

This Former Flight Attendant’s Daughter Inspired Her to Create An Upscale Spa and Party Planning Company
Many people decide to go the entrepreneur route for a number of reasons, whether they have a very lucrative idea or they have a passion for something. For Jean Noisette, her decision to pursue entrepreneurship was all thanks to her 12-year-old daughter, the driving force behind her creating Dazzle Me Parties , a popular event space for young girls and teens.
After noticing her daughter's lack of confidence, Jean developed Dazzle Me Parties as a way for girls to come together in a fun environment while learning team-building exercises that boosts self-esteem.
Since 2012, Dazzle Me Parties have been taking over the Atlanta area with their girl power themed parties that leave girls feeling beautiful and confident. Jean recently took the time to chat with xoNecole and open up about her mommy/daughter business and personal relationship, as well as the importance of empowering girls at a young age.
How did you come up with the concept for Dazzle Me Parties?
Having my daughter. I noticed her interaction [with others]. It wasn't what I was used to; she was very quiet and just stayed to herself. So, when she started transitioning into the school system after moving from Ohio to here (Atlanta), I noticed she was being held back, and it was just that confidence wasn't there. It rang a bell to put her into a [different] environment.'
I looked all over and searched and couldn't find anything and I just felt really compelled to start something on my own, something where girls can come and unwind, learn, and do things in a more fun-filled way [and] seeing beauty stemming from the inside out. I always wanted to open up something on my own, as well as for my daughter. She was my inspiration.
What was the transition like from being a flight attendant to business owner?
It was very hard. For so long, I was afraid of sharing my story because I never wanted to make it seem easy [because] it takes a lot. I never wanted to go into something where I made a lot of money, which I know sounds weird, but I wanted to do something that I loved and [that] made it a lot easier. It takes a lot of passion, a lot of missing events, a lot of time away from your family. That was the most challenging, learning how to balance home and family life and my work.
Credit: Kalvin Reeves/Rolling Out
"That was the most challenging, learning how to balance home and family life and my work."
How does your daughter like working with you?
She loves it. Believe or not, she can run this place with her eyes closed. She's really good with the children. We have Dazzle Me Dolls and with the Dazzle Me Dolls, they do a lot of mentorship programs with her as well as other children, so she is very involved. She was just telling me, "Mom, what about the tomboys? Everything is pink and girly, you need to do something like this." So she's really our go-to whenever we want to get new ideas and stay current in what's going on with the pre-teens.
What is a typical day like for you at Dazzle Me Parties?
Even if we are slow, it's never slow in my life. Before anything, I'm a mom and I have a lot of things going on in my life with my children and different activities, but a normal day for me is constantly looking for ways to grow the business. I'm researching, I'm networking, and I'm going to areas looking for different businesses to see how we can collaborate. I take all of my own phone calls so whenever we're not here, it's always transferred to my cell phone so we're at arms' reach constantly.
Answering my phone calls, booking, scheduling, payroll, we do it all. But that's another thing, I don't think that's a good thing. In having a business, you need to know how to let go and hire the right people and let them do their job so that's another thing that we're working on. I have a phenomenal manager, so a lot of things I'm learning to be freed from.
How do you incorporate girl empowerment with your parties?
To be honest with you, that's our first priority, and I know a lot of people say that but we live by that. I know they say not to mix business and pleasure, but I believe in that to a certain extent. We're a family, and we build each other up and a lot of things that I've learned in building the business, I like to know what are their dreams? What are their goals? And with that, I am able to build them up and girls are telling me, "Hey Ms. Jean, next year I want to do this." We make sure that we help them work towards that and, no matter what, we're learning from one another.
What do you want your daughter to take away from her experience working with you?
I just want her to see that we're living in an era where, and I really hate to say this because we're really hard on the millennials, but like instant gratification—that was one of my problems because you can't get it instantly. I want her to see that she needs to work hard for what she wants.
"I want her to see that she needs to work hard for what she wants."
Nothing is gonna come easy and I'm a tough love type of person so I want to show her if you work hard, this is what you're gonna get and when you don't work hard, you're not. So taking away from that, I want her to build self-esteem and feel confident in herself and to know that anything she chases, she can have and I know it sounds cliché, but its not as easy as it sounds. I don't think people understand the work that goes into being successful and I want to show her that.
*Some answers have been edited and condensed for clarity
For more about Jean and Dazzle Me Parties, follow her @dazzlemeparties or book an upcoming event at Dazzlemeparties.com .
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London Alexaundria is the contributing editor for xoNecole. She is an alum of Clark Atlanta University, where she majored in Mass Media Arts and has worked in journalism for over ten years. You can follow her on Instagram and TikTok @theselfcarewriter
Exclusive: Gabrielle Union On Radical Transparency, Being Diagnosed With Perimenopause And Embracing What’s Next
Whenever Gabrielle Union graces the movie screen, she immediately commands attention. From her unforgettable scenes in films like Bring It On and Two Can Play That Game to her most recent film, in which she stars and produces Netflix’s The Perfect Find , there’s no denying that she is that girl.
Off-screen, she uses that power for good by sharing her trials and tribulations with other women in hopes of helping those who may be going through the same things or preventing them from experiencing them altogether. Recently, the Flawless by Gabrielle Union founder partnered with Clearblue to speak at the launch of their Menopause Stage Indicator, where she also shared her experience with being perimenopausal.
In a xoNecole exclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause , marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression , anxiety , like all of it, mental health challenges , all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry ’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy . If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures , and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood , her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff , which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You , which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
Victoria Monét Opens Up About Feeling ‘Validated’ Months After VMAs Turned Her Down To Perform
Victoria Monét has had an incredible year. Thanks to the success of the widely popular “ On My Mama ” that went viral, the singer/ songwriter’s Jaguar II album debuted in the top 10 of Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart. She also went on to headline her own sold-out tour . So, when the MTV VMAs happened in September, everyone was surprised to learn that Victoria’s team was told that it was “too early” for the “Smoke” artist to perform at the award show. However, a couple of months later, the mom of one received seven Grammy nominations, including “Best R&B Album” and “Record Of The Year.”
Victoria is currently in London and stopped by The Dotty Show on Apple Music and shared how she feels “validated” after being dismissed by the VMAs.
“It really does feel nice and validating because, in my head, the reason why I wanted to be a performer at the VMAs or award ceremonies like that is because I felt like I am at the place where I should. I would work really hard to put on the best show that I could, and I was excited to do so,” she said.
“And I guess the best way to describe it for me is like when you're like on a sports team, and the coach is like, ‘No, you gotta sit this one out.’ When they finally put you in, and then you score all these points, and it feels like that feeling. You're like, yes, I knew it wasn't tripping, but I knew I worked hard for this, and so it's been super validating to just have these accolades come after a moment like that, and I know the fans feel vindicated for me.
While her fans called the VMAs out on their decision, the “Moment” singer kept it cute and is still open to performing at the iconic award show. “I feel no ill towards them because it's just maybe that's just truly how they felt at the time, but I hope their mind has changed,” she admitted.
Aside from recognition from the Grammys, she has also received praise from legendary artists such as Janet Jackson , Kelly Rowland , and Usher .
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Feature image by Amy Sussman/WireImage for Parkwood