With the rise of more and more black women breaking away from traditional 9-5s to become their own bosses, the CEO is getting a revamp as the SHEeo. In the Meet The SHEeo series, we talk to melanated mavens leveling up and glowing up, all while redefining what it means to be a boss.
After recognizing that many stores lacked handbags that were unique and functional, Cheryl Williams used her gift for sewing and began designing one-of-a-kind handbags that reflected her personal style, and that held everything from credit cards to lip gloss without feeling weighed down. She launched 86 & Norman (then Double Clutched) in 2015 for eclectic women who want to carry what they need without sacrificing style. She currently works full-time as a Lead Business Analyst while juggling her growing business.
In this week's feature, meet Cheryl Marie Williams of 86 & Norman.
Courtesy of Cheryl Williams
Title:CEO of 86 & Norman
Year Founded: 2015 (as Double Clutched, rebranded to 86 & Norman in 2019)
Location: Columbus, Ohio
# of Employees: 1
30-Second Pitch: 86 & Norman accessories helps eclectic stylish women who want to carry what they need while looking super cute with handbags, clutches, and wallets.
What inspired you to start your brand?
I launched Double Clutched (my former brand name) in June of 2015 because I quickly felt that handbags can be created to be so bold yet also functional. Everyone doesn't necessarily want the same styled tote or crossbody bag. They may want something only a few people can get and something that complements what they already wear and feel comfortable in.
I only pick designs based on [it] making sense and being functional. Fabrics have to be unique, likeable, and something that looks nice on a variety of designs. Those two together is what inspires me to create my bags. No two bags are alike. There's so much variation and that keeps it motivating and exciting.
In February 2019, I rebranded Double Clutched to 86 & Norman. 86 is the year I was born and Norman is the street of my Aunt's house when I was growing up that was like a second home to me.
What was your a-ha moment that brought your idea into reality?
Creating my first wallet was my a-ha moment that showed me that other people could too benefit from my products. My first wallet had multiple card slots, a space for your phone, keys, and your favorite lip gloss. But it was perfectly slim and had a wristlet strap so you could be hands free, [without being] weighed down with a huge bag, and have everything you need.
Who is your ideal customer?
An ideal 86 & Norman customer is a creative thinker with a heart for uplifting people. She values her family and mental health. She is someone who always has great creative ideas and gives great food, fashion, and product recommendations. She loves Black-ish, black-owned businesses, Marvel movies, and tacos. She craves the culture that comes with diverse cities and is a foodie at heart. Girls' night outs and date nights are her favorite. Her idol is the one and only Michelle Obama. Stories about people doing good for other people warms her heart.
What makes your business different?
The combination of both my style of print with my style of product makes 86 & Norman different. You won't find my unique fabric combinations with the form of bags, clutches, and wallets that I have anywhere else. And because each print/product combination is limited, each customer truly gets a limited-edition product.
To make 86 & Norman even more personal, I decided to name each bag after prominent African American women or TV characters. I think it's fun and it pays homage to those who I've learned about, read about, or watched growing up. My clutches just aren't a clutch. But it's the Jemison (Mae Jemison) Fold Over Clutch. I always called my products "she" and now all my she's have names.
What obstacles did you have to overcome while launching and growing your brand? How were you able to overcome them?
Through starting my business and rebranding my business, my main sacrifices and obstacles were time and money. Working full-time and then coming home to do all the business things myself, was and still is hard. And at times, my personal funds have had to fund my business.
To overcome those obstacles, I had to implement money management practices (like using accounting software to keep track of what's going out and for what reasons) and I had to learn how to move my time management skills from my day time job to my business. Making to-do lists, giving myself deadlines, and sectioning out my free time on the weekends for fun vs business are what helps keep the back-end of my business going.
What was the defining moment in your entrepreneurial journey?
I took a branding class last fall with the intention on fine-tuning what I had already created. Instead, I ended up doing a total overhaul. While Double Clutched will always be where I started, it wasn't really a brand. Just a business. With 86 & Norman, I have a target person, not just an audience but a specific target person, brand colors, a brand manifesto, mission and values, and a brand personality. I have all that locked down and now I know what will work for my brand and what doesn't fit. I know what events my people will be at and where they won't. I know what will speak to my customers when it comes to products and fabrics and what I shouldn't use the time to consider.
"With 86 & Norman, I have a target person, not just an audience but a specific target person, brand colors, a brand manifesto, mission and values, and a brand personality. I have all that locked down and now I know what will work for my brand and what doesn't fit."
Where do you see your company in 5-10 years? (The ultimate goal?)
I've love to open a brick and mortar store that features black women handcrafted makers and artists that also doubles as an event space with DIY workshops, a teaching space, and area where people can host small intimate gatherings.
Where have you seen the biggest return on investment? (i.e. marketing, ads, vending, social media)
My best investment has been taking the time and effort in rebranding everything. Name, website, print materials, social media, legal documents, look, feel, everything.
Do you have a mentor? If so, who?
I have a few SHEeos I look up to. Melissa Butler from The Lip Bar, Jasmine Lawrence of Eden BodyWorks, Ade Hassan of Nubian Skin. I learned everything I know about branding from Lela Barker of Lucky Break Consulting.
Biggest lesson you’ve learned in business?
Having a product isn't enough. You need a brand, a brand story, and very defined person you want to be of service to and a need you are fulfilling.
Anything else you would like for people to know, or take away from your entrepreneurial story?
Keep being consistent. Keep posting. Keep sharing your "thing". Don't get discouraged because your journey isn't going as fast as someone else's. People are always watching and cheering you on.
For more of Cheryl and 86 & Norman, follow her on social: Instagram and Facebook.
In a xoNecoleexclusive, 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
When I came across a way to maximize the pleasure I receive from cunnilingus (already), I had no choice but to tap in. Who knew the key to taking oral sex to new heights was giving it a sideways twist? For those of you who might also be interested in ways to spice up the way you do oral, experience faster and stronger orgasms, or simply want to indulge in something new with your partner, the Kivin Method could definitely be the oral sex technique for you, too.
Keep reading to learn about the method that is sure to have you writhing in ecstasy in no time at all.
What Is The Kivin Method?
For the uninitiated, the Kivin Method is an oral sex technique that focuses on stimulating the clitoris from a different angle. Dubbed “sideways oral” by some, this method involves the action of giving head from a side-to-side movement as opposed to the up-and-down motion that people typically perform when giving head. (If you need a visual, this illustration is helpful.)
The difference in approach as you’re receiving head can be a game-changer in how you receive pleasure. Not only does the giving partner have access to the clitoris, but they can also access more easily the vulva and the labia, which are objectively a bigger focus in this version of cunnilingus. More access means wider coverage, and that, plus the new sensation of oral from a different angle, can heighten the way you experience oral sex that much more.
Where more pleasure flows, intense orgasms are sure to follow.
Getty Images
How To Do The Kivin Method
If you want to know how to do the Kivin Method, it’s actually pretty straightforward. The receiver lays on their back while the giver positions themselves perpendicular to the receiver. Their head will be facing the vulva, but instead of vertical, their face will be horizontal to the vulva.
From there, the giver can get to business, ensuring that they keep their head perpendicular to the receiver’s vulva while working on their craft. Because this technique can be more intense for some receivers, start slowly by stroking the vulva and clitoris sideways with the tongue, and allow sensations and communication from the receiver to be a guide of what you need more or less of with the Kivin Method.
Ultimately, the Kivin Method allows experimentation and unlocking what pressure, rhythm, and tricks work best for the giver and the receiver. Try implementing a finger or two, or adding a sex toy to the mix to intensify the act even further.
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Featured image by Delmaine Donson/Getty Images
