - 10:50
culture, if we go back to the unique, part of our secret sauce is what we're offering to people. So I didn't want to dilute and grow too fast. So I'm literally right now battling through the, what's the right way to bring on more people into that space? And I think about the convoys, the whole bunch of people who are going to be around and they're going to get it. So in a perfect world, Girl! You come to class. Then you roll up like, I'm going to teach this class. I'm like, yes!
Gresham Harkless
10:50 - 10:52
Exactly, exactly.
Chermika Farkwar
10:52 - 10:52
But we'll see.
Gresham Harkless
10:53 - 11:12
Yeah, we'll see what happens. But no, it definitely makes perfect sense. You want to make sure to maintain that culture and the vision that you have for your organization, not have it step out. And that's always kind of like the hard balance when always bringing more people on. Yep. That makes sense. So I wanted to switch gears a little bit and ask you for what I call a CEO hack. And this might be an app, a book or a habit that you have, but something that makes you more effective and efficient.
Chermika Farkwar
11:13 - 11:23
I love Wave apps. Let me tell you, because this is about to be due. This is not due. It's, I mean, it's the fact that I still use the free version. And they
Gresham Harkless
11:23 - 11:24
do like invoicing and things.
Chermika Farkwar
11:24 - 11:42
They do invoicing. You can run reports, like your P&L statement, like all the basic accounting statements they have there. So I feel like anybody who is not the greatest with staying on top of your stuff, it can work for you. I say it can work for you, but I also want to acknowledge the fact that I'm also an MBA.
Gresham Harkless
11:44 - 11:46
Just drop that in there.
Chermika Farkwar
11:46 - 11:52
So it's weird because I'm like, it's easy. Sure, you know you want the Chicago
Speaker 6
11:52 - 11:53
Booth, right?
Chermika Farkwar
11:53 - 12:01
However, right, you attach it to your credit card the same way anybody, like, you know, like you if you were doing Mint or
Speaker 5
12:01 - 12:02
something. Right.
Chermika Farkwar
12:02 - 12:28
So if you don't have to do anything, You just attach it to your credit cards and the invoicing, you can put that to basic numbers, right? What you may want some support is what are these particular reports for? But I do think because the system has so many things going on, it makes it hard. But what it can make, I think, for an entrepreneur with a little bit of time, it's attached to these credit cards. And I also do, I will say, back to these hacks, I avoid cash at all costs.
Gresham Harkless
12:29 - 12:38
Makes perfect sense. So now I want to ask you for what I call a CEO nugget, and this is a word of wisdom or piece of advice, or if you can hop into a time machine, what would you tell your younger business self?
Chermika Farkwar
12:40 - 13:19
So if I can happen to a time machine, I would say, don't be afraid to fail. Like I, as a, so a bridge version, marketing, business school, management consultant in a big firm. education and ops and direction, right? Very structured. This is the right answer. This is the input, the output. And then when I got into the entrepreneurial space, I had a white space and I often was just paralyzed by, Oh my God, there's so much, so many things that I could do. What if this is the wrong answer? But the fact is the time is going to pass and then you can't get it back and it's gone.
Chermika Farkwar
13:20 - 13:35
And like, that's just it. And like our biggest asset is our time and how we spend it. So I would say, don't be afraid to fail, whether it be and the relationships and partners that you build, or the new aspects of things that you try to track the business. Because clearly I'm just out here like, we're going to try this, we're going to see if it works. If we don't, we're going to do
Gresham Harkless
13:35 - 13:36
something wrong. Exactly.
Chermika Farkwar
13:36 - 14:06
With that, I'll actually tie it to my second point, be focused and flexible, right? So when I first started, everybody automatically was like, you need to be the next Zumba. And I'm just like, no, I don't. Cause Zumba has a Zumba, first of all. And actually one of the biggest Soka artists is, has a huge contract with Zumba and Soka's a lot about the music that you use. So for my, I was like, that's not exactly the direction I want to go. And what's important to me is the story. Right. So yes, I am focused on growing.
Chermika Farkwar
14:06 - 14:31
But I got to be flexible on how I do that, because you never know. Right. Like I'm still working with limited time and resources. So what was really important is that as I listen to people and be flexible and open to conversations, because I by no means know everything. Right. But at the same time, I need to understand, like, what's my goal? What's my vision for it? so that no one's pushing me too far off, or I'm not being so flexible that I've completely lost sight of the vision.
Gresham Harkless
14:31 - 14:48
Right, exactly. And trying to figure out what and how you got there. It's kind of like what happens when you sometimes go to social media and you're like, how did I end up here? A lot of these black folks. Yes, these black folks. Facebook me up. Exactly. They know. It's all psychology. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Today was Friday when I started. Now it's Monday again.
Chermika Farkwar
14:49 - 14:52
I
Gresham Harkless
14:55 - 15:07
want to ask you my absolute favorite question, the definition of what it means to be a CEO. And we're hoping to have different quote unquote CEOs on the show. So what does being a CEO mean to you? Well, right now, the CEO is the chief
Chermika Farkwar
15:07 - 15:37
everything officer. What it means to me is having an understanding of everything so that that's where I'm going for like chief everything I used to be doing everything right now I want to have an understanding of everything so I can appropriately delegate to the team like I'm so excited to say that folks in the tribe have been stepping up and taking more leadership roles and ownership. And it's like, you know, I don't need to be involved in everything. I need to understand so I can make the important decisions, but then free up that mind space to move forward and make the bigger business decisions.
Chermika Farkwar
15:37 - 15:41
Cause that's how you got to keep the company going. If I'm stuck in the weeds, it's just not going to go anywhere.
Gresham Harkless
15:41 - 15:51
Absolutely. That makes perfect sense. So I truly appreciate your time. What I wanted to do is pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional you want to let the readers and listeners know, and then how best they can get ahold of you.
Chermika Farkwar
15:51 - 16:05
Thanks for listening. Definitely check us out on social media at Soka Tribe. That's S-O-K-A-T-R-I-B-E. That's also our website, www.sokatribe.com.
Gresham Harkless
16:05 - 16:10
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. We'll make sure to have those links in the show notes and I appreciate you again. I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.
Intro
16:10 - 16:47
You too, thanks. Thank you for listening to the I am CEO podcast powered by CB Nation and Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at imceo.co. I am CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Subscribe and leave us a five-star rating. This has been the I Am CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless Jr. Thank you for listening.
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