196: From Lay-Off to Comeback: How Designer Dionna Dorsey Created Her Own Thriving Design Boutique and Apparel Line

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today in the Side Hustle Pro guest chair is Dionna M. Dorsey, a gifted designer and brand development strategist and the creator of apparel line DISTRICT of CLOTHING. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After graduating from Villanova University in 2002, Dionna moved to Italy to study fashion design and pursue a job in the fashion industry. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She ended up relocating to New York City and designed outerwear for Oscar de la Renta and men's apparel for several other licenses. After rocky times hit the retail industry, she was eventually laid off from her job. She applied for job after job, but no one would hire her, so she made a decision to hire herself. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She went on to open Dionna Dorsey Design, a design boutique that specializes in being creative – from graphic design to art direction, brand strategy, and website development. Then, she launched DISTRICT of CLOTHING, a signature apparel line developed with the conventional and avant-garde dreamers and doers in mind. The rest is HERstory.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Listen on</span> <a href= "http://sidehustlepro.co/Podcast"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Apple Podcasts</span></a><span style= "font-weight: 400;">,</span> <a href= "https://open.spotify.com/show/13qDj08lBR4ymzGhXIKy8t"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Spotify</span></a><span style= "font-weight: 400;">,</span> <a href= "https://soundcloud.com/sidehustlepro"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Soundcloud</span></a><span style= "font-weight: 400;">, and</span> <a href= "http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/side-hustle-pro"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Stitcher</span></a><span style= "font-weight: 400;">.  </span></p> <p><strong>This episode is brought to you by:</strong></p> <p><a href= "http://acuityscheduling.com/hustlepro"><strong>Acuity</strong></a></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For a limited time only, you can get 45 days of Acuity Schedul