Why this businesswoman says it's a 'disservice' to go to 'the man' with a big idea

CeCe Olisa went to The New School to study musical theater, then became a fashion blogger, and eventually founded theCURVYcon. How has she carved out such an impactful career? Doing exactly what she wants.

“Sometimes I feel like asking for permission instead of just doing it for yourself can set you back. We didn’t ask for permission, we went out and felt the spark, we explored it ourselves,” Olisa said on a panel with her business partner Chastity Garner and Premme fashion line founders Nicolette Mason and Gabi Gregg. “I’ve been in situations where groups of women or groups of creators who felt like they weren’t represented have gone to like “the man” to ask for them to represent them instead of doing that themselves,” she said.

Her advice: go out there and do it. “Waiting for us to create a platform for you might be a disservice to you,” she advised.

Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty:

• Fat women often get too fetishized, reality star Whitney Way Thore admits

• CeCe Olisa: ‘It’s kind of weird to hear a big girl say I love my arms’

• Plus size model Precious Lee says there’s ‘no pill’ for body confidence: ‘It’s a really personal journey’

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