Get to Know Lavena Lewis, Founder of Vena Vena Handcrafted Leather Goods
Lifestyle July 17, 2023
Jennifer Hudson wants you to know about Lavena Lewis, a Black woman business owner and founder of Vena Vena Handcrafted, a Los Angeles-based brand that sells handmade leather handbags, accessories, and home goods.
Vena Vena’s leather designs, such as the black-and-white Grio Crossbody Bag, bright red Bamboo bag, and cobalt blue Flap Wallet, are unique, striking, and handcrafted with care.
“The Jennifer Hudson Show” asked Lavena to film what a typical day is like for her. On this particular day, Lavena was working on a new logo for her brand. She also visited a leather shop in Downtown Los Angeles to browse new materials for her pop-up shops at various L.A. locations.
Lavena also provided her three top tips for aspiring entrepreneurs, including what she calls the 3 P’s: Patience, Pivoting, and Purpose.
“What I learned through COVID was people weren’t necessarily buying handbags,” she says in the video. “So it allowed me to pivot and use my creativity to create home goods, like vases with leather wrapped around them.”
“Finding your purpose will help you,” said Lavena. “You’ve got to volunteer with it, because that’s where you’re going to meet the movers, the shakers. Also, you’ll be able to enact change. I know I have.
“I found my purpose through my lived experience with homelessness,” she said. “I’ve been able to volunteer with the unhoused community, and it’s put me in rooms that I’ve never been in before, and it’s put me in front of people I never thought I would be in front of.”
Order New Merch in the JHud Shop Now
View StoryThis summer, “The Jennifer Hudson Show” is dedicated to supporting and celebrating Black women entrepreneurs and their businesses.
Learn more by visiting venavena.com and check out other inspiring Black women business owners who are making an impact in their communities.
“The Jennifer Hudson Show” airs weekdays. Here’s when to watch in your area.
