Meet BoldnTold’s Founder
Hi, I'm Imani — the heart behind BoldNTold.
And if you're here, welcome. You're part of the story now, too.
The Moment Everything Changed
I was 27, sitting in a conference room at a marketing agency I'd given everything to — three years of late Fridays, campaigns built from scratch, a Black audience I'd helped grow by 300%.
That morning, my manager opened the meeting and pulled up the slides. My slides. My ideas. My name — nowhere on the deck.
I sat there in a blazer I'd ironed twice and said nothing.
On the drive home, I called my mama. She listened, then said six words I've never forgotten:
"Baby, stop making yourself small for them."
I pulled over. Sat in my car for twenty minutes. Then I picked up my phone and started sketching — not for their next campaign. For something of my own.
That night, BoldNTold was born.
How BoldNTold Began
I didn't have investors. I didn't have a warehouse. What I had was a vision, a laptop, and a deep understanding of what our community needed to hear.
I knew, because I was that community.
The first-gen college graduate whose parents worked double shifts so she could get her degree. The girl who grew her locs when her workplace told her not to — and wore them anyway. The woman who'd spent years performing a smaller version of herself to survive in spaces that weren't built for her.
I was done performing.
BoldNTold's first designs went live from my apartment. The first customers were friends, cousins, women from my church, strangers in my DMs asking "girl, where did you get that shirt?"
Three months later, I walked into that office and handed in my notice.
What BoldNTold Stands For
BoldNTold isn't just about tees and hoodies. It's about saying the thing out loud — on your chest, in every room you walk into.
It's for the educated Black woman who made it when the system wasn't designed for her. For the man who shows up for his kids every single day. For the girl who stopped straightening her hair and started wearing her crown. For everyone who ever had to choose between being themselves and being comfortable in a room.
We design for the ones who chose themselves.
A Little More About Me
Outside of BoldNTold, I'm a daughter, a sister, a community member who believes deeply in the power of Black storytelling.
This brand isn't run by a corporation or built by people borrowing our culture.
It's built from real experiences, real love, and a real refusal to stay quiet.
And it's just the beginning.
Have a question? I'd love to hear from you — reach out at contact@boldntold.com
— Imani J., Founder & CEO of BoldNTold