“Invest in your own growth and self-development then you’ll be able to serve others better.” – Yaourou Konaté Lehrmann

Founder@ Interview

Interview with Yaourou Konaté Lehrmann

“Invest in your own growth and self-development then you’ll be able to serve others better.” – Yaourou Konaté Lehrmann

Today we feature Yaourou Konaté Lehrmann, the founder at Yaourou. We hear their story in their own words, their successes, their challenges and their insights.

Let’s start by getting to know you. Can you please tell us a little bit about you and what you do?

Hello, I am Yaourou. I was born in Marcadet-Poissonniers to Malian parents and raised in the southern suburbs of Paris. I live in London. I have been working in a mix of roles in the Event Industry and in the Fashion Industry.

As an International Model, I have appeared in music videos, books, magazines, editorials, and journals throughout the world. I am the founder of Yaourou, a unisex ethical, and sustainable multilingual fashion Brand.

A great introduction and start to this interview. Can you please tell us, how did you start, from what age, and what made you decide to change direction and start?

I always wanted to start a business but because I am passionate about tons of things it took me a while to decide what to build.

Then the global pandemic hit us all, and I had to think harder about what I was going to do. I thought about what I could create involving languages, fashion, a certain mindset, and differences of what others are doing, something unique to me but which also matters to someone else.

I decided to create a brand where I can share my values. A brand for people who have depth and do the right thing. A brand for those that are true to themselves and can think for themselves. A brand for people who are beautiful inside and outside, kind, and live life to the fullest.

Thank you for that insight. So can you tell us…What does your business do and where is your company based?

Based in London. We now, thankfully, live in a world where people are becoming more honest and open about what/who they like and less judgmental.

I am drawn to people who are honest, I find honesty liberating. But we are not there yet because for most people it is still not easy because of societal expectations or having to conform to the stereotypes of age.

When people wear Yaourou I want them to feel like they are special. I want them to feel like they are a part of a group of open-minded people with a healthy mindset, regardless of their demographic or background.

What’s the story behind your success? What led to your aha moment? how did you get to where you are now?

I am still in the early stage so not sure how to answer that question. Also, it depends on how you define success.

For me being able to make a positive difference in other people’s life is a success. In the context of building my Brand, I’ll say success is when I managed to receive the correct order. OMG, so on 1 occasion I had to send back all the French hoodies because they were misspelled, apparently a system glitch.

I am building a multilingual brand so I guess that can be expected. Then, wrong colours from what I ordered, wrong size, honestly it was a nightmare to deal with all this. It also takes me so long when I place an order with my suppliers and manufacturer to receive the clothing.

I have a pair of shoes and a dress that I have in mind that I want to do but I am struggling in finding suppliers. When you go for building an ethical and sustainable Brand, finding genuine suppliers is hard. I am currently trying to see if I can collaborate with a Fashion Designer.

Thank you for sharing that. What’s been your life’s biggest lesson so far?

Trusting and at a time befriending the wrong people. Mind-blowing how some pretend to like you, try to be your friend, and pick up your brain only to try weakening you, and secretly plotting against you.

Is this envy or annoyance that they cannot control you? I don’t know. What is more bizarre is that those I’ve mentioned, are people who come from a wealthy and privileged background; why would they be jealous of someone like me who have less than them and come from a working-class background?

I don’t know. Lesson for me but now I have energy and situational awareness. How do you do to get that? With experience.

Your own personal development is powerful. It is a constant work in progress, help you to love yourself.

If you were to go back in time, what piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

Oh wow. I’ll say to myself don’t take things personally and control my emotions. The more you practice calm, the better you become. So now, when conflicts come my way, I am like, great, another opportunity to improve my self-control.

We’re nearly halfway through our interview so it’s a great time to ask how does your business run. What three tools make your business run better?

Shopify, cold calling, and human interaction. Most people are encouraging me to go on Instagram, and I appreciate it, but I don’t think I am good at social media.

People should use the skills they are good at, not what is expected. I will get on Instagram in the future, but at the moment I stick to the way I know how to.

What do you know now that you wished you had known before?

Your own personal development is powerful. It is a constant work in progress, help you to love yourself, appreciate everything around you and live your life to the fullest.

What has been your greatest or proudest achievement or moment?

Selling without having to sell. I was having a conversation at a social event and casually talk about building my multilingual clothing Brand and by the end when I finish my story, many bought. I was proud of that moment because I sold clothing without trying, honestly, it was effortless, genuine, and natural.

What future life goals do you want to achieve and why?

I am hoping to have a successful multilingual global fashion clothing Brand. Why? Because there is something quite incredible and exciting in being able to build your own Brand.

You build you, you work for yourself so you are even more passionate. More importantly, knowing that your Brand could potentially motivate and uplift others it’s a great feeling.

To finish our inspire questions…”We believe that sharing inspiring words can inspire others.” If there was one positive thing you would say to someone to inspire and empower them what would it be and why?

Invest in your own growth and self-development then you’ll be able to serve others better. If you have a business idea but are not sure if it will work, go for it anyway. Or would you rather leave your life will regret?

“Thank you it has been great learning more about your founder story and Yaourou”

To learn more about Yaourou Visit https://yaouroushop.myshopify.com/

Inspired by this story? Please share this story and other founder stories.

For more inspiring founders stories check out Founder Stories.

More from Founder Stories

” Be very careful with advice—most of it will steer you toward conventional thinking. Build your ability to reason from first principles, embrace resilience, and focus on creating long-term value.“ – Nick Root

Posted On Founder@ 0

"Be very careful with advice—most of it will steer you toward conventional thinking. Build your ability to reason from first …

“I’ll share two bits of advice that have been instrumental to me, both coming from different places but equally impactful…” – Liam Sanders

Posted On Founder@ 0

Founder@ Interview With Liam Sanders "I'll share two bits of advice that have been instrumental to me, both coming from different places …

“Start with empathy.” Whether you’re building a product, leading a team, or pitching to investors, the core of your business should be understanding people’s needs…” – Rainier Mallol

Posted On Founder@ 0

Founder@ Interview With Rainier Mallol "The one piece of advice I would give is: "Start with empathy." Whether you're building a product, …

Editor Picks

“Identify your mission, and stick to it. Having a mission that clearly states what value to aim to bring to those who come in contact with your business is key to decision-making and, ultimately, progressing.” – Ryan McFarland

0

“The one piece of advice I’d give is this: who you choose to work with is as important as who you choose to marry…” – Lauren Petrullo

0

“I learned from Kim Kardashian, “life is never about you, it’s about helping as many people as you can…” – Dark Joseph Ravine

0

Tracey Shirtcliff – Founder at SCOPE Better ” Sometimes the best results take time, and it’s OK to wait. As long as you don’t give up, it doesn’t matter if things take longer than you want them to take. “

0