Lupus Diagnosed Female Entrepreneur, 25, Who Founded Swimwear Brand SunKissed Babes While Learning to Sew on Youtube Talks Over-glamorizing Hustle Culture and Mental Health

Nya, 25, a serial entrepreneur diagnosed with lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis, who founded online swimwear brand SunKissed Babes while learning to sew on Youtube says social media’s perception of running a business is skewed and destroys the reality of what it is truly like to run a business.  

The swimwear designer, created by 25-year-old Nya Hughes in 2019 after she was diagnosed with Sjoren’s Syndrome, explains that the exposure she received by being tagged on social media by Frankiesbikinis early on, left her no time to prepare for a proper launch but did in the end help her gain a “ loyal following on Instagram.”

 January of 2019, Nya who then worked in retail, decided to hand make her own bikinis despite her then inability to sew. Nya spent the last 2 years learning how to sew via Youtube and focused on creating designs she hoped to find at popular retail brands but could not find or afford. 

“I realized that I could never find cute bikinis at a reasonable price for a broke college girl. So I told my mother that I was going to learn to sew. She thought I was joking but I wasn’t! I saved up, bought a Singer sewing machine at Joann’s and started practicing January 1, 2019.”

Also in 2019, she found out that she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Sjogren's Syndrome, which is similar to lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. This illness left Nya’s skin sensitive to the sun and scarred her lungs. As of this article, Nya is preparing to get on a list and receive a double lung transplant. 

During lockdown, a ton of social media users were tagging small business owners and Black-owned businesses to their pages in hopes of helping them reach many more customers. At the time Nya explained that she had no intention of actually launching her brand but was simply posting for her friends and family until she was approached by the Frankies Bikini who instantly realized the designer’s talent. With high demand, Nya launched her line to the world, surprised at the response of customers miles away from her small town in Fort Myers, Florida. 

“ I was so shocked to see people from Hawaii and Canada like my designs! I mean me? There are so many more established brands out there and you purchased my bikini!”

Although being recognized by a bigger company pushed SunKissed Babes forward, Nya explains that it did not mean she was constantly receiving orders like often advertised by other business owners on social media. Once last year’s “ tag a black-owned business” trend subsided, Nya says it would be weeks before she gets any orders if she gets any at all. A challenge millions of first-time entrepreneurs faced in 2020. Nya however decided to branch outside of social media and present her products at pop-up shows to increase brand awareness locally. 

“ You could have the best products and still get no sales.”

Despite the challenges this female entrepreneur faces, with difficulty breathing and working, she’s been transparent with her followers and customers about her struggles and “ they respect it.”  Nya explains that she strives to take care of herself first by practicing self-care, which to her means sleeping, reading a book, or simply “going at my own pace”. 

“ It’s okay to be lazy and take your time. I feel like people always think that to practice self-care you also have to be constantly active, you don’t have to” she explains. 

Nya is part of the 51 million Americans who struggle with mental health which can increase when running a business. Social media, she explains, glamorizes running a business as if success happens overnight. According to Nya, her journey has been anything but glamorous and sometimes finds herself depressed and unwilling to go on. Having the support of her fiance, mom and aunt, who is a breast cancer survivor, reminds her that she can get through adversity and thrive. Being inspired by her aunt’s hustle, and excitement to live and travel, Nya describes as motivation to do the same. 

The Sunkissed Babes designer emphasizes the importance of other female entrepreneurs such as herself to do the best they can and show up as themselves. “ No matter what, keep going, even when you have no sales, keep creating” Nya advises. Nya’s hope is to soon undergo a lung transplant surgery as well as expand her business to other products to continue to grow her business. In the face of adversity, Nya inspires us all to pursue our passions and always try our best. 

To continue to follow Nya and her story, visit @shopsunkissedbabes on Instagram and to shop her latest designs visit www.sunkissedbabes.com/

If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member.

Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255); En español 1-888-628-9454

Published in Power Room Mag