Zakia Blain isn’t new to the entrepreneurship game. The girls that know, know.
What started as a fitness challenge over 10 years ago when her doctors told her that she couldn’t work out anymore due to an illness, has grown into an inclusive athleisure and shapewear empire for women of all sizes.
But more importantly, the Philadelphia native and CEO of FBF Body, has been at the forefront of the “body positive” movement — before it was trendy — empowering women to show up as their best self, at any size. Something, many probably don’t even give her as much credit as she deserves.
What makes Blain adorned is her authenticity, vulnerability and her passion for helping Black women succeed. Unfortunately, all of those things can be a double edged sword — especially for those who are constantly creating and pouring into others, while seldom being poured into for themselves.
In the last year however, something clicked — and Blain realized she needed a break. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. That’s when the idea of a sabbatical, or an “adult gap year” was born.
“Everything in my life that I said I was going to do, I’ve done. Every goal that I set out to achieve, I’ve done it and I still didn’t feel what you expect to feel when you’ve accomplished all your goals,” shares Blain.
The struggle with burnout is real. Black women know this all too well. And unfortunately, by the time we realize, it’s often too late.
A gap year isn’t just good for your personal development but for your career development, mental health as well. The experience can be a platform to learn new skills, get heads down on business goals, to leverage the unfamiliar to refresh your creativity, as well as to toughen you up as you overcome challenges on the road.
“When we hit our 10 year anniversary, I felt indifferent. And everybody kept asking, “How do you feel?” I had just produced this amazing event, three days of just amazingness, and I just didn’t feel anything. And because we get so used to having this sense of accomplishment once you’ve accomplished something, for me, having accomplished everything, it doesn’t really mean that much anymore.”
For Blain, her sabbatical isn’t about wanting to escape from her present situation, but about wanting time and space to recharge and reset. She began her gap year on her 44th birthday this year — January 23 — with a reset in Bali, with an intention to be followed by a year of unplugging from the social pressures of documenting her life — with all of its ups and downs — and business. Something many would be considered risky for someone who has built their brand around being their authentic self. But betting on herself has something Blain has always been good at, so this year would be no different. And her most loyal fans? They’ll be there at the end of her journey.
“I decided to take this time off to really find out what is going to make me feel joyful again,” says Blain. “Because, when I first started FBF, again, hitting those goals made me so happy, changing lives made me happy, and it still does, but I just felt like I was missing something.”
While the masses will no longer get the peek under the curtain of Blain’s personal and professional life, she’s still offering the opportunity to a select few subscribers — a much smaller base than her 34K Instagram followers and 41K TikTok fans.
As for Blain, she’s using this year to pour into her business, as well as herself — something that she hopes will help her recenter the joy that she’s been missing. This includes continuing her wellness journey (she’s previously documented the impressive 70+ weight loss success that she’s had).
“I’m hoping that this journey will inspire creativity, and will allow me peace to just sit with myself and sit with thoughts,” says Blain. “I feel like because I am at such a prevalent point in my business, I have to constantly be on, and I have to constantly be catering to, changing other people’s lives, getting up every day and motivating people. That’s how I built my brand, and I love that, that’s what I do. When I meet people, I say, “My name is Zakia, I change lives.” But again, it was kind of like I was putting my life on the back burner to help everybody else.”
As for FBF Body, everything will be business as usual, with customers still able to purchase their favorite products while Blain takes a step back to focus and strategize on its growth.
“At the core of it all, our mission statement 10 years ago still rings true today,” says Blain. “I want people to live their best, most healthy lives, whatever that looks like to them. And, does that mean you have to be a size two? No. Does that mean you have to be on a weight loss journey? No. Whatever your best, most healthy life is for you. And I think because of that, and because I don’t shame people or make people feel bad about themselves, they know that they’re included into this community no matter where they are on their journey. That’s what I believe draws people to want to follow me for 10 years, no matter what it is we’re offering on the website.”
