For all my ladies looking to indulge in a little more than chocolate and wine this month, xoNecole is here to help. We've rounded up more than a fair share of eye candy and we found out exactly what they're looking for in love and how they personally care for their women. From musicians and models to poets and actors, these amazing men are sure to make your heart skip a beat. Check out these gorgeous MCMs and don't ever say we never did anything nice for you. We always got you, sis.
Meet Kevin Clark.
If his face looks familiar, it's because Kevin was one of the gorgeous men featured in the viral Shea Moisture beard ad. He's also walked runways for New York Fashion week and modeled for brands such as Cantu, Nike, and GQ. But don't get it twisted, this 6'6'', North Carolina native head-turner is more than just good looks. He's also a distinguished Army veteran and contractor.
Indulge responsibly, ladies…
Courtesy of Kevin Clark
On the Top Qualities He Looks For in a Woman…
"Confidence, good morals and upbringing. And religious views. A sense of humor, intelligence, and chemistry. We have to share similar values in life."
On His Ideal Date...
"Anything where we can interact as much as possible [with] someone I'm just starting to date. A setting like a bar for a happy hour, a wine tasting, or brunch."
"Anything that allows for talking and getting to know each other more would be ideal for me, instead of planning to attend an event or activity where it wouldn't be as much personal interaction between the two of us."
On What He’s Learned from His Last Serious Relationship…
"I [think] that communication is always key, especially with a long-distance relationship. And to be in the present and live in the now. And that's for in life in general, not only relationships. What's meant to be, will be and you can't change that no matter what you do. Being in the present will allow your relationship to naturally grow."
On His Major Deal-Breakers…
"Insecurities that come from a previous relationship. Any type of manipulative behavior. Not being attentive or showing that you care or not showing that you actually mean something to them. And not having the same religious beliefs, although it would have never got to the point of a relationship if not."
Courtesy of Kevin Clark
On the Toughest Part About Dating Nowadays…
"Because social media is big today, it can make dating tough when it starts affecting your relationship in negative ways. A lot of jealousy and comparisons can come from it, which leads nowhere positive. And I think [the] majority of people in today's society now are dating moreso for sex instead of dating for a relationship."
On How He Makes His Special Woman Feel Loved…
"I believe that actions speak louder than words from both sides. You make time for anything you want in life and for a special woman I make time for her, consistently! Time that's dedicated only to her, not with her and the boys, or family, just us. Whether it be for a day or two, or week or whatever. Just try to show that she's important in my life and means that much to me. Listening to her, and not just listening but being an active listener. Understanding, responding and remembering."
"And although actions speak louder than words, words are also important. Telling her how you feel about her, complimenting her on the regular. I had to learn more over the years, but now this is something that I do for sure."
On the First Thing He Notices About a Woman When She Walks into a Room…
"Probably what clown she's coming to meet up with."
His Relationship Status…
"Today, I'm single but taken."
For more of Kevin, follow him on Instagram.
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While an evolution is a natural progression that happens as businesses grow, a rebrand is a total change. Lola tells xoNecole, "A total rebrand is necessary when a business’s current reputation/what it’s known for is at odds with the business’s vision or direction.
"For example, if you’ve fundamentally changed what your product is and does, it’s likely that your brand is out of alignment with the business. Or, if you find your company is developing a reputation that doesn’t serve it, it might be time to pump the brakes and figure out what needs to change.
She continues, "Sometimes you’ll see companies (especially startups) announce a name change that comes with updated messaging, visuals, etc. That usually means their vision has changed or expanded, and their previous branding was too narrow/couldn’t encompass everything they planned to do."
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The Brand Doula was born in 2019, and its focus is on putting "the experiences, goals, and needs of women of color founders first," as well as brands with "culture-shifting missions."
According to Lola, culture-shifting is "the act of influencing dominant behavior, beliefs, or experiences in a community or group (ideally, for the better)."
"At The Brand Doula, we work with companies and leaders that set out to challenge the status quo in their industries and communities. They’re here to make an impact that sends ripples across the market," she says.
"We help the problem solvers of the world — the ones who aren't satisfied with 'this is how it's always been' and instead ask 'how could this be better?' Our clients build for impact, reimagining tools, systems, and ways of living to move cultures forward."
The Brand Doula has worked with many brands, including Too Collective, to assist with their collaboration with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Balanced Black Girl for a "refresh," aka rebrand. For businesses looking to rebrand, Lola shares four essential steps.
1. Do an audit of your current brand experience — what’s still relevant and what needs to change? Reflect on why you’re doing the rebrand in the first place and what success would look like after relaunching.
2. Tackle the overall strategy first — before you start redesigning logos and websites, align on a new vision for your brand. How do you want your company to be positioned moving forward? Has your audience changed at all? Will your company have a fresh personality and voice?
3. Bring your audience along the journey — there’s no need to move in secret. Inviting your current audience into the journey can actually help them feel more connected to and invested in your story, enough to stick around as changes are being made.
4. Keep business moving — one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies take down their websites as soon as they have the idea to rebrand, then have a Coming Soon page up for months! You lose a lot of momentum and interest by doing that. If you’re still in business and generating income, continue to operate while you work on your rebrand behind the scenes. You don’t want to cut existing customers off out of the blue, and you also don’t want so much downtime that folks forget your business exists or start looking for other solutions.
While determining whether the rebrand was successful may take a few months, Lola says a clear sign that it is unsuccessful is negative feedback from your target audience. "Customers are typically more vocal about what they don’t like more than what they do like," she says.
But some good signs to look out for are improvements in engagement with your marketing, positive reviews, press and increase in retention, and overall feeling aligned with the new branding.
For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
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