An alumna of Clark Atlanta University’s Fashion Merchandising program Class of 2009, Chantel rose through the ranks early on in her career as an intern at a film studio to a wardrobe buyer for TV/Film at Tyler Perry Studios. Once she became a mother and wife in 2011 she was determined to have both family and a successful career therefore she was a traveling working mother living between Atlanta and Maryland.
After 2 years of juggling her life in 2 different cities, hundreds of miles apart, she was faced with the decision of giving up her dream career shopping/styling for celebrities or going to her newly purchased home to her dream family full-time. She chose to be with her family in Upper Marlboro, Maryland and worked at BET in Washington, D.C.
As a working mom and wife, Chantel Powell could not have imagined the price her sense of smell would have to pay while shuttling her then six-year-old son, Kameron between summer basketball camp and football practice. Each time the car door flew open and Kam buckled in, it was clear that her son wasn’t only scoring buckets on the court, but also sweating buckets under his armpits, which sparked her innovative mindset. She went back to her Alma Mata Motto of “Find a way or Make One” and created Play Pits.