Fashion label Rue 107’s founder Marie Jean-Baptiste is what a small business analyst would call a serial entrepreneur. She’s launched businesses after businesses, and firms after firms. Her latest venture is Rue 107, a New York-based fashion brand that has just celebrated it’s fifth year of existence.

Kreyolicious: In high school, were you attracted by the fashion industry…were you that person who wore heels to class, or were you the wallflower type?
I was definitely more of the wallflower type than a heels girl! I loved very high platform shoes and wide seventies style bell-bottoms. Of course, that made me a bit of an oddball because everyone was obsessed with Jordans and Timberland boots but it all worked out. I bought my first sewing machine after I graduated from high school and fell in love with fashion.

Kreyolicious: Do you think that attending college helped you grow your business?
Attending college certainly helped in the growth of my business in terms of helping others. I knew I wanted to create, but I also wanted to help people and be part of something that is bigger than myself. Now, I am in a position where I’m able to do both and it’s a great feeling.

Kreyolicious: Prior to founding Rue 107, you founded three other businesses. What did you learn from those ventures that helped you this time around?
Each business that “failed” really set me up for the next one to be better. Being an entrepreneur is an ongoing marathon; it’s a long-term exercise of faith, courage, and perseverance. All experiences teach priceless lessons, and the application of these lessons is key.

The Rue107 showroom in New York.

Kreyolicious: Now those experiences taught you something, but surely there were some new experiences that you didn’t have any precedents as you took the helm of Rue 107. What challenges did you come across with Rue 107 that called for you to stretch your experiences?
So many! I would say the biggest lesson for me was understanding the money. Understanding cash flow, your balance sheets, payroll, taxes, profit versus loss etc. Passion is great but without understanding the money, you will never feel in control of your business.

Kreyolicious: Sometimes, we look at the “us” of five years ago, and marvel at our growth, at how much we’ve changed. Is there anything that you were incompetent at, at one point that you’ve gotten better at?
Being an entrepreneur is not for the comfortable, one must always be ready to learn and be challenged. I remember feeling like I could never possibly build a team, let alone lead one. But for each hire (and fire) you learn to do better the next time around. I also work with a business coach periodically to help me build certain skills that I might be having a hard time building on my own.

Kreyolicious: What would you say to recent graduate about the journey ahead?
I would say to let go of the concept of a plan B. If you have a plan B, you will never excel at point A. Point A is giving it your all. No shortcut, no mediocrity, no looking back. If your goal is to become a top executive at your firm, give the goal a set time, and give it everything you got. Same goes for starting a business, or any other career plan.

Kreyolicious: No matter how much you love what you do, you may experience down moments as a creative. How do you deal with those times?
One thing I make sure to do each morning is pray. I also meditate a few times a week. I learned to also make time for myself away from the business. I think it’s crucial to know yourself outside of your business. It is very easy to start evaluating yourself through the lenses of your business, especially when things are not going well. Don’t do that. Whether your business is on the verge of shutting down, or just got evaluated for a billion dollars, never align who you are with those results. They are a by-product of a time period of your life, not your identity.

Kreyolicious: Wow. Best advice ever…Where do you see yourself the Rue107 brand five to seven years from now?
I hope to expand into a full lifestyle brand. I want to offer women multiple ways to express themselves. Whether it’s wearing colorful and bold attire to having a beautifully decorated apartment, I think everyone should have the opportunity to standout and feel confident doing so.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE RUE0107 BRAND!

The entrepreneur Victor Kaim reportedly said, “An entrepreneur assumes the risk and is dedicated and committed to the success of whatever he or she undertakes.” If he were alive today (he died in the early 2000s), Marie Jean-Baptiste would probably be a safe bet for him as an investor. She’s on her sixth business. Rue107, her latest venture, begun five years ago in New York.

The line has won praises from fashion bastion Vogue, and stopped conversations during this year’s Essence Magazine’s festival this year. Clearly, ms. Jean-Baptiste, has a mind for business.

But the Port-au-Prince-born and Brooklyn-raised businesswoman didn’t always have a business mindset, but she always had foresight. When she graduated from high school, she did so with a vocational diploma in nursing, ready to battle the post-secondary world. After her application to the Fashion Institute in NYC was rejected, she continued to pursue a career in healthcare as a registered nurse. But you can’t cower from what you’re meant to do. One year away from graduating with her undergraduate nursing degree, Ms. Jean-Baptiste walked off to launch her contemporary women’s fashion line.

In the first segment of our convo, we mostly discussed Rue107, and what it’s like to be a fashion entrepreneur. This part of our discussion centers more on Haiti and Haitian-American culture.

Kreyolicious: So, you came here from Haiti when you were little. What was it like becoming Haitian-American?
Becoming Haitian-American was a completely different and scary experience for me. It’s always weird transitioning from a place you’ve called your home your whole life to now making a different country your home. Everything in Brooklyn, and New York City for that matter, is so fast-paced and it took a while adjusting too. Now, I love and appreciate the diversity this city has to offer.

Kreyolicious: Have you been to Haiti recently?
I visited Haiti this past January. There are some noticeable changes from what I remember. I saw a lot of influence from the Haitian diaspora mixed with our traditional cultural treasures. I think the hybrid of those two things is transforming Haiti in a great haven for entrepreneurship, tourism, infrastructure and overall economic growth.

Kreyolicious: Would you ever consider having a photo shoot in Haiti?
A photo shoot in Haiti would be so much fun! Having the bold colors of Haiti mixed with the bold prints from Rue.

Kreyolicious: Are you immersed in the culture now?
It’s hard to not be immersed in a culture that is a part of who I am. I always try to incorporate a little bit of that Haitian flare throughout the prints of the Rue107 clothing line.

Kreyolicious: Any Haitian artists you currently follow?
I love the classics- Sweet Micky, T-vice, Boukman, Emeline Michel, Tabou Combo. I need to get in the groove of the new school!

Kreyolicious: Girl, what’s your favorite Haitian meal?
I love taso kabrit! I order it from Le Soleil restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen–such a gem in the neighborhood. I read recently they are the oldest Haitian restaurant in the city, amazing food. I also love tchaka and soup joumou, which my mom makes for me sometimes.

Kreyolicious: Do you source Haiti based vendors for Rue107?
I am currently not sourcing with Haiti based vendors, but I would love to learn more about the process. It would be a rewarding feeling to say I was able to contribute to the growth of Haiti and that Haiti has contributed to the growth of Rue107.

Kreyolicious: Have you ever thought of starting a fashion school in Haiti, or holding fashion seminars?
This is an ongoing conversation I have with myself, my family and my peers. I am at the stage where I am recovering Haiti as an adult. After being away for nineteen years, it feels so good to connect again, and I can’t wait to see how it will all play out in my entrepreneurial journey.

If you missed PART I of the interview with Marie Jean-Baptiste, the founder of Route107, CLICK HERE!

GET TO KNOW RUE107 AND ITS DESIGNER MARIE JEAN-BAPTISTE.