11 Instagram Accounts Every Black Woman In Business Should Follow
So, there's no doubt we love us some Instagram. (Well, most of us. As a journalist, I have a love-hate relationship with the platform, but I won't digress.) Research even shows that 40% of Black adults have accounts. Go figure.
It's easy to get lost in the fashion, travel, political, and gossip posts, but IG is also a great space for business inspiration, information, and tips. Whether you're a freelancer, full-time entrepreneur, or a side-hustle diva, here are the top Instagram accounts for entrepreneurs. (But wait, sis. Before you scroll, are you following xoNecole? Just checking.):
ForbesWomen
Millions are familiar with Forbes, but what this account offers is a dedicated space that highlights stories about women doing big things in business and all other aspects that affect that journey (ie. politics, philanthropy, and law). You'll get updates on the who, what, when, and where of innovation, high achievement, and high earners.
Create & Cultivate
It's the awesome graphics, the realness, and the relatability for me. This account is for anyone who counts themselves as an ambitious woman who wants to learn from and network with, well, other ambitious women. Create & Cultivate also partners with major brands to bring you virtual events and other resources to ensure you're at your best in whatever you choose do.
Girlboss
Get the tea on topics like building a vision for your business, surviving office politics, or email etiquette basics via this account. There are a diversity of voices, industries, and perspectives that will add a refreshing dose of content to your everyday scrolling sessions.
Black Women Talk Tech
I can't rave about this platform enough. Who doesn't want to learn from tech geniuses, startup bosses, and female executives who leverage innovation on the regular? You can get into the latest trends, learn more about funding, and enjoy elevated conversations about what it means to thrive as a female founder with this one.
Black Enterprise
This is an OG publication that has been around since grandma and 'em was making boss moves, but don't get it twisted. This is still the only long-standing publication that specifically and unapologetically dedicates itself to the advancement of Black professionals and entrepreneurs and shines light on the multi-trillion-dollar impact of Black consumers and entrepreneurs. Debate me not. Just go ahead and click follow to get to know what it means to not only launch a business as a Black woman but continue getting to those coins for years to come.
Her Agenda
Run by a boss millennial (Hey, Rhonesha Byng! Heey!), for other boss millennials, this is the perfect pick-me-up of career and business advancement tips you need on the daily. Via their IG, they also provide resources on funding, grants, freelance and job opportunities, and events.
WEEN
This women-led nonprofit is all for entrepreneurial and career-driven women to network and build. The great thing about this account is there's a major focus on accountability and support for taking ideas into action, and you gotta love an resource that gives you that slight kick in the butt to get off the procrastination train and on to fulfillment of whatever it is you want to do to create your best life.
We Are Women Owned
On top of the resources and encouragement for women entrepreneurs, you can also find other women-owned businesses to support, business mentors, and a community of women in entrepreneurship. Their virtual events tap into subjects that are actually relevant to what women entrepreneurs go through and applicable solutions you can take to the bank.
IFundWomen
It's great to have a business idea and finance it on your own, but it's even better when you can find funding to help grow your vision. This is the account that goes beyond how-tos and inspiration and gets into actual sources of funding. There's very little fluff here, which is a good thing when we're talking about finding the money to do something great as an entrepreneur.
EveryStylishGirl Biz
From tips for your next job interview, to job postings, to amazingly inspiring events featuring top entrepreneurs, this account does not disappoint. You'll also get the goods on thriving through career transitions, turning that new business idea into reality, and other ways you can step your professional game up.
Female Founders Fund
Again, what's a great idea or business without those coins to boost your success? This account has interviews with top female founders who have been there and done that, raising millions in venture capital funds (and becoming funders themselves). It also gives you an insider view into how the whole funding ecosystem works for business owners.
Featured image via Getty Images
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The Reality Of Living With Severe Asthma – As Told by 2 Women On Their Disease Journey
This post is in partnership with Amgen.
The seemingly simple task of taking a breath is something most of us don’t think twice about. But for people who live with severe asthma, breathing does not always come easily. Asthma, a chronic respiratory condition that inflames and narrows the airways in the lungs, affects millions of people worldwide – 5-10% of which live with severe asthma. Severe asthma is a chronic and lifelong condition that is unpredictable and can be difficult to manage. Though often invisible to the rest of the world, severe asthma is a not-so-silent companion for those who live with it, often interrupting schedules and impacting day-to-day life.
Among the many individuals who battle severe asthma, Black women face a unique set of challenges. It's not uncommon for us to go years without a proper diagnosis, and finding the right treatment often requires some trial and error. Thankfully, all hope is not lost for those who may be fighting to get their severe asthma under control. We spoke with Juanita Brown Ingram, Esq. and Jania Watson, two inspiring Black women who have been living with severe asthma and have found strength, resilience, and a sense of purpose in their journeys.
Juanita Brown Ingram, Esq.
Juanita Ingram has a resume that would make anyone’s jaw drop. On top of being recently crowned Mrs. Universe, she’s also an accomplished attorney, filmmaker, and philanthropist. From the outside, it seems there’s nothing this talented woman won’t try, and likely succeed at. In her everyday life, however, Juanita exercises a lot more caution. From a young age, Juanita has struggled with severe asthma. Her symptoms were always exacerbated by common illnesses like a cold or flu. “I've heard these stories of my breathing struggles, but I remember distinctly when I was younger not being able to breathe every time I got a virus,” says Ingram. “I remember missing a lot of school and crying a lot because asthma is painful. I [was taken] to see my doctor often if I got sick with anything so I was hypervigilant as a child, and I still am.”
Today, Juanita says her symptoms are best managed when she’s working closely with her care team, avoiding getting sick and staying ahead of any symptoms. Ingram said she’s been blessed with skilled doctors who are just as vigilant of her symptoms as she is. While competing in the Mrs. Universe competition, Juanita took extra care to stay clear of other competitors to ensure she didn’t catch a cold or virus that would trigger her severe asthma. “I would stand off to the side and sometimes that could be taken as ‘oh, she thinks she's better than everybody else.’ But if I get sick during a pageant, I'm done. I had to compete with that in mind because my sickness doesn't look like everybody else's sickness.”
Even when her symptoms are under control, living with severe asthma still presents challenges. Juanita relies on her strong support system to overcome the hurdles caused by a lack of understanding from the public, “I think that there's a lot of lack of awareness about how serious severe asthma is. I would [also] tell women to advocate and to trust their intuition and not to allow someone to dismiss what you're experiencing.”
Jania Watson
Jania, a content creator from Atlanta, Georgia, has been living with severe asthma for many years. Thanks to early testing by asthma specialists, Jania was diagnosed with severe asthma as a child after experiencing frequent flare-ups and challenges in her day-to-day life. “I specifically remember, I was starting school, and we were moving into a new house. One of the triggers for me and my younger sister at the time were certain types of carpets. We had just moved into this new house and within weeks of us being there, my parents literally had to pay for all new carpet in the house.”
As Jania grew older, she was suffering from fewer flare-ups and thought her asthma was well under control. However, a trip back to her doctor during high school revealed that her severe asthma was affecting her more than she realized. “That was the first time in a long time I had to do a breathing test,” she describes. “The doctor had me take a deep breath in and blow into a machine to test my breathing. They told me to blow as hard as I could. And I was doing it. I was giving everything I got. [My dad and the doctor] were looking at me like ‘girl, stop playing.’ And at that point [it confirmed] I still have severe asthma because I've given it all I got. It doesn't really go away, but I just learned how to help manage it better.”
Jania recognizes that people who aren’t living with asthma, may not understand the disease and mistake it for something less serious. Or there could be others who think their symptoms are minor, and not worth bringing up. So, for Jania, communicating with others about her diagnosis is key. “Having severe asthma [flare-ups] in some cases looks very similar to being out of shape,” she said. “But this is a chronic illness that I was born with. This is just something that I live with that I've been dealing with. And I think it's important for people to know because that determines the next steps. [They might ask] ‘Do you need a bottle of water, or do you need an inhaler? Do you need to take a break, or do we need to take you to the hospital?’ So, I think letting the people around you know what's going on, just in case anything were to happen plays a lot into it as well.”
Like Juanita, Jania’s journey has been marked by ups and downs, but she remains an unwavering advocate for asthma awareness and support within the Black community. She hopes that her story can be an inspiration to other women with asthma who may not yet have their symptoms under control. “There's still life to be lived outside of having severe asthma. It is always going to be there, but it's not meant to stop you from living your life. That’s why learning how to manage it and also having that support system around you, is so important.”
By sharing their journeys, Juanita and Jania hope to encourage others to embrace their conditions, obtain a proper management plan from a doctor or asthma specialist like a pulmonologist or allergist, and contribute to the improvement of asthma awareness and support, not only within the Black community, but for all individuals living with severe asthma.
Read more stories from others like Juanita and Jania on Amgen.com, or visit Uncontrolled Asthma In Black Women | BREAK THE CYCLE to find support and resources.
Monique Rodriguez Of Mielle Organics On How Identifying Your Hair Love Language Is A Radical Act of Self-Care
Monique Rodriguez, CEO and founder of award-winning textured hair care brand Mielle Organics, is one of the most in-demand natural hair care companies and a dominating force within the billion-dollar hair industry. The wife, mother, and beauty boss credits much of her success to taking calculated risks versus playing it safe. She says, "Being comfortable and playing it safe will produce mediocre results. When you take calculated risks, you're betting on yourself."
Stemming from a passion project to building a multi-million dollar empire and having nearly a decade in the game, the global entrepreneur's philosophy that the "risk is worth the reward" has proven vital throughout her career.
"The journey to success includes a lot of failures. You have to have the mindset of knowing that you're going to try something and will likely fail. You're going to make a lot of mistakes, but that's part of the risk-taking," Rodriguez exclusively told xoNecole.
But more importantly, her undeniable desire to level the playing field by helping to encourage, uplift, and educate women on how to fall in love with their natural curls and learn their specific hair type needs is a concept that has allowed her company to thrive in the marketplace by intimately connecting with consumers.
Monique Rodriguez
Photo courtesy of Monique Rodriguez
It's no secret that for many women of color, our curls and coils have taken on an intricate self-discovery journey through self-love, for some, self-hatred, and for others, self-awareness. This sentiment is shared even among natural hair care crusaders like Rodriguez.
"I would describe my relationship with my hair over the years as a love-hate relationship. When I was younger, I really didn't embrace my hair. I didn't like the fact that my hair was super curly. I couldn't find ways to manage or style it, and I became very frustrated."
But learning to properly love and tend to individualized hair care needs extends far beyond the surface. It is a radical act of self-care. Women's (and men's) hair and identity of African descent have been closely interconnected for centuries, another reason she has made it her mission to empower the next generation, specifically her daughters, with the confidence to embrace their natural curls.
"When I was younger, I didn't see examples of women that looked like me, whether on the red carpet, on TV, or on a movie screen, embracing natural curls. Now, my girls have the opportunity to see more women of influence rocking their natural curls on the big screens because that really influences and pushes our culture forward."
So, how does Rodriguez suggest building a healthy relationship with one's hair? "Number one, embrace the uniqueness of your hair, and number two, do not compare your hair journey to someone else's. Just like our DNA and our fingerprints, no fingerprint or DNA is exactly the same. The first step in learning to love your hair is to be patient."
She further emphasized, "Even though we see different curl patterns and we see different women on TV, on social media with curls and we say, 'I want my hair to look like that.' It's great to use it as inspiration but not get your head set on it. You have to think about what's healthy for you and your body and what representation you want to give your kids and your community."
This is why her vision for Mielle is built on being more than a beauty brand but a purpose-driven company with the mission to lift as you climb, evidenced by her recent HBCU partnerships with Howard University's swim team and Florida A&M's (FAMU) cheerleading squad.
"Our goal is to bridge the gap between sports and beauty. We know that one of the huge barriers with women athletes, and especially with swimming, is that I can probably swim, but I don't want to get my hair messed up. I want to ensure that these women on these teams have access to quality products, so they don't have to worry about their hair."
With ongoing TikTok trends for various textured hair and other viral social media hacks, the Psychology of hair is a universal conversation. Several studies suggest that it can drastically affect our crowning glory mentally, emotionally, and physically, contributing to the types of extracurricular activities we involve ourselves with to how we look, feel, and view ourselves. A belief Rodriguez agrees with.
"I always style my hair according to my mood. However I style my hair, it can uplift my mood, and that's the goal behind Mielle: it's a movement to empower and excite women, men, and the whole family about healthy hair. I strongly believe that when you look good, you feel good and feel very confident and can go out and conquer the world."
For Rodriguez, her go-to styles that ignite her confidence to step out into the world and own any room she walks in are rotated between "a wash and go, a bun, or I'll straighten my hair." With time, patience, and gentleness, the mompreneur has learned that her hair love language is quality time.
However, even for the self-proclaimed Queen of Hair, discovering her unique hair love language through the years has not been easy. So whether you are just starting your hair care journey, overwhelmed with figuring out what works best, or don't know where to start, she urges you to "give yourself grace."
Establishing a healthy relationship with your "natural hair takes time. It is not going to happen overnight." It is more than skin-deep; it is deep-seated and is also a reflection of developing a healthy relationship with oneself because the two are closely linked.
This is where Mielle Organics steps in as not just a beauty brand but a movement to close the gap—armed with not only products but also the support, community, and resources to pass the crown from "One Queen To Another" to have the freedom to rock your natural curls with confidence, style, and ease. It is liberation, and it is your symbol of your personal identity.
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Feature image courtesy of Monique Rodriguez