Exploring Life & Business with Mallory B. Richardson of The Platform Experience

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mallory B. Richardson.

Hi Mallory, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started Crusade of Curves in 2017, officially. Mentally I created the concept after I began my modeling career post pageantry in 2015. Once I began to travel, network and truly began to brand myself, I noticed there was a shortage of opportunities for the plus-sized models, brands and fashion business in North Carolina, so I created this event to force community, commerce and opportunities for models and bloggers to showcase their talents leveraging my platform.

I had to travel to New York, Philadelphia, Maryland and Atlanta to gain the momentum I was looking for to establish myself as an indigenous plus-size model and I thought I was blessed considering I had and sometimes didn’t have the resources to do so. Therefore Crusade of Curves was that much more valuable to a local and developing influencer. The costs to attend and participate were minimal compared to some of my event counterparts and we were new, fresh, with insight from a model who not only had experience in public speaking but a concept and dedicates craft in production development

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not. In some instances, I felt giving up was an option. As I begin to impact change, be contacted by supporting businesses and brands, and receive love from my fellow models and family, I knew I had no choice but to forge ahead. Like many building businesses, The Platform Experience, my fashion house umbrella businesses, funded many of our ventures, including Crusade of Curves ourselves, without multiple huge brand sponsors. One thing remained important to me, and that was creating income and offsetting expenses for my models, which is oftentimes over looked or an afterthought.

They are so valuable to any fashion production and yet many times underserved. So this year, we celebrate five entire years of being able to provide model stipends, enhance brand networks and client bases plus build our platforms across the country and into international markets as well. I struggled to get people who “support” but truly didn’t believe in the vision to forgo personal gifting into supporting my businesses which was that much more important to me and my brand.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My business represents women and men. Specializing in plus-size bodies but serving all demographics as we are pro inclusion and diversity. We are small but offer customized services to include social media marketing, brand coaching and educational forums, styled shoot coordination and planning, fashion show and event production support, personal shopping and clothing styling plus model coaching.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Be flexible and compassionate. None of our productions or events were virtual until COVID-19. This was an important lesson to anyone in small business, especially those that provided in-person support or events that impact hundreds of people, including those who travel from near and far to attend. Expansion of your virtual reach and compassion for others during such a mentally and physically difficult time are where our core values truly got to shine. We are proud to be an ethically correct and morally operated business and during these times, we’ve all had to dedicate time, understanding and rework our efforts to best serve the community that has helped us flourish over the years.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.thecrusadeofcurves.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/crusadeofcurves
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/crusadeofcurves
• Youtube: www.YouTube.com/crusadeofcurves

Image Credits
Gregory Jones