In Conversation with Nadia Boujarwah of Dia&Co

Dia&Co_Blog Header

Describe your business in a few words?

Dia&Co is the only fashion and lifestyle brand dedicated to celebrating the plus size experience and meeting the plus size community’s full range of style needs.  We remove obstacles to shopping with on-trend collections, and incredible fit. No two women are the same, so we offer two ways to shop – through the Dia Shop or the Dia Style Box service.  We’ve built a community of 5 million + women strong and are serving and celebrating women who have been ignored for far too long. From developing the shopping experiences she’s always wanted, to building community platforms that inspire her, to ensuring she sees herself represented in the world around her.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

I’ve always loved fashion, but struggled to find clothes that fit my body and worked with my personal style. I’ve been everything from a size 8 to a size 22 and I couldn’t help but notice, no matter my size, that there was nothing for me. I had the realization that these experiences were not at all unique. In fact, they were experiences that I actually shared with tens of millions of women. That realization inspired me to create a solution — and Dia was born –as a way for women just like me to embrace their individuality.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

My professional background is actually in investment banking – I didn’t have a career in tech or in retail. But I love fashion and I live in a body that fashion doesn’t always serve, and that was a set of experiences I knew intimately. It grew out of a personal need and now, Dia & Co is a place where everyone can explore all the incredible things that style can really do.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I didn’t set out in my career with the intent of being an entrepreneur. I’m passionate about the space and solving the problem for this customer. That passion and my desire to create an inclusive company, community, and experience, has driven my career as an entrepreneur.

Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

When we launched our business in 2015 it was clear that there was an incredible group of women leading the charge on a more inclusive conversation online. These were women who were still writing blog posts, long form YouTube videos and just beginning to take off on Instagram. We owe all our early traction to these influencers who believed in our business and helped us spread the word.

We always learn the most from our mistakes, share a time with us that you made a mistake or had a challenging time in business and what you learned from it?

We have made so many mistakes! I think we came into building Dia too focused on getting things just right, when the reality is that building a business is hard and almost never linear. Learning how to move quickly through potential solutions and past mistakes has been the biggest lesson of being an entrepreneur.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned in 2020?

Be clear about what you can control and what you can’t. Then focus only on what you can.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting your business?

There is no one right way to build a business. It’s really a process of learning as you go, so spend less time trying to arrive at the best possible answer and more time experimenting and following your gut!

Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?

Absolutely. Our mission at Dia is to spark style freedom through a life well-lived and I apply that to my own life every day. My family, friends and team.

What are your top 3 tips to stay productive each day?

  • Have a plan. I start my day with objectives that I know I need to complete each day. Making sure I know what is most important has helped me get the important things done even when the inevitable distractions begin.
  • Don’t spend all day in your inbox. I try to block off windows of time throughout the day to answer email and then don’t look at it in between. Email is one of those things that can take up as much time as you let is, and rarely requires immediate attention.
  • Block off unstructured time on your calendar. I have specific blocks called “Thinking Time” We never miss a meeting, why not protect creative thinking time just as much?

What does being an Entreprenista mean to you?

I think women are uniquely suited to being entrepreneurs. I say that because success in entrepreneurship is dependent on one thing above all else: resilience. It is really an exercise in getting up time and again when it seems like that race has already been called and to keep going. Fortunately, resilience is precisely our super power as a gender. We’ve always known that we have to work harder and expect fewer advantages than our male counterparts. We’ve been training for this our whole lives!

Share it!

Posted in
Tags

Leave a Comment





Catalina Escallon and Daniela Guarin of Noodo Studio on bringing ideas to market

Describe your business in a few words: We are Catalina Escallon and Daniela Guarin, a dynamic duo with a serial entrepreneurial spirit. We are Co-Founders of Noodo, an idea accelerator studio, where we cultivate, accelerate and bring ideas to market. We help brands come up with creative solutions for challenges they face like: creating innovative…

Stephanie Riel of Riel Deal Marketing on how building community can impact your business

Describe your business in a few words: RielDeal Marketing is a full-service boutique brand marketing firm. My team and I handle everything from brand strategy (refresh and launch), website development, social media management, paid advertising email marketing and automation to help ensure our clients ideal customer experiences a clear, consistent message….because as I always say…

Ashley Piszek of MISS SWISS on generating quick growth and expansion in the startup phase

Describe your business in a few words: In less than a year, MISS SWISS has been picked up by major retailers including Urban Outfitters, Verishop, Amazon, and boutiques around the US. Our MISS SWISS 2-in-1 Brush Holder & Drying Rack was awarded a Her Campus Beauty Award in October 2021, and our products have been…

Abbe Feder of InCircle Fertility on stepping into her entrepreneurial spirit

Describe your business in a few words: We’ve all heard of becoming an expert in something we never wanted to be an expert in – that’s me. I didn’t want to become an expert in infertility. But after twelve scientifically assisted attempts, a miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy, and a termination for medical reasons, once I…

Performance Coach Natalee Champlin on running a high performance team

Describe your business in a few words: People call me The Velvet Hammer. I help entrepreneurs achieve their goals without putting more on their plate by running a high performance team. I run a consulting and coaching company that supports clients with two things: business growth strategy and accelerated results. What was your background prior…

The best gifts for everyone on your list (from Entreprenista-owned brands, of course)

We’ve handpicked the best gifts for everyone on your list! This guide has you covered with the perfect gifts for the beauty enthusiast, the fitness lover, the friend who seemingly has *everything*, and everyone in between. SHINERY The globe’s first clean, plant-based jewelry and hand wash, SHINERY is the brainchild of newly minted Entreprenista Brea…

The 13 best gifts for kids from Entreprenista-owned brands

This holiday season, we know you have a lot on your plate. That’s why Entreprenista has handpicked this season’s best gifts for kids from women-owned businesses, so you can easily shop knowing the kids in your life will love these one-of-a-kind products. DŌ, Cookie Dough Confections When Entreprenista Kristen Tomlan moved to New York City…

12 Mamaprenista approved gifts from women-owned brands

Mamaprenistas do it all. This holiday season, the Entreprenista team has put together our favorite essentials from women-owned brands that will enable the Mamaprenista in your life to put her best foot forward as she enters the new year. Whether it’s indulging her sweet tooth, treating her to luxury items, or empowering her to glow…

The 11 best gifts for the Entreprenista in your life

Are you shopping for a go-getter who is serious about their personal and professional success, but not quite sure what they need? Not to worry, the Entreprenista team has you covered this holiday season! We’ve curated our list with incredible gifts for the hardworking, biz-minded Entreprenista in your life – ranging from biz-boosting programs to…

Ali Mejia of Eberjey on becoming the at-home comfort the world craves

Describe your business in a few words: For over 25 years, Eberjey has created styles and spaces that encourage softness, ease, confidence, comfort, and total authenticity. We use only the softest fabrics and timeless craftsmanship to design iconic pajamas and beautiful, functional pieces that support sleep and individual style. Through our fast-growing DTC business, four…

Tara Clark of Modern Mom Probs and Modern Mom Style Box on aiming for effectiveness

Describe your business in a few words: I am an author, content creator, mother, and the Founder of Modern Mom Probs and Modern Mom Style Box. I published my first parenting book, “Modern Mom Probs: A Survival Guide for 21st Century Mothers” in April of 2021. Additionally, my work has been featured in prominent publications…

Sophie Dornstreich of InCircle Fertility on unapologetically setting expectations and boundaries

Describe your business in a few words: My undergraduate and graduate education is in Social Work and my entire career was in the nonprofit sector until…secondary infertility knocked on my door. I emerged on the other side of my fertility journey crystal clear on the fact that I needed to turn my pain into purpose.…

Karen Montgomery of Masterly Mutual on developing accountability partners

Describe your business in a few words: Masterly Mutual provides relatable insight into understanding life insurance better so prospects can feel confident and at ease when considering a decision to purchase protection. What was your background prior to starting your own business? I was a captive agent working for corporate agencies. Did you always know…

9 Entreprenista League Members share their best tips for staying productive

Happy National Entrepreneurs’ Day! To celebrate, we’ve asked 9 of our wonderful Entreprenista League members to share their top 3 tips for staying productive each day: Ashley Piszek of MISS SWISS 1. Create a routine. Start each workday with a morning routine that will get you ready for the day ahead. It could be working…

Amanda Hofman of Go To Market on leaning into your entrepreneurial spirit

Describe your business in a few words: I am the Co-Founder of Go To Market, a marketing company that designs custom print-on-demand merchandise stores for businesses and individuals.  We specialize in designing inventive, fashion-forward, and sustainable merchandise in print-on-demand format.  Print-on-demand means no inventory, fulfillment, or high investment on the part of businesses. Before creating…