Meet Myra Butler | Creative Entrepreneur & Mother

We had the good fortune of connecting with Myra Butler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Myra, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
I’m going to quote myself on this one— “Your business will grow as far as your horizon allows it to”. I know that’s such a vague way to put things, but this is for a fact true. Since 2015 I’ve been in business for myself, it’s when I created NO LIMITATION$Z. Before I gave my business it’s identity, I called it a number of things: “Stack or Starve” or “Chic by Myra”, while of course still working for/within other businesses and corporations to help fund my life, as well as No Limitation$z. I used to think to myself, I have to learn the in’s and out’s of a business and all of it’s functioning parts in order to run NLA successfully and scale it to the top at a rapid paste. I also used to tell myself— I have to keep consistent on creating new product because I want to keep things fresh within my brand, I want to keep things functioning! I soon learned while on my journey, that mind set was the wrong one to have. See, each year NLA was getting better with time, from being scouted to do fashion shows at the Howard theater, to being apart of fashion campaigns, to expanding production in Philly, to traveling state to state doing live pop up shows getting to interact with supporters from all over, to soon opening our first physical location that we had opened in the year 2021, and so much more since then! That is when I realized it’s not just the foot work I put in, or the new drops that I release, but the faith and prayer that I put into my brand when nobody else would. The plans and places that I’ve spoken into fruition for NLA happened because I seen for myself and my brand what other’s could not yet see and I went after it unapologetically. I’ve learned to be patient but still active, and not only trust the process, but trust in myself because my mind is stronger than I realized and my horizons travel beyond places I used to never dream about.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I like to look at myself as a “Creative Professional”, you name it, I’ve probably worked there or have done it—all except selling my dignity or my soul. I’ve worked everywhere from retail, to the federal gov, to private sector all while operating my own business. I am the creator of an in-house retailer brand called NO LIMITATION$Z aka NLA— pretty cool right? I design and produce gender neutral apparel, as well as manufacture 100% all natural hair and skin care for BIPOC, by us for us! Under No Limitation$z is my non-profit NL4DC, which we provide food and clothing distribution throughout our city, Washington D.C. My end goal is to soon open up my first EEC which is an “Exceeding expectations center”. NLA was once a vivid dream that I turned into reality. My first cut and sew design was my prom dress back in 2014, I couldn’t believe I’d created something so exquisite, I knew I had a niche for fashion growing up but I thought of it more like a hobby than anything else at the time. I created and dressed up for fun and expression, nothing more. Before I started No Limitation$z, I was a FT student at the University of the District of Columbia studying to become a paralegal in hopes of one day becoming a civil rights defense attorney transitioning over to criminal. By my third year of college, I became pregnant with my now 5 year old daughter Zari. I was still FT in school and working 3 different PT jobs, on top of being a care giver I felt like my life was spiraling out of control at one point. I soon took a break from my studies at UDC and continued to work but I know I needed to figure something else out that’d reach the same end goal and that something else needed to give me purpose outside of everything else I had going on. I had my life completely figured out at one point, I’m what you’d call too legit to quit. My mission is personal, growing up I lived a completely different life than I do now and by the time I’d gotten into college I did a whole 360 turn around for myself. I went from living life with no sense of direction, to realizing part of my purpose and wanting more out of life to assist others. I love creating, so I figured I’d see how far I could get with making some of my sketches or ideas come to reality. I went out on a limb when starting NLA, but I was no longer creating for just the fun of it I served a purpose. Whatever I created, I wanted to make sure it initiated confidence when people put any product of mine on their bodies. I wanted to inspire and restore hope into whoever would take the time to listen about or view my work because I knew it’d go a long way. When I seen how people gravitated to my first 3 prototype graphic tee’s I released, I seen I had a true purpose in designing. Starting out was challenging and for a while I put more money into my brand than I was seeing out of it. Seven years later, I’m nowhere near where I started out and I’ve made tremendous strides within my business, all praise due to God. I started out selling out of my trunk and off of IG, to having fashion shows at the Howard theater. From vending at local pop-up shops to traveling state to state hosting my own pop-up’s. I’ve sold my clothes inside of a boutique located in uptown, D.C. called Major’s and I’ve also had my own physical store location as well. I’m learning as I go, while giving myself grace. Just like wine I become better with time. It’s a lot of days where I feel overwhelmed and under accomplished but my successful days out weigh those which is enough motivation to keep going. I keep in mind what’s for me will always be and to keep God first in my journey because nothing can stop me. When I meet people at shows or events that I’ve met at pass pop-ups or in passing and they tell me how I inspired them to start their own businesses, I literally get charged up because that’s what it’s all about. To see my dreams come into fruition before my eyes is literally priceless. I create to shield one’s mind to think beyond their own horizons, teaching others how to be leaders within their own pathways. I create for the little girl or boy who was once like me—full of talent but no sense of direction. NLA is not just a clothing brand, it’s an external experience for others to stay motivated to be positive and remain humble.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
A lit week in D.C. may take another week to recover from! I’m such a foodie, so I’d make sure to take them to my favorite breakfast/brunch spots because brunch in the city can turn into a complete day party afterwards. We can’t forget to stop by my favorite carryout and order them 3 wings with fries salt pepper ketchup and mumbo sauce on everything, heavy on it. What’s a trip to D.C. if you haven’t tried the original mumbo sauce with a large triple mix on the side? In D.C. we like to start the day with a shot of Don Julio and end the night with a couple of bottles, you literally won’t get tired. I love activities that exercise the brain, so visiting 3 of my favorite museums is a must: The African American Museum, Artechhouse DC, and The National history museum, mainly to visit the butterfly pavilion because the girls live for aesthetics and a good time. A nice trip to the water down Georgetown to kick off the night is always a relaxing vibe, especially with the girls before heading to the club scene in the DuPont circle/U St corridor. 4 a.m. early mornings is a regular late night here in the city, I hope the girlies are able to hang! We have so much culture here in D.C! From our lingo, to our native music (Gogo), to the way we dress. It’s truly nothing like a day in Washington, D.C.!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
SHOUTOUT to my entire village— my mom, dad, daughter, and little sister Dior for keeping me on my toes and picking up the pieces that keep me and my businesses together. My photographer Amber for catching them angles. My second family for helping to push my brand into stores and places that have never heard of us. My life long friends (more like sisters) for pushing NLA as if it’s their own brand, helping me to travel and sale, filling in as my models and being the biggest support group a woman can ask for. My neighborhood, for being one of the first group of people as a whole to sport NO LIMITATION$Z through the city and giving me my flowers while I’m here, I couldn’t be more appreciative. None of this would be possible for me without God and my supporters, Alhamdulillah for everything!

Website: www.nolimitationszapparel.com

Instagram: no.limitationszapparel

Twitter: NoLimitationsz