Rising Stars: Meet Aisha Armstrong

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aisha Armstrong.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Aisha Armstrong and I was born in Memphis, TN. I grew up in Coldwater, MS which is about 40 minutes south of the city. I am a 2011 graduate of Coldwater High School where I graduated as the Valedictorian with a 100 average, 4.0 GPA, and over $800,000 in scholarship funds.

I went on to graduate from The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) in 2015 with honors and a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture: Plant and Soil Science. While matriculating, I was a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/1890 National Scholar and a part of Honor’s College. Upon graduation, I was offered several positions within the Agronomy field and accepted an offer from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Michigan as a Soil Conservationist.

After moving from Michigan and back home to Mississippi, I still continued my career in Agriculture but wanted an office-based position so I began my start in Agriculture finance as a Crop Insurance Processor. While maintaining my 9-5, but also wanting an outlet, I then tapped into my hobbies and started a clothing brand and eventually a YouTube channel after much hesitation.

From early childhood, I have always been intrigued with beauty, fashion, sneakers, and just all around having a fun life. Thus “Designs by Esh” was created in 2016. Named after my nickname and love for designs. I have always been known as a trendsetter in fashions with the way I dress and put looks together. I began creating my own bleached/distressed clothing which started a buzz unbeknownst to myself and in a short amount of time I started to get order inquiries.

Did I think why not? Who wouldn’t want an extra stream of income? Each piece was a handmade and custom creation of my revamping t-shirts. I also sold distressed jeans and denim jewelry. Designs by Esh also offered styling services which are referred to as “Styled by Esh”. This included styling consultations/personal shopping/creating fashion looks for customers. I put my business on pause when I reached a creative peak. I wanted to do something different.

In August 2017 my YouTube channel: “Life as Aisha” was born. Which I thought would be easier than just starting a lifestyle channel and showcasing my life to the public. It began as a vlog channel and later transitioned into much more: makeup videos, fashion hauls, sneaker hauls, hair reviews, budgeting advice, etc. YouTube was fun and so many of my peers were encouraging during the process. I reached 1000+ subscribers and 60,000+ views. It continued until April 2021 as I realized I could produce the same content at a faster rate with Instagram.

Becoming a content creator has taken my life and business in such an exciting direction. Not only can I maintain working daily but when I get off of work I can create content for several companies I’ve always liked and never dreamed of working with. Also beginning a new phase of entrepreneurship.

In the future, I see myself encompassing all my passions into one. Revamping Designs by Esh. Making Life as Aisha a full-time brand and bringing YouTube back into the fold.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road hasn’t been all smooth. I learned perseverance and to have a strong faith in God at a young age and it has remained with me through it all. 2013 I would face a challenge I wasn’t ready for but had no other choice but to prepare. My father passed away from surgery complications during the summer prior to me entering my Junior year of college.

The following winter, my siblings and I received the news of my mother being diagnosed with stage 4 Colon Cancer. She would battle it until February 2016. After losing her, I lost not only a part of myself but my best friend. Life seemed not worth living and it was hard to push past that feeling as this was right after I graduated in May 2015 and began a new job in a new city in September 2015. Life has been a humbling experience and I know that I am more resilient now than ever.

I didn’t let my pain make me succumb to the pressures many young adults face but used that as my why and reason to keep pressing forward. Grief isn’t easy and in most cases, it never really goes away, you just learn to cope with it better. My story is one of triumph and each day I work towards my goals and make my parents proud of me. I know they are.

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 pride myself on not fitting into one set box. There’s so much more to me than just being employed in Agriculture, being a Content Creator, Youtuber, Clothing Designer, or just an all-around Sneaker Enthusiast.

I volunteer often, mentor young girls, and just all around enjoy giving back. Outside of my mom being my biggest supporter and role model, I have had many who’ve helped pave the way for me. My loving family, close friends, and a high school counselor who showed me coming from a small town didn’t mean anything except I just would have to work harder and prove naysayers wrong.

Most importantly she instilled in me paying it forward. I’m most proud of my ability to adapt to any situation and be successful no matter what. My ingenuity to win sets me apart from others.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The Covid-19 crisis taught me how to seize the moment and appreciate everything. That and the whole year of 2020 gave me a reset on life and a newfound way of living.

Like most, I was given the work-from-home opportunity majority of that year and with that extra time at home, I started another Instagram page: “Sole of Kicks” which focuses on my love for sneakers. That page grew quickly and opened many doors for me. From 2020 until now I’ve had numerous IG live streams/blog features showcasing my involvement within the sneaker community.

I hope to one day to work with a major sneaker brand to create a signature shoe or just collab on an already existing model. Possibly design clothing and style celebrities and take my overall passion for fashion to new heights.

Lastly, I believe in enjoying the luxuries of life whenever you can. “Don’t Cheat Yourself, Treat Yourself” Is Always been My Motto. Take time for yourself, live for yourself, and always say no if you aren’t comfortable with doing something. Be yourself overall. Living life according to yourself and dreams is the advice I would give my younger self.

Oftentimes, we say yes to please others not realizing that’s the beginning of a terrible cycle. I would also tell myself to not always say yes. Treat others accordingly and travel often.

Contact Info:

• Email: armstra0816@gmail.com
• Website: https://designsbyesh.bigcartel.com/
• Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/_lifeasaisha/ https://instagram.com/soleofkicks https://instagram.com/designsbyesh/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AishaArm
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LifeasAisha
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/LifeasAisha