Interview with Evon Reyes with
Fearless Fighting Females
Evon is a high school peep of mine y’all. We reconnected after a while on
Facebook. I was so impressed with the
pictures of Evon giving classes to college girls to defend themselves that I
just HAD to ask her to give us an interview.
Even though she is up in the NYC, I hope it motivates you to teach
yourself and the young girls in your life to learn self-defense!
What is the name of your business?
Fearless Fighting Females
This name is EMPOWERING!
Can you dig it?
What product and/or service do you provide?
Fearless Fighting Females Self
Defense & Empowerment classes educate and empower students for today’s
world. During the class, participants
learn the six basic principles of self-defense including moves that help
students be more aware of their strengths and how to use those skills to defend
themselves. In this class, methods for
real-life scenarios are taught that are easy to use and remember.
Loving how Evon has tailored her class for TODAY’S
world. It isn’t anything like what I
grew up in … not calling myself old but man … things sure have changed!
When did your business start?
My business began in 2010
Where is your business located?
In New York City
My hometown!
What territory does your business serve?
Currently NY and the tri-state area
but would love to expand to other states.
Ooooh! Let’s get
enough interest going to make it worthwhile for Evon to come down and give us a
class!!!
Who does your business serve?
Girls as young as 5 and women as
old as 80.
I am somewhere in there and I ain’t telling!
What need does your product or service
fulfill for your customers?
Educates and empowers them to
defend themselves and to handle themselves in the worst of situations.
Love how FFF will help us prepare for the worst situation. It might just save a life.
What DIY tip about your product or service
can you share with MY TRIBE?
Knowing that you should always even
in the worst scenario (rape is eminent) fight back. It has been proven that 50% of the time the
predator will retreat when you fight back and that they will not hurt you
anymore if you do fight back. SO FIGHT
BACK.
Wow! Never thought
of it this way. I am Marine trained but
can you imagine not being ready to fight back.
Will you freeze?
Who is in your support system?
I would say my husband is a big
supporter of what I do and has my back but I also have lots of cheerleaders
behind me, including my big sister and some close friends that are like my
framily.
Love me some FRamily!
Shout out to my Pola, Thelma and Sylvia!!
How did you get bitten by the
entrepreneurial bug?
A mixture of volunteering my time
and being told you know people will pay for this service to the fact that my
corporate job was eliminated due to downsizing.
But I believe everything happens for a reason.
Paying to do what you know makes a difference!
What is your biggest success up until now?
That I have taken a business that
started as a volunteer basis and turned it into a service people will pay for.
Way to go Evon!
What has been your biggest challenge?
Not getting more regularity to the
classes I teach. My bookings currently
are sporadic.
It happens to the best of us. The thing is to keep approaching possible
customers and organizations that will be interested in our amazing services. And more thing … never ever forget our
services are amazing and changing lives!
Any funny stories you want to share so
other ladies don't feel like it only happens to them?
I was teaching a group of older
ladies (60+) and was showing them what to do if someone goes to choke you. One of the old ladies went to choke me and
pushed me back against a wall (she had a fire in her). Obviously I could have disarmed her rather
quickly but took the high road and let her push me to the wall. She kept saying you see, you see it won’t
work, I can choke you how am I going to protect myself. Two days later I received a note from the
lady who hired me to teach the class and loved what she mentioned.
Thank you for your patience with
some of our more "energetic" members who had trouble following
directions; I'm forever grateful that when you were push-choked by one and kicked
by another you refrained from turning the full force of your skills on them!
Wow! Great
constraint. Not sure if I would had been
as graceful … tee hee hee.
Anything else you would like to add?
As women we need to remember that
we need to help uplift one another with positivity. I always say Girls Compete, but Women, Women
we empower. I always try to instill that
to the girls and ladies that take classes with me and anyone i encounter
(fellow women entrepreneurs). Recently
working with someone whose business is similar to mine in that we both want to
educate and empower (common ground) but have a different focus in the way we do
that and how we can do it together.
Bee-A-ooo-tee-full!
If money was no object, what would you do
all day?
Educate and empower girls by
bringing my program to public schools, after school programs and underserved
communities.
Where do you most want to travel, but have
never been?
I would love to visit Greece. I love visiting places that have a rich
history and culture. I hope to travel
there one day.
Take me with youuuuuuuuuuuu!
Pepsi or Coke?
Neither, I do not drink soda, just
seltzer.
What about being an entrepreneur do you
love?
I love doing what I love, I have
such a passion for teaching and knowing that what I teach can make a real
difference in someone’s life is empowering for me.
I just know that Evon’s teachings will SAVE someone’s
life!
What is your why?
No matter how exhausted I might be
when I teach a class I leave feeling energized and empowered.
Doing what you truly love gives that extra energy boost.
What value does your business bring to your
life?
Empowerment
How do you track your appointments &
to-do's?
Respond
My Comment
What is your favorite gadget or app that
others entrepreneurs might want to check out?
On a paper calendar/to do list (old
school)
Evon is using a Passion Planner. Go and check it out. If I didn’t make my own, I would more than
likely be using that one!!
What are the biggest time wasters we
entrepreneurs get caught up in?
Sometimes when I am home I get
distracted with the things that need to get done for my home and my kids.
Oh yes!!! But the secret is setting boundaries and
sticking to a schedule. The kids an
hubby take some training but it can be DONE!
How do you continue to meet new clients?
Health fairs and thru past clients,
recently doing some cold calling and sending out letters.
You go girl!
Picking up that phone for those cold calls are … ugh!
Any tips you'd like to share about
networking?
So important. Need to get better at it, but having your
elevator pitch and letting your passion show thru is your best bet.
How can MY
TRIBE reach you?
fearlessff.info@gmail.com
347-351-6782
I really do hope you
enjoyed this interview and the amazing insight that this {lovely} woman entrepreneur
has brought to you. I love to see that
we are not alone in our experiences, fears, hopes and dreams!
Tune in for next week’s
blog where we will chat with Sindy Eugene – The Student Pathfinder!
Happy Time Management
(a.k.a YOU management)
Tabby
