When cute, trendy and affordable meets athleisure you get a popular, growing lifestyle brand like Harper & Sky.
That was something founder Natasha Funderburk was committed to from Day 1. I came across both Natasha and Harper & Sky by chance, through a mutual Facebook group we were a part of. When I heard her vision, I was excited at the opportunity to be a part of the community she was looking to build. Below is a fun little Q&A with the co-owner and mom boss to give you an inside peek at how things became what they are at Harper & Sky….
Tell us about you…
My name is Natasha and I own Harper & Sky along with my husband Chad. We’re both from Iowa, and are the very proud parents of a 7 year old baseball stud named Cooper, and the most adorable fur baby in the world, Gracie. I’m a lover of all things food and fitness related, and aside from Harper & Sky, I’m also a freelance writer and blogger in my “spare time” – haha what’s that?!
Can you share a little background on Harper & Sky?
Harper & Sky is getting ready to enter its third year of business, and a little bit of a transition as we’ve grown. We originally started out as an online boutique, but within the last year made the decision to switch over to brand, focusing more on activewear and athleisure. We are currently in the process of developing our own fabrics for performance wear that will be launching toward the end of 2019, and I couldn’t be more excited to share with everyone what we’ve been working on!
When we started Harper & Sky, I walked away from multiple degrees and a 10+ year long career in healthcare to pursue this dream. It was terrifying, but the most exciting thing I’ve ever done. When we were in the planning stages and trying to come up with a name, Harper & Sky came to me instantly. I had read an article around that time about Harper Lee, who had written To Kill a Mockingbird. And those closest to her said that when she had written this book, she was terrified to let anyone else read it. She didn’t think of herself as a writer, much less an author, and was nervous of the judgement that might come her way from other people. But then.. she did release it. And look what it became? This huge classic of our time. That story stuck with me, because I – like so many other women, am guilty of putting myself in this neat little box, always playing it safe and not allowing myself to take chances. Harper & Sky is a daily reminder to myself that it’s okay to go after your dreams, to stand up for what you believe in, and to ultimately not give a dang about what other people think of you.
The sky is truly the limit for all of us.
Harper Lee
What made you decide to dive into active wear?
We always knew this was the direction we wanted to go in, but we wanted to take our time and make sure we understood the process before diving right in. It’s a personal decision for me, because when I was 18, I suffered a trauma that sent me spiraling into a pretty dark place. I ended up turning to food for comfort and gained a lot of weight. Aside from just the aesthetic component, I really was truly very unhealthy both mentally and physically, and didn’t believe that I was worth a whole lot of anything. Luckily, and through God’s grace, I was able to heal over the next few years. I started to gain a little more confidence in myself, and began the work that was needed to lose the weight, both physically and emotionally. Seeing myself enjoying physical activity and realizing how strong my mind and body actually were, was eye opening for me. I ended up losing 70 lbs total, and that ignited a passion in me to help other women feel supported, empowered, and confident in themselves, no matter their story.
What do you see as the biggest trends in affordable athleisure right now and into later part of the year? Leggings, leggings, and more leggings! It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete, a mom, or an entrepreneur. More and more women are starting to wear leggings as part of their daily outfit. I see them in the gym, I see them in the school pick up lane, I see them working.. women are looking for affordable leggings that can double as a gym wear and everyday wear.
Do you have a vision for Harper & Sky moving forward? We are currently working with a team to develop our own performance fabrics that we’ll design into foundation pieces for Harper & Sky. These will be our signature leggings, sports bras, activewear tops, and more. The goal is to be launching by the end of 2019, and we’re so excited to share everything we’ve been working on!
Now for some fun stuff! 🙂
Favorite workout? I try to keep my workouts interesting and never focus on just one thing! In the span of a week, you can usually find me doing hot yoga, CrossFit, and running. If I had to pick a workout that I love time and time again, it’d be a combo of rowing, box jumps, double unders, power cleans, and kettle bell swings! For balance and full body toning, I love bosu ball squats!
Favorite pump up song? My favorite song to run to right now is Delirious – Steve Aoki, Chris Lake, and Tujamo, and for anything weights related – throw on DMX and I’m happy 😉
Favorite shoe? I love ALL Adidas sneakers for everyday casual wear, and swear by Saucony for running!
Favorite piece from your line? It’s so hard to choose just one! I think my all time favorite, if I had to choose just one, would be the Pine Moto Leggings. (*Funny because those are my favorite too!)
Favorite healthy snack? Siete grain free tortilla chips with salsa, or an apple with almond butter.
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