Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Iris.
Stephanie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and moved to London, England when I was in 6th grade. Living overseas was one of the best experiences that I have had. Being able to travel and learn about different cultures and lifestyles was a crucial part of my life that shaped who I am today. London is where I developed my love for streetwear and started immersing myself in the fashion culture.
I moved back to Atlanta and went to Georgia State University to get a degree in Journalism. During my college journey is when I started my streetwear clothing brand Numbers Don’t Lie (AKA. NDL or NUMBER5)
After graduating college, I decided to make the big move to Dallas. This was a huge decision, and I knew that is would not be an easy transition. I had no family or friends in Dallas and was going to have to start from the beginning. When I got to Dallas, as a post-grad student, I realized how difficult it was to make connections and real friends. Feeling more lonely than ever, I decided I needed to try something different…
This is when I decided to start the Dallas Walking Club. At first, I was unsure how to go about starting a walking group, especially being brand new to the city and not knowing anyone. I decided to use the Geneva app to start the group. We now have over 500 members and hold weekly walks on the Katy Trail. The intention of the group is to create a space where people can come together to make friends and connect with other great people in the Dallas area.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course, it hasn’t always been a smooth road. In fact, if the road is too smooth you know you’re not pushing hard enough. I believe it goes without saying that dealing with Covid was a struggle for all of us. The global pandemic made life pretty unbearable and continues to have a hang-on effect for many people. However, during this time, people have proven that they have incredible resilience, and it fostered an unprecedented time of creativity. For example, e-commerce began to flourish during the pandemic lockdowns and allowed online entrepreneurs like myself to leverage the fact that people became more trusting and dependent on online retailers.
Not taking ‘no’ for an answer is critical to my success. No just means my product wasn’t right for them, not that it isn’t a good product. That doesn’t mean I don’t take advice to make adjustments and make improvements. Surrounding myself with positive people and people who believe in me has helped me find the strength to keep moving forward, especially when the road becomes bumpy.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I currently work as a social media Director at Restomod Air and am also an entrepreneur in my spare time. As a social media Director, I oversee all creative direction and implementation of social media content/strategies. I create marketing strategies, direct the creative process of capturing content, design the social media feed, and run all ads. I work with a great team of graphic designers, photographers, and videographers to bring social media campaigns to life and drive success. I’m lucky to work with a great CEO that gives me the freedom to try new things.
As an entrepreneur, I started my brand Numbers Don’t Lie (AKA NDL or Number5) which is a streetwear brand focused on creating unisex clothing for creatives of all ages. After founding the brand in 2020, I have worked closely with many artists in the hip-hop scene to spread a message of positivity and expand my reach in the fashion world. I have recently been working on launching my own jewelry line called Jewels By 5, which is a branch off of the original Numbers Don’t Lie LLC. This collection should be launching in the next few months and will feature unique pearl-based jewelry for both men and women.
What I am most proud of is my ability to adapt and bring people together. I’m not one to sulk and wait for things to happen. It is so fulfilling to see a need and then execute ideas to fill the opportunity. The Walking Club of Dallas is filling a need to bring people together to allow them to make new connections. Because I have lived in many cities in the US as well as Europe, I know that you can’t fall in love with a city if you don’t make meaningful connections. It may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes large cities with tons of people are the hardest places to make friends. Dallas is an amazing city with a huge future, and bringing people together is what will set it apart.
I’m not sure what sets me apart from others because I don’t think that’s a strong suit for my generation. I think I am unique as it pertains to having an innate ability to connect with people, bring people together around a common goal, and have a drive and focus to deliver amazing experiences. Being a global citizen makes me open to new ideas and experiences. Taking on risk and trying new things is part of my DNA. Building on ideas and not tearing others down brings out the best and helps me build lasting, trusting relationships. I think everything in life is about connection and relationships.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters to me most is my relationship with my family and my close friends. All of us go through stressful times in our lives, and having people that truly have your back provides the courage to take chances, try new things, and push your creativity. While it may not be a complete safety net, I know that I have friends and family that love me. I also think having a healthy work-life balance is incredibly important. For me, that translates into working long hours at times, but then it’s important for me to take time to take care for myself and my mental health. So many of my friends are struggling with mental health issues, and that just reinforces the importance of ‘self-care’.
Contact Info:
- Website: ndlatl.com
- Instagram: @Stephanie.iris and @Dallaswalkingclub_
