About Burning Sands™

 THE SHORT VERSION

ORIGINALLY STARTED IN 1999 AS BEOUT! WITH THE GOAL OF BRINGING WELL-DESIGNED CLOTHING APPAREL INCLUDING TOPS, BOTTOMS, HEADWEAR, FOOTWEAR, ACCESSORIES AND OTHER PRODUCTS TO THE COLLEGIATE GREEK, MILITARY & MASONIC MARKET, BURNING SANDS™ REBRANDED AND EXPANDED THEIR VISION IN 2013 AND IS NOW FOCUSED ON FITNESS-MINDED INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS AND ORIGINS. BEING THAT THE OWNERS AND FOUNDERS ARE OF THIS HERITAGE, THE PRODUCTS FEATURE AN AUTHENTIC MIX OF DESIGN AND MEANING. THROUGH INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGES, ILLUSTRATIONS, PHOTOGRAPHY AND OCCASIONAL HUMOROUS THEMES, BURNING SANDS™ FASHION WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SPARK AT LEAST ONE INTEREST IN EVERYBODY.

LEGENDARY TEAM

AARON LAUDERDALE, production manager

Q: What’s your favorite food?
A: Poptarts. I have nothing further to say.

JULIE KORDOVA, photography manager

Q: Where do you look for inspiration in your daily work?
A: My main goal as a photographer is to document and capture artists of today similar to how artists like James Brown, John Coltrane, Grace Jones..etc. were captured. Timeless icons. So my inspiration is music. Every artist I work with/shoot…i approach it as if I’m capturing a legend in the making, so how can I portray who they are in my images.

SHENAY RAWLS, shipping manager

Q: What is the staple piece that all women should have in their workout wardrobe?
A: Great sports bras! You can’t go wrong with a fit and well supportive sports bra. You wear them so often and it always completes a look. They hug you snugly to give a sense of confidence you may not have when wearing only a t-shirt. Security is what women want. That transcends to fitness clothing as well. Start with the sports bra.

MARVELETTE CALBERT, inventory manager

Q: What are your major influences?
A: On a personal note, I think back to my days in college. Studying my way through on a shoe-string budget but I always found a way to dress good. Creativity was my way to stay relevant and reignite my wardrobe. This mindset influences how we merchandise our gear. CREATIVITY! The D9 line is designed to be heirloom quality whether it is worn for daily working out, a crossing gift or kept for generations to come.

DENISE TATE, customer relations manager

Q: Who is Burning Sands?
A: We are you. We are designers, nerds, visionaries, stylists, achievers and artists with a simple goal: to create high quality clothing and accessories and share them at an amazing price. Our tight-knit team handles all details of your experience ~ from our website, to designing your items, to the way we deliver your stuff.

MOSI ODOM, social media manager

Q: How do you create engagement with the public?
A: Please, no questions. I’m just here so I won’t get fined. LOLOL.

AISHA BRENT, advertising manager

Q: What are some of the tough things you face day to day?
A: Getting our name out there and creating brand awareness. In an industry that is saturated with what we offer, we’re a unique product that stands out from the rest of the everyday fitness garb and people are taking notice. Thankfully since most of management is in Fraternities & Sororities, initially targeting the Greek community has increased our exposure to the public to get our name out there as a premium sports brand.

RJ RAWLS, accounting manager 

Q: Is this something you have always wanted to do?
A: Truth is I fell into accounting unexpectedly. Years ago I interned for a CPA and maintained a small brand for a retail company. I loved the intensity involved and the challenge of balancing books but the full finance side was not my primary job. It wasn’t until I began working freelance that it gradually evolved into operations management at a large big box retailer entirely and the rest is history. I love working with our boss who's our Creative Director. We are all very smart people with lots of energy and ideas.

ARE YOU LOOKING TO WORK WITH US?

MR. SHANNON W. RAWLS, chief executive & creative director

Email: Shannon@BurningSands.com
Q: So Mr. Rawls, tell us about yourself and what makes Burning Sands stand out from the crowd?
A: Well, I’m just a retired Ninja and recovering Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich addict. Get to know me. You’ll love me. We stand out because our products are based around the body, but also concepts. I firmly believe when you dress good for fitness, you’ll work out harder. We incorporate that thought into our styles and designs. No other fitness product company does, that I’ve seen.