From Desert Storm and Combat Boots to Hey Lady💋™ and Louboutins; Tania Richardson Builds Brand
Tania Richardson is the essence of a Queen. She takes ownership of every aspect of herself and accepts full responsibility for her actions. She recognizes her worth and knows how to treat others. A lady who carries herself with grace and class, she supports women in business, and she does not settle for mediocrity for herself or those around her.
A woman with a strong sense of mission, she has interwoven social impact into the brand’s DNA. She set her goals and is rapidly reaching them, one woman, at a time.
An entrepreneur with a strong sense of mission, she has interwoven social impact into the brand’s DNA. An insurance agency owner, commercial actress, and print model, her work ethic is impeccable.
When she started Hey Lady💋™, a lifestyle brand for women interested in travel, fashion, and entrepreneurship, her concern was that ladies forty and over could not find content for their demographic.
“My goal was to fill the demographic void of women in their forties being overlooked by advertisers, and feature women who are living and thriving in their industries, and to motivate, empower, and encourage them to live their best lives.”
A Desert Storm Army vet who frowns upon procrastination and lives her life to the fullest, Richardson, who had been thinking about the brand for years, took advantage of the downtime during the COVID-19 pandemic. She focused on what she wanted the business to look like, what the message behind the brand would be and whom she wanted it to represent.
She understands that content needs to have essential value for an audience. However, “Hey Lady💋™ isn’t just about filling a content void. It’s about supporting the mental and emotional well-being of women. If you remove the product and the branding, content should still be relevant.”
Women in their forties begin to have hormonal changes of perimenopause. This can create mood shifts, and for some women, increased risk of anxiety and depression. Richardson says, “it’s imperative for us to support each other.”
With Hey Lady💋™, she has provided a platform of solace where women are showing up to support each other, to laugh, cry, network, and share business tips and knowledge, especially during the pandemic when women crave the camaraderie with their girlfriends.
According to womenshealth.gov, over 1 in 5 women in the United States experienced a mental health condition in the past year, such as depression or anxiety. Many mental health conditions, such as depression and bipolar disorder, affecting more women than men or affecting women in different ways from men.
One of every five women surveyed (20%) admitted that if they took even one hour off to do something for themselves, it would make them feel selfish, guilty, or anxious, and unsettled.
As Richardson points out,
Many women are just existing. They work a nine to five, wait for the weekend to run errands, and on Monday it starts over again. Somewhere along the way, society has taught women it’s selfish to take care of themselves. We cater to everyone’s needs and by the time we want to do something for ourselves, we’re depleted. We have nothing left for us. I want to change the narrative.
Richardson wants women to know that it’s not selfish to take care of themselves. “I want them to know that I’m not an anomaly, and I’m not the only one out here traveling and enjoying life. It’s a matter of prioritizing and putting yourself first.”
Understanding that the key to happiness in life is having a work/life balance, she takes time for international travel once a quarter. “I tell women all the time that you must secure your mask before you can secure others. There is nothing wrong with self-care. Refuel and recharge otherwise you won’t have anything left in the tank to give to anyone else.”
Compassionate and caring, her giving doesn’t stop with her age group. She launched the Hey Lady💋™ Mentorship Initiative (HLMI) to guide young women and emerging entrepreneurs (16-21) seeking to start or grow a business.
As the conduit, Hey Lady💋™ will connect industry experts with mentees who will commit to a 12-month program. At the 12-month mark of the program, the participants will take a trip to Barcelona, Spain. Hey Lady💋™ will sponsor round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations.
“The trip to Barcelona is to broaden the mentee’s horizons,” said Richardson. “Part of the brand’s agenda is to expose women to international travel. Travel opens your heart, broadens your mind, and equips you with stories to tell. This is a great way to encourage the ladies to aspire for more in life.”
Richardson understands the power of giving back, especially to our youth and feels as a business leader, it is her responsibility to cultivate the next generation. “Many young ladies don’t have access to positive role models,” she says. “They cannot envision a career, or their ideas do not align with what their families may want for them. Young women need to know that someone is there for them to vent, support their dreams, or to be a sounding board.”
Hey Lady💋™ is aspiring entrepreneurs who want to tap into the best-life living philosophy. For Richardson, living your best life means self-growth, self-love, and taking action to hone into your dreams, talents, and passions. “Our motto, ‘Being a lady never goes out of style’ speaks to the importance of always carrying yourself with dignity and class.”
An entrepreneur for twenty years, she has “put in the time, sweat equity, and most of all consistency,” and that is what she hopes to instill in all women who cross her path. “My goal is to help anyone who desires more for their life!”
You may reach Tania Richardson at Website: www.heyladybytania.com.
This feature may also be found in "I AM QUEEN" Magazine.
