A surge of excitement stirs within me as thoughts of the meeting flee my mind. The possibilities of partnering with Devon on a new business venture seem endless, and frankly, much safer to think about. There are so many opportunities we could explore by combining our resources and skills.
"What if we created an athleisure line together?" I suggested a few months back, my voice rising with enthusiasm. "We could blend your amazing design talents with my marketing experience. I know we could build something incredible."
I still remember Devon tilting her head, considering. "That's an amazing idea. But would you have the time for that on top of the salon?" It was a fair question back then.
"Definitely," I nodded at the time. "I just brought on a new manager last week to oversee the day-to-day operations. That frees me up to focus on expanding into new ventures."
I could see the excitement building in Devon's eyes as my words sunk in. A smile spread across her face, still etched in my mind now for its warmth and genuine joy at the idea. "I love it," she was quick to reply. "We could really makesomething special—clothing that's stylish yet functional. Empowering women to feel strong and confident, both in and out of the gym."
And now, look at us. Our office is filled with all the things we need to kick this off properly. Our passion project, friends and co-entrepreneurs. This feels good.
Devon and I dive into fleshing out ideas for the athleisure line, our creative juices flowing. She sketches some more designs while I jot down thoughts on branding and marketing strategy.
Her sketches begin to take shape—sleek leggings with mesh paneling, sports bras with crisscross straps, tops with inspiring mantras. I find myself getting swept up in the creative flow, grabbing my own notebook to jot down ideas for branding and marketing.
Devon's eyes light up at one of my suggestions, a smile spreading across her face. "I love it," she says, her enthusiasm infectious. "That's going to give our customers the confidence to try something new, to safely push themselves harder."
She returns to her sketchpad, pencil flying across the page as she begins bringing our ideas to life. Her passion is palpable, completely absorbed in translating our vision into tangible designs.
I watch in admiration as leggings, sports bras, and tops take shape before my eyes. Bold prints, fun colors, sleek lines—each piece radiates the confidence and strength we want to inspire.
"The fabrics need to be high performance," Devon muses, brow furrowed in concentration. "Something that can handle intense workouts."
Her eyes shine with enthusiasm as we dive back into planning. "I'm thinking we could do a whole activewear line," she says, sketching out ideas with swift, sure strokes of her pencil. "Not just leggings and sports bras, but jackets, tennis skirts, the works."
I nod, leaning in to examine her drawings. "Love it. We could do some edgier, sexier pieces too. Push boundaries. Create outfits that look just as at home at a cardio session as they do in the bedroom."
She grins. "Hell yes."
My mind races with ideas and inspiration. This athleisure line symbolizes everything Devon and I have built together—independence, self-reliance, feminine strength. And the ability to put ourselves first and take what we want, not be dictated by what society tells us is ‘our lot’.
We're so engrossed in brainstorming that we don't even hear the office door swing open.
"Well, well, what do we have here?"
Aidan's teasing voice cuts through our concentration. We glance up to see him and the other guys crowded in the doorway, mischievous grins on their faces. They tend to stay away from our little section of the compound, leaving us to our ‘girl time’, but occasionally they visit just to check up on us.
"This looks cozy," says Slade, an eyebrow cocked.
Brick steps further into the office, peering down at the sketches and notes spread across our desk.
"What's all this about… are you building some kind of babe empire?" He picks up one of Devon's drawings, examining it with a smirk. The guys know we've been working on something, but we've largely kept them in the dark while we've started figuring things out ourselves.
Devon rolls her eyes at Brick’s comment but continues sketching, undeterred. I feel a swell of admiration for her ability to stay focused on our goals.
After a moment, she reaches out and snatches the sketch from his hand. "It's none of your business," she says crisply, though there's a hint of amusement behind her eyes.
I feel a swell of pride for my strong, stubborn friend. The guys may joke and tease, but Devon and I share an unbreakable bond. We have a vision and we won't let anyone shake our determination to make it a reality.
"We're creating an athleisure line to empower women," I explain. "Combining fashion, function and inspiration."
Aidan and the guys gather around to look at Devon's sketches. There are murmurs of approval and appreciation for her talent.
"These designs are hot," Roman says with a wink.
Devon smirks. "That's kind of the point."
I can't help but smile,excited by their positive reactions. This feels like a pivotal moment, our collective vision taking shape.