Avni Parekh is a refreshing figure and has rapidly become a real role-model for the remarkable messages she’s spreading through her brand, for the exceptional life principles she’s sharing with the world, as well as for her outstanding beauty. With the “Be The Bigger Person” self-help book and her newly-launched BTBP mindful apparel, Avni has made a significant impact in the field and has become a true inspiration for others to follow. In this interview, we delve into Avni’s professional journey and gain a more valuable insight into the way she thinks, how she takes action and how she feels.
Q1: We already know that you see BE THE BIGGER PERSON as a life principle and a way of life, rather than a simple slogan. On your BTBP shop website, you define “be the bigger person” as an incentive to take the high road even in those situations when you are faced with unpleasant behaviors and negativity. Can you offer your readers a more in-depth understanding of how you came up with this concept for the BTBP Shop?
Avni Parekh: In 2018, I published self-help book Be The Bigger Person: Scenarios & Solutions to Better Yourself. At the same time, I launched a website with an apparel shop to highlight the book’s core messaging — be the bigger person.
In that shop, I sold mugs, hats, and T-shirts with Be The Bigger Person prominently showcased on the apparel. Then, year after year, I would release a new T-shirt collection that emphasized the core aspects of the book.
When I came up with the concept of Be The Bigger Person in 2014, I always envisioned a brand that extended beyond my book. For me, the main goal is spreading awareness and helping others adopt the life principle of being the bigger person.
By opening an athleisure shop dedicated to reinforcing this life principle, I am able to bring the message mainstream through fashion.
Q2: Starting and growing a shop is an entire process. What were the ups and downs you encountered while building your brand? Can you walk us through the process with some more insight on the challenges you faced?
Avni Parekh: The process of building a brand is indeed challenging. I started developing the brand in 2014 as I was drafting the BTBP manuscript. Branding is one of my professional specialties, so for me, this aspect of business development was fun.
Publishing the book, however, was stressful. There are lots of ins and outs to learn, as well as legalities one should acquaint themselves with.
Fast forward to today, setting up a full-functioning shop that ships worldwide, with over 100 pieces of athleisure wear was no easy endeavor.
Some members of my team live in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The time difference is basically night and day. And, during the last couple of months prior to going live with the BTBP shop website, I’d start work at 3 a.m. every day. It was grueling on my mind and body.
The shop is a labor of love; I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a dream come true!
Q3: Tell us about some specific collections or products that you are particularly proud of. What are you selling that is really close to your heart and to your philosophy?
Avni Parekh: In 2019, I released the Be The Bigger Person Inspiration Collection. They were T-shirts, offered for a limited time, that brought to life the teachings of 5 world-renowned leaders whose nonviolent movements shaped my values: Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Dr. Martin Luther King, and Rosa Parks.
The statement T-shirts in the Inspiration Collection are my way of reinforcing Jesus’ message of love to stop hate, Rosa Parks’ message of courage to combat ignorance, Mother Teresa’s message of compassion to ease suffering, Dr. Martin Luther King’s message of equality to stop discrimination, and Mahatma Gandhi’s message of peace to stop violence.
These shirts resonated with our female audience so I added them to the BTBP shop in a new design specifically for them. In time, gender-neutral designs will be added to this collection as well.
Q4: What helps you stay inspired to keep coming up with new ideas and a fresh approach on your brand?
Avni Parekh: That’s a great question because inspiration can be hard to find. For me, spreading the principle of being the bigger person is a life mission, and I’m truly guided by my passion to help others. As an entrepreneur, it’s important to continuously find ways to reach your audience.
For example, in 2014, I was inspired to shed light on this message that I wrote the book in 30 days. Be The Bigger Person: Scenarios & Solutions to Better Yourself is geared toward Gens Y and Z, and includes topics that their entire nuclear family can relate to.
Then, between 2014 and 2018, a lot went on behind the scenes to bring the print book to life. After publishing Be The Bigger Person, I continued to market the book and release new T-shirt collections.
I’m also active in the community and have provided expert insights on guest panels and different speaking engagements throughout Miami. So, to answer your question, it’s passion that drives me to keep a fresh approach on my brand.
Q5: Do you have any exciting aspirations or plans for the future of BTBP that you’d like to share?
Avni Parekh: There are so many wonderful events happening behind the scenes with Be The Bigger Person. In the next few weeks, I’ll be releasing the official supplemental workbook to my self-help book called Don’t Give In. Actually, I drop a couple of little hints on BTBPshop.com about Don’t Give In.
Currently, there are other neat projects in the works. I’d love to share more about those with you in the future.
Q6: Is it difficult to balance the responsibility of being the owner of BTBP shop with your personal life? How do you split your time between entrepreneurship and personal time?
Avni Parekh: It’s definitely difficult to balance all of the responsibilities that come with being a shop owner while juggling all the other curveballs that life throws.
Luckily, I implement several different methods to manage my time and sanity. More importantly, I put into place the principle of being the bigger person — it helps me delineate between what’s really important in life and what’s not.
When you have a clear understanding of what matters to you, it becomes easier to prioritize which activities to place your time and energy on.
Q7: What advice can you give to small business owners and other aspiring entrepreneurs?
Avni Parekh: The best advice I can give is:
- Never give up on a goal just because you didn’t accomplish it according to your timeline.
- If you have a vision for a business, don’t allow anyone’s opinion to deter you from going after it.
- You are the CEO of your business. Be guided by your intuition and not by others around you.
These being said, our interview with Avni Parekh, a true leader and inspiration in today’s modern market, has come to an end. We hope you liked hearing about Avni’s journey and what she learned along the way. Thank you, Avni, for telling us your story – we appreciate you sharing your journey with the world and taking part in this interview!