Interview with Evon Reyes with Fearless Fighting Females

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