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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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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