Influential Woman · Urban Streetwear
Suzan (Sue) Sisman
Creative Director & Designer – StepClothing™ (Denmark), StepClothing ·
Young Harris, GA 30582
Her Story
About Suzan
Basketball has been my entire life - I came to the U.S. from Denmark on a full scholarship to play as a shooting guard. When injuries sidelined me last year, I faced an identity crisis because for the first time, I couldn't play. I didn't know who I was without basketball. But I channeled all that passion and energy into something I'd always loved as a hobby - design and creativity. I launched STEP in November, an urban streetwear brand that represents my philosophy of taking things step by step, moving forward regardless of circumstances. Growing up, my dad owned two restaurants back home and worked 16-hour days, so I've always been around the self-employment environment and understood what it takes to run your own business. I've been working since I was 14 in the restaurant industry, doing everything from waitressing to event management at a hotel near the beach. Now I'm building STEP from the ground up - handling everything from brand development to social media strategy to connecting with followers. I'm also an intern at Paris Business Center, where I help other local businesses grow by advising them on websites, social media, and even matching them with retired business owners for mentorship. As a woman from a Middle Eastern background in a male-dominated industry, I'm often the only woman at urban streetwear events, but I'm determined to show younger girls that they can fly across the globe, play basketball, start their own brands, and succeed in any field they choose.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Suzan
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Just do it. Just step forward. Even though it's scary, you just have to do it. I think believing that there's a reason for everything is so important - even if things don't work out the way you planned, you still take away so much from the experience. It's so male-dominated in urban streetwear - at all the events I go to, I'm pretty much the only woman there, so it can be a little intimidating. But you just gotta fake it till you make it. When I'm there, I make sure that I don't show that I'm uncomfortable or intimidated. As a woman, especially coming from a Middle Eastern background, being international and a woman, that's so many minorities. You're gonna be one of five out of 100 in the room. But I just want to show little girls, especially where I come from, that females can fly across the globe and play basketball, start an urban streetwear brand, and go different places. We're not supposed to do these things, but we can. Y'all can be basketball players too. Y'all can get on a full scholarship and fly across the world too. Just step forward.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I'm very inexperienced when it comes to launching something new, so I've made mistakes along the way. One of my biggest takeaways is that I used to think I could do everything myself, but I've learned to reach out for help. There are so many people who have helped me make this possible, and I've realized that community help is essential. I always tell myself there's always somebody that knows somebody, so just say it out loud and stop keeping it in your mind. Get the people around you involved - I love working with people. I've had issues with manufacturing and things like that, but you learn as you go. It's an incredibly competitive field, but I'm focused on brand awareness right now rather than just making money immediately. I'm not selling five-dollar t-shirts, I'm selling seventy-five-dollar items, so it's a building-up thing.
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