Sweet Life: Los Angeleshas been renewed for a second season, and now is the perfect time to catch up on past episodes. Produced by Issa Rae, the reality series follows seven young, Black, and poppin' creatives based in South LA. What’s unique about the show is that it gives a really authentic view of what it’s like to balance friendships and relationships while trying to make your dreams come true.
And the cast does everything full speed, from enjoying extravagant events to owning thriving businesses, they live life to the fullest. But, let’s be honest—there’s a bit of drama, too! And while you’ll likely be happy with how the cast is represented on screen, you might still yell at the TV every now and then because some of your favorite characters will definitely disappoint you from time to time.
To get a better idea of what I mean, check out Sweet Life: Los Angeles on HBO MAX. But before you do, get to know the cast:
Tylnn Burns, 26
Alexis Hunley/HBO Max
Tylnn Burns is a Los Angeles native who describes herself as “the nucleus” of her friend group. After graduating with a dual degree in advertising and public relations, she used her knack for marketing and love for throwing parties to create a boutique event planning agency called House Party Creative.
Her goal is to construct future opportunities for her loved ones such as her mother, grandmother, and father, who is currently incarcerated.
Jordan Bentley, 24
Alexis Hunley/HBO Max
This may not be the first time you’ve seen Jordan Bentley on the big screen. He previously competed on Netflix’s Floor is Lava. But, it’s not all about entertainment for him. Jordan is also the CEO of Hypland, a worldwide fashion brand.
Amanda Scott, 25
Alexis Hunley/HBO Max
Amanda Scott is a real one who is not afraid to speak her mind. She moved to Los Angeles from Chicago and completed her public relations studies at Howard University, and met her boo. She is a proud homeowner who works in marketing communications and is the creator of The Kollection, a beauty and lifestyle brand.
P'Jae Compton, 27
Alexis Hunley/HBO Max
P’Jae Compton is an entrepreneur who has a passion for music and fashion. Professionally he works in artist management and as an influencer. He also owns a record label and a clothing line called His & Hers Clothing. His dating life can get a bit messy, but I don’t wanna give any spoilers. All I’ll say is—you will be entertained.
Briana Jones, 27
Alexis Hunley/HBO Max
Briana Jones, or Bri (as the group calls her), is somewhat of an LA newbie who moved to the City of Angels from Kalamazoo, Michigan. She graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Although she works in the healthcare industry, she was inspired by her friends to become an entrepreneur, leading to the creation of Butter'd by Bri, a skincare line.
Bri is the single-and-ready-to-mingle one out of the women, but don’t be fooled. She wears her heart on her sleeve.
Cheryl Des Vignes, 26
Alexis Hunley/HBO Max
Cheryl Des Vignes, aka C-Nasty (her alter ego), is a designer and owner of Des Vignes Clothing, a sustainable online fashion brand that sells handmade clothing and swimwear. She’s been with her high school sweetheart, Jerrold, for nine years, and is ready to take things to the next level.
Jerrold Smith II, 25
Alexis Hunley/HBO Max
Jerrold Smith II is a former athlete who graduated from UCLA. He works at Westbrook Inc., Jada and Will Smith’s media company. He's has been in a long-term relationship with fellow castmate Cheryl for nine years.
Featured image by Jessica Perez/HBO Max
RELATED
"When I graduated high school, I moved back to America, Georgia, and I ended up making, like, the oil, the Rose Galore oil, which is like the staple product of my brand. I don't know what made me make it, but I did, and it literally cleared my face up," she tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview.
"I end up selling it as a body oil first because, obviously, I'm 17, [and] don't have any background as an esthetician or anything like that. I just made a product that worked for me, but people bought it and was using it, and I reformulated it, and then it just stuck like with me."
While MoonXCosmetics is known for its facial products, it wants to expand to body care and home. It just released its new product, Moon-Gel body wash, and it's only up from there. As Mariee continues to grow the brand, it's more than likely that she will see more history-making moments. And so far she has.
Photo courtesy
When asked if she feels pressure to obtain more of those milestones, she says yes and no. "I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more," she says.
"I want to say more reach than more like fast-paced sales. I do want that. Obviously, every girl wants that, but I do want to have a better overall reach for my brand because I did take two years off so I was able to learn, [and] study a lot of different things. See how things have changed from 2020 to now."
"I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more."
Another part of expanding for any company is hiring people. Finding the right person to help you can be a hassle, especially for business owners who are used to doing all the work themselves. Mariee can relate to this, and she touched on this topic in her documentaryThe Million Dollar Story. She recommends having someone be your "right-hand man" who you trust to handle the ins and outs of the company.
"I could say, definitely get, like a right-hand man to help you within the process because that really was what helped me. I never had a job. I literally was 18 now, being like, you know, the boss of over 30+ employees at one point in time, and I didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about no W-2s, no taxes, no clock in, clock out because all I [have] ever known was my brand," she explains.
"So I definitely partner with people who are very skewed and versed in those areas, and they helped me get through it. Even to this day, I still have my same person helping me with hiring, firing, [and] doing everything that I can right now because I'm still learning. But obviously people get jobs young, so they have way more experience than me, but still learning."
And though she is still learning, one thing she makes sure to stay on top of is being consistent. Consistency is what trips many people up when it comes to achieving goals, but Mariee says it's all about scheduling. Whether it's when to post on social media or email marketing, scheduling it out can make a world of difference. That same practice also works when planning out her future goals for the company.
"Right now, future goals would be to drop at least five more products before the end of the year. We always do outreach, where we do drives and all that, but definitely do way more this year, she says. "Then really dive into body [care], and then hopefully open up MoonXBody underneath MoonXCosmetics to let that branch out and be open and definitely get back consistent."
For more information, visit moonxco.com.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy