Meet Kinyatta E. Gray | FlightsInStilettos Founder & Published Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kinyatta E. Gray and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kinyatta E., every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
It’s a funny story! I was taking a trip to a tropical destination three years ago, and that particular year I was very meticulous about what I wanted to wear and what kind of beach towel I wanted to take with me. I wanted a glamourous beach towel with an illustration of a stylish, fashionable, and sophisticated woman of color in a swimsuit on it. So, I began searching on the internet to look for beach towels fitting that description, and I could not find what I was looking for. Typically, you won’t see illustrations of people on beach towels, and illustrations of black women on beach towels were even rarer. That’s when the idea blossomed. I embarked on a mission to create exclusive beach towels with illustrations of black women (in bold-colored swimsuits at the beach) in light of discovering the lack of diversity in beach towel products in the travel space. The FlightsInStilettos Glam Girl Beach Towels were born! Each beach towel design has a story behind it. For example, the Author Bae Beach Towel illustration was inspired by my authorship journey.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Representation matters, yet black illustrations represented in the travel space lacks, and black illustrations of women on beach towels are even rarer. However, black travelers are demanding representation in travel spaces and, in doing so, creating a sense of inclusion and belonging. Imagine going to a resort gift shop or boutique and seeing a selection of beach towels options with images of black women…

FlightsInStilettos offers women options when choosing their beach towels. Women no longer have to hide their old reused hotel-issued beach towels or settle for seashells and sandcastles on their beach towel designs. Instead, they can flaunt their luxury inclusive FlightsInStilettos beach towels with beautiful illustrations that look like them. Creating luxurious beach towels with illustrations of black women sends the message that our image is beautiful and worthy of being shared in the travel space, worldwide.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Since I’m conveniently located near the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., you can’t come to the D.C. area without touring some of the most prestigious landmarks in the United States! We’d start with a stroll through the historic Eastern Market. While there, we’ll check out the arts & crafts by the local artisans (especially the unique handmade jewelry) being sure to support small local businesses, and grab a bite to eat and a few cocktails from one of the quaint restaurants with scenic outdoor seating. After that, we’d grab a taxi and go a few blocks down straight into the heart of D.C. We’d walk by the major landmarks such as the Washington Monument, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. memorial, and the U.S. National Arboretum. We’d wrap up with a stroll past the White House, and if we’re lucky, we may catch a glimpse of the presidential motorcade! Finally, we’d end the experience with a fantastic shopping spree at the luxurious City Center and snap a few photos for Instagram along the way!

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?
Yes, of course! I want to send a shoutout to Julie Murphy for her unwavering support of my business idea for FlightsInStilettos from the very beginning. She unselfishly invested countless hours helping me develop a solid business plan and provided mentorship, coaching, friendship, and consistent belief in my abilities to exceed my wildest dreams.

Website: https://shopflightsinstilettos.com/

Instagram: @flightsinstilettos

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FlightsInStilettos

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7VeegTGMQdwkzPvUuQA19Q

Image Credits
Timeless-Pixx