On Her Own Wayve: Meet Blair Paysinger
AROUND THE WORLD, THERE ARE WOMEN STARTING BUSINESSES, TURNING THEIR PASSIONS INTO PROFIT AND INSPIRING OTHER WOMEN ALONG THE WAY. WOMEN UPLIFTING AND SHINING A LIGHT ON OTHER WOMEN IS WHAT WE’RE ALL ABOUT AND IN THIS SEGMENT, WE’RE FEATURING POST 21 OWNER, BLAIR PAYSINGER.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:
Arrow + Phoenix: What has been your inspiration behind building Post 21 and how has motherhood inspired you as the business owner of a multigenerational brand?
Blair Paysinger: As soon as I found out I was having a daughter I knew I didn't want her to just see me being a mom, I wanted her to watch me build. I was raised by a single mother and I wanted her to know and see women can do it all. I was also taught to intentionally support my community and I wanted to figure out how to do that with the current landscape. When I was young we did that by finding black doctors and going to local shops. But now we shop online and I wanted to build the place I wanted to shop, a place that shows black people are not monolithic.
A+P: As a consumer, I can see how motherhood has inspired many products offered on Post 21. How has motherhood made you more intentional when sourcing brands for Post 21?
BP: I was initially inspired by my daughter to find my passion and launch Post 21 but now having two I am that much more driven. My children will see both of their parents working for everything they have and see us do that in a very healthy loving environment. Working with my mom on Post 21 has been a great combination. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and I’m happy that she can see me first hand using the education she paid for, because some parents would see art school as a waste. She is an engineer, so we balance each other perfectly in this situation.
A+P: I’ve purchased a few things personally from Post 21 and love that it feels like I’m buying from friends and family because there’s such a strong sense of community. How did your own upbringing inspire what you curate for Post 21?
BP: Growing up I feel like the narrative of black people and their esthetic was very singular and that never made sense to me. As I grew and found my own style I knew I was not alone and found brands that fit that. In talking to people about post 21 it was crazy to me that people still only had one idea about the type of things black people were making and had the idea that they were lessor or cheaper. So that has all inspired my curation, the first question I ask is "would I buy this?" Then look to quality, design, ingredients, etc.
A+P: Your family is doing so much for humanity in a multitude of ways with an emphasis on Black people and it is incredibly inspiring to witness. With the impact of Hilltop and All American currently soaring, has the importance for amplifying Black voices inspired you to further create brands outside of Post 21 in the future?
BP: Yes, in starting this marketplace and wanting to provide Black owned consumer goods, I've seen a few voids in this space I believe I can lend my expertise to. From product to supply chain, and building a signature Post 21 line. In all that my husband and I are doing we want to be intentional about who we work with and whose voices we are amplifying.