Legacy Leaders is much more than a brand of apparel and household products. Christina Roberson, the company’s founder, is on a mission to spread positivity and boost wellbeing by creating products that help parents empower themselves and their children.
“The youth are our future generations,” Christina says. “If we only focus on improving our world now, but don’t impart that wisdom to our children, that change eventually dies with us.”
That’s why her offerings feature quotes and images that help people connect with their highest selves. For example, one top-seller is a hoodie that reads, “Turning the heads of thousands is not as powerful as touching the heart of one.”
In addition to creating a heart-centered company, Christina herself is a living example of overcoming adversity to lead a heart-centered life.
Overcoming adversity to help others
Growing up, Christina was a homeschooled student for most of her elementary and middle-school years. While she recognizes her parents had her best interests at heart, the experience also made her feel isolated and lonely.
Upon entering high school, she faced criticism from her peers. “I was made fun of for my lack of style and overall lack of awareness when it came to a school environment and how to function in one,” she explains.
The process of developing her communication and social skills, though difficult, also gave her self-confidence. “I learned how to stand up for myself,” she says. “I realized many others just like me also had a story to share, but hadn’t yet found their voice. As I grew as a person, I shared my story. Often. I found myself continuously hearing from people that my advice had significantly impacted their lives. It was so incredibly fulfilling to know my story inspired others.”
Through that experience, Christina demonstrated her ability to overcome other people’s unkind judgments and criticism. Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising, then, that she was able to ignore the negativity she encountered when she first got the idea to start Legacy Leaders. “As far back as my first business in 2011, there have been naysayers,” she says. “Over and over, people said to me, ‘Aren’t you too busy for that?’ or they told me the apparel market is saturated.”
Luckily, she didn’t listen. “Whenever someone tells you that you can’t do something, that’s because it’s something they don’t believe they can do,” she says. “It has no bearing on what you are capable of.”
Speaking what you wear
Christina has been writing poetry and creating inspirational quotes since the age of nine. “As I grew older, I incorporated life lessons into my writing,” she says.
Becoming a life coach also helped her understand how her own hard-earned wisdom could inspire and encourage others. “I combined my creative spirit with my experiences growing up and the concepts I have learned and taught as a life coach to create Legacy Leaders,” she explains.
While other brands might seek to convey wealth, prestige, or exclusivity, Legacy Leaders goes in an entirely different direction: Christina’s offerings serve and inspire others. “Legacy Leaders’ clothing allows us to share our beliefs by wearing them,” she says. “Wearing what you believe is the same as speaking boldly about it. We choose what we wear to express ourselves, make a statement, convey our personality, and show support. Legacy Leaders enables people to communicate heart-centered values.”
Helping kids voice their values
In particular, Christina aims to give parents tools to help their children embrace life-affirming values. “I think we can all agree that we should be role models for our children,” she says. “Hopefully, we are already doing our best to be examples for our kids in our daily lives, both in the home and outside of it. Spreading the knowledge we’ve learned through experience and being passionate about teaching it to future generations is the final step. We need to teach our kids to be proud of what they believe and not afraid to speak up for themselves and what’s right.”
Christina emphasizes the outsized impact that children can have. “Kids have more energy than us, and they often have more creativity and passion if they are surrounded by love and encouragement,” she says. “They can cause an even bigger ripple effect than adults! They just need us — as adults — to speak words of empowerment and be their support.”
When obstacles emerge, she has this advice for parents: “The only way to handle naysayers is to prove them wrong and make it a teachable moment for the kids. I love Henry Ford’s quote: ‘Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.’ I encourage my kids to always believe they can. If they want it badly enough, they will.”
Be the change you want to see
In addition, Legacy Leaders gives back to the community. Every time someone purchases apparel related to a mental health cause, the company donates twenty percent of the profit to mental health training, support, and materials.
“It only takes one person, one story, and one voice to make a difference,” Christina says. “But it has to begin somewhere. Be that starting point! Teach your kids that they can be that starting point as well!”
The values that Legacy Leaders expresses and Christina’s personal story of resilience make it easy to understand why her items have been so successful. It’s safe to say that, in turning the heads of thousands, Christina touches their hearts as well.
