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According To This 'Fabulosity Coach,' Financial Success Is All About Intentionality
Money Talksis an xoNecole series where we talk candidly to real women about how they spend money, their relationship with money, and how they get it.
As the year comes to a close, I know many of us have been doing a lot of reflection on what we did and didn't do in order to reach certain goals. We have created to-do lists and vision boards, prayed on a daily basis, cut people off who hinder growth, signed up for masterclasses—the list goes on, honey! Whether you feel you have seen any progress or not, if you've done at least one of the things I listed, sis, you're doing a good job. The worst thing you can do to yourself is to have all of those amazing dreams and not put any action behind them.
In order to reach your goals and live a fabulous life, I spoke to the expert herself: Cheryl Grace. She's no stranger to corporate life and became a full-time "fabulosity coach" after more than 25 years climbing the corporate ladder. Cheryl knew she wanted to become the person to others that she felt she needed in her early 20s. In 2017, she created Powerful Penny, a lifestyle brand for women at work, in love, and at home.
Courtesy of Cheryl Grace
Through her platform, she empowers women to show up in all the areas of their life at work, in love, and at home, which equals the ultimate fabulosity. "There is this myth that women do not have any power when it comes to money," she said. "I named my company the Powerful Penny because people discount Black people, especially Black women, the same way we discount pennies. But what people forget to realize is that pennies add up. So, pennies can be powerful when you make the decision to collect them and not toss them away. You can do whatever you set your mind to when there is intention behind it."
In this installment of Money Talks, Cheryl talks about how trusting your gut, setting intentionality, and asking for help as the keys to being financially free.
On what she makes in a month:
"Powerful Penny was founded in 2017 and I started it as a side hustle. I went full-time starting at the top of 2021 and I generated $30,000 in the first month. My next goal is to make my first million within the year, so for me, March 2022 is my deadline to see if I reach my goal."
On pivoting to full-time entrepreneurship:
"I think the pandemic helped me. I know a lot of people went through challenges during 2020, and rightfully so. But for me, 2020 was my most productive year ever! I wasn't traveling like I usually do for work, so with the opportunity of staying still, I was able to focus on the products I wanted to create and the courses I wanted to teach. I was ready for a change. I was very intentional about moving out of corporate America into my new role."
On the definition of “wealth” vs “success”:
"I think everyone needs to define success for themselves. For some people, success is strictly monetary. They are trying to reach that six-figure-a-year job. For me, success is owning a cottage by the water. I've collected furniture and decor for the last 10 years and manifested my cottage, [which] for me is mainly a place where my family can gather and keep for generation after generation. Wealth, for me, is being able to build a legacy. Things you have accumulated and can pass on to the next generation is a priority."
On the lowest she has ever felt when it comes to money:
"The lowest I've ever felt when it came to money was when my car got repossessed. During that time, I was going through a divorce and it was a reality check that I could not depend on my then-starter husband to take care of things. I had to figure out how to take care of things myself. That was when I started being intentional about my financial choices instead of living in the moment."
On educating others on the importance of setting intention with money:
"Let's say a person walks up to you and they say they want to be rich. You question them and ask, 'What does being rich look like for you? How are you going to get there?' We have these big audacious goals for ourselves—which is great—but if we do not know how to take small bites or understand what it will actually take to get to our goal, then we are not setting intentions. We can't assume that we can think of big goals and expect them to come true just because we put them on our vision board. It's also about the actions you take and the choices you make to get there. We have to take things one bite at a time."
Courtesy of Cheryl Grace
"We can't assume that we can think of big goals and expect them to come true just because we put them on our vision board. It's also about the actions you take and the choices you make to get there."
On having multiple streams of income:
"I wanted to continue living the same lifestyle I was living when I was working in corporate. So right now, with the Powerful Penny, I have products and services. I have my journals, affirmation cards, online courses, and executive coaching sessions. A book called The Miracle Morning helped me figure out who my core client would be.
"At the end of the day, I make sure that I keep my products at affordable prices for my clients and consumers [in order] to sustain my multiple streams of income."
On unhealthy mindsets about money she had to let go of:
"A few years back, I had no problem dropping $2,000 to $4,000 on a handbag, but if you would have told me to drop that same amount into an investment product, that would have been another story. I really started to look at less material things and more at what was important for me internally. I started learning how to invest in myself and stop being afraid of what my reality looked like. How you organize your money in your purse says a lot about how you respect it."
"How you organize your money in your purse says a lot about how you respect it."
Courtesy of Cheryl Grace
On the money mantra she swears by:
"My mantra is always, 'Trust your gut.' I don't think a lot of women trust their gut when it comes to money."
For more about Cheryl Grace, follow her on Instagram @iamcheylgrace.
Featured image courtesy of Cheryl Grace
'K' is a multi-hyphenated free spirit from Chicago. She is a lover of stories and the people who tell them. As a writer, 9-5er, and Safe Space Curator, she values creating the life she wants and enjoying the journey along the way. You can follow her on Instagram @theletter__k_.
How This New Bond Repair Line Transformed One Mother's Postpartum Shedding Into The Ultimate Curl Comeback
This article is in partnership with SheaMoisture
For Crystal Obasanya, her wash day woes came shortly after her son did. The beauty and lifestyle content creator had been natural for years, but during postpartum, she quickly learned about one reality many mothers can relate to experiencing: postpartum hair loss. “Sis had thinning hair. Sis had split ends,” she shared about her hair changes in a Reel via xoNecole.
Over a year into her postpartum journey, Crystal explained she also had dry, brittle hair, noting that keeping it hydrated before pregnancy had already been “a task.” The 4C natural recalled going from thick hair during pregnancy to a thin hairline due to postpartum shedding as “devastating.” When it came to strengthening and revitalizing her hair, the new SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection was just the thing she needed to elevate her damaged coils to revive and thrive status and get them poppin' again.
SheaMoisture is providing us with the cheat code for transforming dry and damaged strands into thriving and deeply nourished crowns. By unveiling their 4-step hair system, the SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is equipping you with the tools to reverse signs of hair damage caused by protective styling, heat, and color and is uniquely formulated for Type 3 and 4 hair textures.
The haircare system revives damaged natural hair by repairing and rebuilding broken hair bonds through a game-changing combination of HydroPlex Technology and AminoBlend Complex, a unique blend of fortifying amino acids formulated specifically for curly and coily hair. Scientifically proven to reduce breakage by 84% and make your hair six times stronger (vs. non-conditioning shampoo), the collection infuses your hair with the nourishment it craves and the strength it deserves.
All five products of the SheaMoisture Bond Collection are infused with natural strengthening ingredients like Amla Oil and fair-trade shea butter. The collection consists of the 4-step breakage-fighting Bond Repair system, as well as the Bonding Oil.
“When trying it out, I quickly noticed that my hair felt revived and renewed, and my curls were so hydrated,” Crystal said while using the Amla-infused Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner. “I also felt my hair strands were stronger.” So much so that the influencer felt brave enough to get her hair braided shortly thereafter. “I can definitely say that I will be keeping it in my hair wash routine,” she added in the caption of her Reel about her positive experience using the products.
SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is making bond-building a key player in your wash day routines and the purveyor of life for thirsty manes. Because who doesn't want stronger, shinier, happier hair?
Step One: Bond Repair Collection Shampoo
Rejuvenate your hair with SheaMoisture Bond Repair Shampoo, your go-to solution for luscious locks. Packed with hella hydration power, this shampoo adds moisture by 60% while removing buildup without stripping your strands. This shampoo gently cleanses impurities while significantly enhancing shine, smoothness, and softness.
The Bond Repair Collection Shampoo is the first step in the 4-step Bond Repair system, all of which are powered by the uniquely formulated AminoBlend, and HydroPlex, SheaMoisture’s technology that rebuilds hair strength at its core.
Step Two: Bond Repair Collection Conditioner
Tailored to repair styling damage, this creamy conditioner locks in 12x more moisture than standard non-conditioning shampoos, boosting damaged hair strength by 1.5x with significantly less breakage. The creamy SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Conditioner deeply hydrates, enhances manageability, and leaves your hair looking healthier and shinier.
Step Three: Bond Repair Collection Masque
This Ultra Moisturizing reparative masque is a moisture-rich game-changer for those dealing with the aftermath of hair damage caused by styling. The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Masque delivers 13 times more moisture compared to non-conditioning shampoos, ensuring your hair feels nourished and soft. Designed to repair and rejuvenate, this masque significantly strengthens damaged hair — making it twice as strong while reducing breakage.
Step Four: Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner
Elevate your curl game with SheaMoisture’s Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner. Lightweight and hydrating, the Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner provides 12x more moisture than non-conditioning shampoos and tames frizz with 24-hour humidity control. Designed to define curls and coils, the leave-in conditioner enhances softness and shine allowing you to detangle effortlessly.
Bonding Oil
The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Bonding Oil is a multitasking all-in-one formula that acts as a heat protectant and provides the hair with moisture, strength, shine, damage protection, and intense nourishment. This lightweight oil not only offers 24-hour frizz and humidity control but also fortifies your tresses, making them up to 5 times stronger with significantly less breakage.
Featured image courtesy
Rapper Latto is keeping it real about the Brazilian butt-lift surgery she received at just 21 years old.
The “Big Energy” performer took to a livestream to reflect on her physical transformation over the years. She shared that after signing her first deal at the age of 21, her lifestyle changed significantly, causing her to indulge in her favorite foods which resulted in some weight gain.
“My body was so tea. I gained a little weight, 'cause I signed my deal when I was 21, when I had just turned 21. And I was just having money and living a whole new life, eating out," she told fans. "Y'all know I’m a foodie, so now I had the funds to feed this foodie in me and stuff, so I gained a little weight.”
However, harsh comments from people on the internet significantly impacted her self-esteem. “Everybody on the internet was calling me ‘bad-bodied’ and stuff, so I feel like that played a role. I started being a little insecure about my body,” she recalls.
The 25-year-old went on to address the persistent scrutiny and pressure she faced from the public regarding her appearance. despite her transparency around the procedure. "Every time I post a gym picture, people be like, ‘Oh, she got a BBL.’ I’ve been so loud and clear about a BBL that I had four years ago,” she stated. “When I was 21, [the BBL] that y’all convinced me I needed, by the way," she said.
During a 2023 episode of her Apple Music show, 777, Latto chatted with her sister, Brooklyn Nikole about her experiences with body image and surgery, opening up about the relentless criticism she faced. "When I didn’t have my surgery, they’re like, ‘Oh, she shaped like her white side’ … And then when I got the surgery, it is, ‘Oh, she’s botched. Oh, it’s too heavy.’"
The constant judgment she encountered led her to a significant realization. "I’m telling you from someone who’s been there, done it, find peace within your natural state. Because you’re going to find a flaw and another flaw and another flaw and another flaw."
Latto’s candid reflections offer a compelling reminder that true beauty lies in self-acceptance and inner peace. In a world where societal beauty standards are constantly shifting, her message is a call to prioritize personal happiness and authenticity over external validation.
"Moral of the story: I just think everybody should just stop worrying about everybody. Natural girls are winning. Surgery girls…BBL girls are winning," she shares. "Do what works for you and mind your own business. Make your own decisions based on what you want to do, not what other people are telling you to do."
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Featured image by Raimonda Kulikauskiene/Getty Images