Features, — January 9, 2013 11:20 — 16 Comments

Fearless Entrepreneurs: Shauna Harper and Selena Young of Define Me Greek

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As a proud member of a Black Greek Letter Organization (BGLO), I was taught that everything I did, from the words I spoke, to the way I carried myself, could have a profound impact not only on me or the chapter I represented, but on my organization entirely.I was taught to always conduct myself in a manner that was honorable, and represented the principles of my sorority.  The same holds true for Define Me Greek creators Shauna Harper and Selena Young, who are on a mission to utilize their skills of creativity, unity, and the ability to be FEARLESS, all while,  “Capturing the Essence of Your Letters One Word at a Time.”

Serving as fearless leaders of a new wave of creative expression and members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Selena and Shauna take pride in providing quality customer care through their products and relationships, while cultivating and uniting relationships with their clientele regardless of organization affiliation; these are the basic characteristics of the D.M.G. brand.  When a client wears a D.M.G. shirt, they tell the story of their organization. D.M.G. shirts are meant to exude thought-provoking creativity while representing your organization in the best way without having the standard Greek letters shown.  Based in the Bay Area, California, these ladies have journeyed through difficulty, from a low start-up cost, to sleeping on hotel room floors hoping to represent D.M.G. as a vendor at various Sorority/Fraternity conventions and conferences.

Shauna and Selena have remained uncomfortable with being comfortable, and taken the unconventional risks most would call ludicrous, resulting in personal and professional resilience and fearlessness, which serves as a key for success.  As friends, sorority sisters, and business partners, Shauna and Selena work hard to inspire each other and use their own inspiration as a catalyst to proudly represent each organization that exists within the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC).  Striving to brandD.M.G. with extraordinary products is all the more reason the creators/founders of Define Me Greek remain FEARLESS.

F: What does it mean to be FEARLESS?

Shauna: I believe it means taking risks and stepping out of the box. Doing what’s NOT comfortable to you and for you.

Selena: It means having a positive attitude and seeing the big picture while being confident and working hard. ­

F: Who or what were your inspiration in creating D.M.G.?

Shauna: Our own sorority (AKA). We based it [D.M.G.] on fresh, new, mo

dern designs from what was already out there. We wanted to create something that had a meaning and a purpose to us.

Selena: We posed the question to ourselves, “How can we capture the essence of each organization?” since each organization has its own story to tell the way we wanted to tell the story of our own.

F: What does it mean to “Define Me Greek?”

Shauna and Selena: Simply “Capturing the Essence of your organization.” It’s a design that describes you in your own way. The words are more of a prompt of what your organization is while allowing you to shed light to those who may not know what your organization is about, and defying the negative stereotypes and misconceptions of fraternities/sororities.

F: What causes D.M.G. to stand out from other Greek apparel vendors?

Selena: It’s more than just a shirt. We actually did research and asked around to other members of all the various organizations in the NPHC what words best represented their fraternity/sorority.

Shauna: Our customer service is what stands out the most. We want to build relationships with our customers. From a personalized card in your shipment to reaching out via social media, we strive to work hard to represent every organization the same we would our own.

F: How have you used your journey thus far to impact the future of the D.M.G legacy?

Shauna: We’ve experienced various challenges, from starting off with little to no money, to taking trips trying to sell our products and not even knowing where we would sleep. We believed in ourselves and our brand and so far, we’ve persevered.

Selena: Honestly, by taking a small step with an ounce of Faith and a teaspoon of Determination. By having Faith, it allowed us to get out our comfort zone. For us, when opportunity knocks, we seize the moment and go for it. This alone is a stepping stone for the future for D.M.G. It allows us to build a legacy slow and steady, but it’s working to help us to continue to build our brand.

Selena are Shauna are definitely two ladies who have success written in the destiny of their brand D.M.G. They strive to go above and beyond to Inspire, Unite, and Define each organization through the outreach of their clients, whether it’s through a personal note in a client’s mailed purchase, or a follow-up phone call to see how a client enjoys their product.  So, do yourself a favor and purchase a product from Define Me Greek and Define yourself “Amazing!”