In Conversation with Raina Vallot & Sherin Dawud of Power Pump Girls, Inc.

Describe your business in a few words?

Power Pump Girls, Inc. is a social impact club empowering women to connect + serve.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

Meeting one another and realizing how well we worked together.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

Both of us graduated in kinesiology from LSU and had collective work experience in retail, hospitality, service, event planning and law. So literally ALL over the place, but the variety in experiences definitely shaped our skill sets and developed our strengths in diverse areas.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Yes!

Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

Our marketing strategy was to create experiential moments – events and social gatherings where women could connect to our business – and one another- firsthand. It went better than planned! Our event planning background served us well in creating memorable, instagrammable moments that people wanted to be a part of. The buzz of Power Pump Girls spread quickly!

How has your business or industry been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

Because of COVID-19, we had to drastically pivot our in-person, events-led business model. PPG shifted to become more of an online resource for education on social issues and advocacy. In doing so, we were able to create conversations about things that matter using our digital platform and merchandise as a voice.

What’s next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

Our podcast! We’re inviting more people in on the conversation of social issues, womanhood and the hustle via yet another online platform via “Power Pump Girls: the podcast.” Launching in March, we’re excited to continue using our voice and resources for good and on a larger platform!

Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?

Absolutely. We literally schedule in our workouts and leisure time during the week. We purposely unplug and find time to play on the weekends. And we have an unhealthy obsession with getting our nails done and trying new manicure designs as a reward for all our hard work. As an Entreprenista, you HAVE to prioritize taking care of yourself or your business will suffer!

What’s something our audience would be surprised to learn about you?

We learned that being flexible and rooted simultaneously is key. Life literally changed before our eyes and in order to stay afloat, we had to be rooted in our beliefs, vision and discipline. In the same breath, we had to be okay with things being out of our control and reality changing into so drastically different than what we were used to.

What are your top 3 tips to stay productive each day?

• Time blocking and prioritizing your tasks helps keep you accountable throughout your day. 

• Finding a playlist (lo-fi vibes or lyric-free music) to play in the background of your day helps you keep pace and feel focused. 

• Turning your phone and social notifications off (at least for a portion of the day) keeps distractions at bay.

What does being an Entreprenista mean to you?

To us, Entreprenista is synonymous with Power Pump Girls! It’s the persona of a woman who’s passionate about creating something bigger than herself – a woman that will make “it” happen by any means necessary. She’s a hustler that gets the job done…fabulously!