The F.A.B Podcast
The F.A.B (Fashion And Beyond) Podcast is where faith, purpose, fashion, and real-life conversations collide. Hosted by Hadiyah Adrianne, this show inspires women to grow in confidence, embrace their personal style, and navigate life with authenticity and grace. Through honest stories, personal growth, and sisterhood, we empower you to stay motivated, chase purpose, and live a truly FAB life—inside and out
The F.A.B Podcast
Faith Over Validation
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In this powerful episode, we dive into what it truly means to choose faith over validation. Joined by special guest Mrs. Trina, owner of faBRAlous Fits, we have an honest and inspiring conversation about trusting the vision God gave you—even when others don’t understand it.
Mrs. Trina shares her journey of building her brand with confidence, resilience, and unwavering belief, reminding us that external validation is not required when you are walking in purpose. This episode is for anyone learning to silence the noise, stand firm in their calling, and move boldly in faith.
Welcome back to the podcast. This season we're leaning into one powerful word, audacity. The audacity to dream bigger, to trust the vision placed on your heart, and to take bold steps toward the life you know you're meant to live. Today's conversation is all about the power of vision. Vision is often where everything begins. It's that spark, that idea, that moment where you see something for your life or your purpose before anyone else can see it. But having a vision is only part of the journey. It also takes audacity to bring that vision to fruition. Audacity to start when you don't have all the answers. Audacity to believe in something that hasn't fully taken shape yet, and audacity to keep going even when the role feels uncertain. Today I'm joined by someone who truly embodies the spirit. My guest is Miss Trina, the owner of For Brawless Fits, where she helps women feel confident and supported by providing professional bra fitting and quality bras that actually fit the way they're supposed to. Miss Trina is friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely kind. My own experience shopping with her was unforgettable. And it's the kind of experience that makes you want to support and share a business with others. In today's episode, we're talking about the vision behind her business, what inspired her to start, and the audacity it takes to continue to show up serving women through her work. So let's get into it. Welcome to the Fat Podcast, Miss Trina.
SPEAKER_00Thank you. I'm happy to be here. Thank you for reaching out to me to be a part of this journey with you.
SPEAKER_02I appreciate your support. So we're gonna hop right into it. So take us back to the beginning. When did the vision for your business first come to you?
SPEAKER_00Okay, um, I would say that it started for me as a young teenager. My purpose was born from a deeply personal journey, and that journey was rooted in both challenge and empowerment. So I can vividly remember my grandmother um saying to me, Oh, Trina, it looks like your bed, your bra, your boobs are going to bed. And so what that meant was, oh, your breasts are not lifted, they are laying down on your tummy, they are, you know, they need to be lifted, type of thing. So my grandmother was the first one to introduce me to the importance of wearing the right bra. And from there, um I just kind of took it from her and I just started um thinking about so many other women who had the same problem that I have with finding a the right bra. And I am, you know, my bra size really, when I first started with my grandmother, my bra size was found in like maybe JC Penney's, you know, those little box stores kind of thing. But we didn't have anyone to assist us with shopping or looking for a bra or with the fitting or anything like that.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00And so when I got a little older, I would probably say about 18, 19, I went on a journey of my own to kind of find a bra fitting shop that could actually measure and fit me, and to help me with a bra that I couldn't find in the department store by that time because I had gotten a little bigger. So um, so that's kind of how it all started for me. And it brings me to today that my purpose is all about um reaching women or teens or anyone who needs to be fitted and helping them to find the right fit. And the most important part is the educational piece.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Just making sure that I educate people about the importance of finding the right bra, how it should fit, how it should feel, and really getting in tune with the person by themselves and figuring out, you know, what can we do to boost that confidence, their self-esteem, and and things of that nature. So that's kind of sort of how I got started, my vision, and Yeah, I love that.
SPEAKER_02I think that that's one of the things that made me want to keep coming back to your shop. Oh, wonderful. It was just like you having the knowledge, but like you also taking the time to like, I guess like sympathize and understand like my story and my journey to getting here. And so just that experience alone of it's like, oh yeah, I'm coming back.
SPEAKER_00Okay, okay, wonderful. Yeah, I love that.
SPEAKER_02So what gave you the audacity to actually move on that vision instead of just sitting on it?
SPEAKER_00What are your audacity to move on the vision? Um, I have been brafitting now for about 20 years or so. Okay. So yeah, it's been a long time. Um, I started out trying to kind of like demobile, going to people's homes and things like that. And then uh fast forwarded it about eight years ago, this brick and mortar became available. But what gave me the audacity is believing in myself and knowing that God would not give me a vision that He would want me to sit on and for me to listen, you know, and to to just go and and do. And so that's kind of how I, you know, what gave me the audacity to actually just go and do it, you know, my faith in God and then the support of my family uh and friends, and just doing what I love to do. And this is exactly what I love to do. I was born to do it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you're you're amazing at it. And I love that you just said like God, like you had to believe in the vision that God gave you. And that really resonates with me because I feel like the journey I'm on in regards to being you know, stepping into this new um field of being a podcaster, like God gave me the vision. So I don't need anyone else to necessarily believe in that vision.
SPEAKER_00Exactly.
SPEAKER_02It's it's for me and it's for me to see it through with God's help. So yeah, I'm glad that you said that. Like it's super important that no matter if you don't have the support of those around you, God gave you something. Right. And that's enough. And he'll, you know, give you the help that you need along to what along the way to see that uh vision through.
SPEAKER_00Yep.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so that's really um was there ever a moment where you questioned the vision or wanting to give up? And then what helped you keep going?
SPEAKER_00Okay, so that's a very good question. Um, like I said, when I I've I've been here almost eight years now in a brick and mortar, and when I first started here, I can remember I was the only one. I had, you know, bras and I had some panties, I had uh shapeware, so I had some things, you know, I didn't have a huge inventory, but I can remember sitting here week after week and no one coming in. I was so devastated, you know. I was like, okay, now, I mean, I would have like maybe one or two customers like on a Saturday, but those Sundays were really, really tough. And I remember sitting and thinking, like, oh my gosh, what am I gonna do? I have rent to pay, I got bills to pay, you know, I gotta uh order, you know, more items. If if I ever get customers, you know, I gotta keep the relationship with my vendors. So um, so that was that was a breaking point for me. I I I was like, okay, what am I gonna do? What am I gonna do? So then I just started doing more social media posting, uh, and then you know, passing out cards and and family started stepping up a little bit to help me out, spread the word. And then, you know, once you kind of kind of get like a couple of customers, they'll tell people, and then those people tell people. So that's that's what kind of yeah, that was kind of like really, really tough at the very beginning. But fast forward it right now, it's good. Yeah, I mean it's still room for growth. Don't get me wrong, always, but um, but yeah, I can remember at the very beginning, about seven, eight years ago, when I had that feeling, like, uh, I don't know.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and they said usually as an entrepreneur when you're around year, I think it's year five. Yeah, you're just like, Yeah, I don't know.
SPEAKER_01Like if I want to get it, right?
SPEAKER_02Like, yeah, and it could be sooner than that because I feel like with entrepreneurship, it's really like it's stretching you as a person.
SPEAKER_00It is, yes.
SPEAKER_02It's so much growth that has to happen within you it before it even happens in your business.
SPEAKER_00Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_02You know, yeah. So it's not it's not easy, like, and you really have to believe in your vision. And sometimes you that you will reset and recalibrate, rebrand, um, but you just can't quit.
SPEAKER_00Right, exactly. And I'm glad I didn't. Yeah, you thought 20 years in. Yeah, yeah. Not a lot of people can say that. Right. And I feel good about it. I, you know, I like being here, you know. Um, I'm hoping to retire into this business. I've always had a full-time job, so that's another thing that kind of made it very challenging for me um on this journey. However, you know, I'm looking forward to um kind of doing this full-time at some point. Although I do a full-time with my full-time job, but right, but yeah, more full-time.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, well, you can just solely focus on the business. I can just then really pour into it.
SPEAKER_00And I can branch it out and do some other things.
SPEAKER_02I'm excited about the future of the business. And that and I feel like that word of mouth thing, we had that before we had social media.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_02Like people were just telling you about businesses that they went to and what their experience was that people went, you know, based off of the recommendation. And I feel like to be honest, that's still like a thing.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_02Because not all businesses, especially black owned businesses, not everybody has the capability to be online. Right. You know what I mean? Because they may be balancing too much or they don't they're not tax-heavy. You know what I mean? So I feel like the word of mouth is still like a real way to get the word out.
SPEAKER_00Right. And it's a lot of small businesses, we just don't have the budget for advertising, promoting, and you know, all those different kinds of things that you see a lot of the butt big box stores do. That's why it's so important for you to connect with your community as well. Absolutely, and to stay in connection. Yeah, and you know, and look for those um, those freebie type of things where you can kind of post, you know, on social media and it's not costing you a whole lot. And um, but yeah, it's it's challenging for small businesses to kind of get out there and to stay out there and um yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but you you've you've been doing it.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_02And I be seeing you posting. Every time I see you post, I'll be like, okay, Miss Trina, come on with the post.
SPEAKER_00Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Get a little creative. No, you are getting creative and you are online. Does that count?
SPEAKER_00Yes, I try. When I come home from work, I'm like, yep, this is what I'm doing. Yeah. It's a commitment to it.
SPEAKER_02But like when it's something that you're passionate about and you want your purpose, it you're you're okay to do it no matter what, no matter how tired you are, no matter the fact that you worked the nine to five, and now you gotta come home and put in time, you know, in your business as well. So I see you and I be reposting and I be telling the world. Thank you.
SPEAKER_00Yes, I see you.
SPEAKER_02You need a wrong come see Miss Trina.
SPEAKER_00Yes, I do. I I definitely appreciate the support. And I've been seeing it.
SPEAKER_02Yes, like yeah, you know, finding you really changed my my confidence, you know what I mean?
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_02Just imagine, you know, just having large breasts, but you being the only one, you know, in your family that has that. Yeah, and that's challenging. You know what I mean? So they don't they're like, girl, I don't know why be going to Victoria's Secret or the department's door. You like, well, they don't even have my size.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_02You know what I'm saying? So yeah, finding you is just like a blessing for sure. Wonderful. Any way that I could, you know, support you and send people, I'm I'm gonna do that every single time. I appreciate it. But I'm coming back to get me some things. Okay, yes. Um, so how has your vision for your business evolved from you first starting uh to where you are now?
SPEAKER_00Okay, so um how have how has my vision evolved? I would say it's broadened um uh somewhat because when I first started, I was thinking, okay, so I'm going and I'm gonna be fitting women and you know, probably some teens. But actually the um LBGT community. Yeah. It's been sort of like an uptick in, you know, um that population coming in.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00And it and it's been it's been an eye opener for me. And I'm welcoming, you know, everybody here. Absolutely. You know, I don't care if you um you're a transgender or if you are a young teen who needs, you know, who's been developing for quite some time. Right. So my vision now is um, I mean, I'm still educating, I'm still equipping, I'm still teaching, and um, I'm still doing all of those wonderful things that I started out doing, but it's just kind of opening up other doors for me now. Yeah, you're just expanding your reach. Yeah, exactly. That's exactly what I'm doing, expanding my reach and um, and just welcoming everybody. So I want people to know that I am here, and if I don't have it, I will find it for you. She will. So uh, so yeah, I'm here, you know, and I I've planned on being a staple in this community and in this business for a long time. So, you know, and I just I just love everybody who needs somebody to support them, and I'm here for it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and the proof is in the putting, the the proof is in the experience, yeah. So yeah, I love that.
SPEAKER_00Thank you. Oh, this is good.
SPEAKER_02So, what would you say to someone who has a vision for their life or their business but is afraid to start?
SPEAKER_00I would say um, first you need to make sure that you master whatever it is that you want to do. You really truly do because I think sometimes people think that it's easy just jumping out here. Um, you gotta have faith. Yeah, you gotta believe in yourself. That's one. That's four, that's the first part, I think. And then you need to master whatever it is that you're trying to do. That would be my second thing that I would suggest that um people do. And then the third, it's leap, just leap. And you're gonna either fly or fall, one or the other.
SPEAKER_02And both is a and it's a blessing and a lesson in both.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so my thing is, you know, go for it and and have the confidence. But if you have those things in place at the beginning where you have, even if you don't have the financial backing quite yet, you know, sometimes that'll come along, but you definitely need to know what you're doing and have an idea of what it is that you can um equip people, give people, you know, so sell to people or you know, give to people their education or whatever it is, whatever it might be, whatever it is you're passionate about. Um, but you can't just step out here and not have a plan of action.
SPEAKER_02You just can't do it. I feel like even if you don't have a plan but you have a vision, like you said, master it. So I feel like hearing you say master it, it's like if this is something new that you're stepping in and you don't have all the details of it, like deep dive into that. Right. And and study and research, you know, ways to benefit from what you want to do.
SPEAKER_00Right. So even if you don't, yeah, you're right. Even if you don't have it all, but you gotta come with something. Something. Right. I mean, even if you don't have um have it, you gotta be able to think. At least have the be able to think it through.
SPEAKER_02But not overthink it.
SPEAKER_00Right, there you go.
SPEAKER_02Not overthink because I'll overthink myself out of some stuff, okay?
SPEAKER_00You know, because it takes like a little, small little must to see. Yes, it does. And it's baby stuff. It is baby stuff, but you gotta know where you're stepping. Yes. You know, so with the vision, you know, it comes action, you know. And I think that a lot of times people have ideas, wonderful, bright ideas, but they don't know how to execute it. They don't they don't know how to just do it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Just do it, you know. So Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's true. And I think having having support, because I I think about my own journey into the podcast world and me wanting things to be perfect, and me wanting to just hop out there and you know, doing videos, and I'm just like, girl, you don't even have the things that you need. And I was overwhelming myself trying to be perfect, like looking at, you know, other people who have been in the podcast space way longer than I have. Right. I'm just entering it. And sometimes that can be not intimidating, but it's like you're inspired by what you see other people doing, right? But you don't know the sacrifices they made exactly to get there. Because, you know, we just end up seeing the finished product. You don't get to always necessarily see the behind the scenes. And so I was looking at other, you know, podcasters that I listened to that I admire that were inspiring. I'm like, I want to do that. But it's like they've been doing this way longer than I have. And one of my friends said, you know, I think you should just start. She was like, it doesn't matter when you start or how it looks. She was like, whenever you start, it's gonna be good because it's your vision.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_02And so that was the thing that kind of like was like, okay, I don't it doesn't have to be perfect. And it doesn't have to look like what everybody else says. Exactly. Let me just start. And so, you know, yeah, wanting to like hop out there and be in full-on production and da-da-da. I'm just like, that's not realistic.
SPEAKER_01Right, exactly.
SPEAKER_02Like I don't even have the foundation for that. Like, let me lay the foundation and God'll let me know when it's time for me to get to that, you know, level with my podcast. And so I was like, you know what, I'll just do audio only. But had I not heard her say it doesn't matter when you start, just start. It's gonna be great because it's coming from you. I don't know if I would have started because I was overthinking everything and I wanted it to be perfect.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and that's why when I say um, when I say master, you've already mastered the ability to connect with people.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So so the next thing for you is okay, you're not just stepping in this blindly because you already have that skill set.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_00So now you're just channeling that skill set into something else, another type of activity or another type of action or something of that magnitude. But you already have the wherewithal to do everything that you need to do, right? Because everybody doesn't have that kind of skill. I mean, they don't. And you know, you might see somebody over here, you know, like for me, for instance, like the bra fitting thing. I mean, I no one really showed me or said, okay, this is exactly how you have to do it. It comes from experience for from people fitting me and knowing that, hey, wait a minute, I don't think they're doing this right, or and then, you know, educating myself and then, you know, kind of moving more into um, you know, just this experience, just fitting people and making sure and and getting in tune with the industry, you know, that I know where this type where I needed to be, type of thing. So, but yeah, so that's kind of what I mean when I, you know, when I say you need to have at least something to start with, a little minute something and and a master with that. But we are masters in so many different things already before we even step out on faith and you know, even just having that confidence to kind of just say, I'm gonna do this thing.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and you know, sometimes we do need those closest to us um to kind of shed light on the things that we don't always necessarily get a chance to see.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_02But what I'm learning is that everything that you need to be great is already within you.
SPEAKER_01It is. You don't need to already great.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you don't need to seek that validation, you need to seek that confirmation for the people. I think that's just the humanness in us. Yes, wanting that confirmation. We we need to hear it sometimes, but I think the way God confirms us is much more greater than anyone could confirm us. Right, yeah, and it's not always loud, it's not always a voice. Sometimes it's it it reveals itself in our action to just leap and to just start, right? And just to begin. And then along that journey and that process, you're like, oh, okay, that was God. Yeah, right, you might be right. And then you you start to see and feel that that evolution, you know, that you were scared of originally. But yeah, that just that just made me think about that conversation with my friend in the beginning of me stepping into a space that I didn't fully know how it worked, but I knew it was something about it that caught my attention. And I was like, I can I think I can do this. You know, I think I can create a a space and a lane for myself, but you know, you you do have those moments of self-doubt where you're just like, Well, how do I do that? Right. How are other people gonna perceive that? And so, you know, grateful to have a friend to like confirm like it's gonna be great because it's coming from you. Right. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02And that was good. Okay, Miss Shrina. So we're gonna get to the grounded in gratitude segment. Okay. And so that segment is basically me just asking you a question about uh how do you stay grounded in gratitude?
SPEAKER_00I stay grounded in gratitude by meeting people, wonderful people every week. Every single week I meet the most amazing people. And I think that's what kind of keep me grounded and grateful for where I am and the journey that I have been on. Um, and just you know, the people that come back, my repeat customers, people who may Google to try to find a bra place that they can go to, you know. So that's that's pretty much how I stay grounded and just being open-minded, you know, listening to people. I always tell people that bra fitting is more than just fitting someone for a bra. It's intimate, it's very intimate. And, you know, sometimes people are sharing stories with you. Um, some women come in broken who need just uh an encouraging word, you know, just somebody to listen to them, to to pick them up, you know, to and and then the excitement for me. A lot of times people in here, I had a customer yesterday, as a matter of fact. Um, she hadn't been here for at least a couple of years or so. And so I had I had refitted her, you know, I put her in a bra and everything. And I was like, Oh my gosh, you look so good. She was like, I just love your excitement. Yeah, she was like, So, in other words, you still doing this from when I was here two years ago at a bra, you know, I had my petting or whatever. And yeah, that is me. I I don't, I'm not pretentious at all. I am who I am. You are who you are. I love, I love to see people happy and you know, and just uplifted, feeling confident, you know, they in something that they feel good in, no more back pain, no more shoulder pain. Yeah, and and they are just and they they look great. You know, when you go great, you feel great.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I think I think the thing that really stands out for me is always the consistency with you.
SPEAKER_01Oh, thank you.
SPEAKER_02Like it I it doesn't matter when I come in here, it's the same energy. Oh you know what I mean, the same love, the same goodbyes. You're always excited to see like your returning customers. It's like I'm not coming to a department store where nobody knows my name.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_02It's a very intimate shopping experience. I love that so much.
SPEAKER_00And that's why I won't even have it, you know, I don't even work with people in here who don't have who share that same passion. So even like, you know, Miss TJ, who works here, she's wonderful. The same thing. And the same thing, you know, she she has that passion, she feels good about fitting women. Um yeah, it's it's fun, it's and it's different. It's just so warm and cozy. Like, yeah, it's something special about it.
SPEAKER_02Like when I tell my husband, like, I'm going to the raw place to see Miss Trina, like it's it's a vibe, you know what I mean? It's the energy, it's like you're excited to go shop for your intimate thing.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and no matter when you come in here, we don't care if you've been here 20 times, we are still gonna greet up. It's the same. We're still gonna fit you. You gotta tell my ladies, you know, who work here, who help out and everything, hey, I don't care who's coming in here, we're gonna offer them a setting. If they don't want a setting, that's fine, but we ain't gonna let you walk out of here without us seeing you in that bra.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, uh, because how many times I done came in here and got me wrong, and I'm like, oh, I'm leaving with this one. I'm trying to like, you want me to cut this thing off and do I'm leaving with this one, I'm gonna toss this one out. But yeah, I'd love that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, like we definitely make sure, yeah. So, you know, it's it's very personal for all of us.
SPEAKER_02It is, you know, and I be wanting a one-on-one.
SPEAKER_00That's right. So I be I be making appointments.
SPEAKER_02Y'all want your one-on-one time, Miss Trina. Fab family, make sure y'all book y'all appointments online. Yes, absolutely. Thank you so much, um, Miss Trina, for sharing your vision and your journey and your heart with us today. Um, any last words that you want to share with the Fab family before we get out of here?
SPEAKER_00No, um, other than you know, just make sure you all come and see us. Yeah, we are fabulous fits. Um, it's what's underneath the counts. We're located at 6601 Hazelwood Avenue, Rosedale, Maryland. Uh, we are open every Saturday from 10 to 5 and Sunday from 12 to 5. We measure and fit you for bra shape wear. We have swimwear, so we have a little mix of all kinds of things, and our size and ranges are out of this world. We start from a, I guess like from a C cup and we go up to an O cup. Maybe you can find a P cup here.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00And our bands start at a 28 band up to a 56 band. Uh, so we make sure that we are reaching the hard-to-fit women, the full-figure women, of the plus-size women, of everybody.
SPEAKER_02Everybody.
SPEAKER_00So we got something for everybody. If you come here, we definitely gonna imagine you, we're gonna fit you, and we're gonna make sure that you look great, feel great, and it's and you'll fit it properly. And we're gonna educate you.
SPEAKER_02It's the education for me. That's me. I want to learn.
SPEAKER_00I love that. That's who we are, and um, and we're very excited to be here. Our eighth anniversary is coming up in June. Okay, eighth anniversary. Yes, yes. So we will be here. Um, it'll be eight years in June. So we're very excited. Yes, and we want to continue to be the staple in the community and to spread the good love of good bras.
SPEAKER_02Period. Okay, yes, by the time this uh episode is air, we will link all of your information and say everything so people can definitely support you. Okay, thank you.
SPEAKER_00For sure. No problem. And thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of your podcast and your journey. Absolutely. I am really just impressed with everything that you do and how you just continue to be your authentic self.
SPEAKER_02Yes, and this is what season two of the podcast is about and the audacity to believe that the desires of your heart are possible. So thank you for joining me in this journey and sharing your story. Fab Family, conversations like this remind us that when we trust the vision placed on your life and have the audacity to pursue it, amazing things can happen. To everyone listening, if there's something on your heart that you've been called to do, stay faithful to the vision, stay authentic to who you are, and be bold enough to see it through. And as always, stay fab. Until next time.
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