Summer is the season of travel. Whether it’s a trip with your girls, a baecation, a special time with family, or a beloved solo trip – this is many people’s favorite time to run down their PTO and enjoy some much-needed R&R. However, life has taught me that to truly enjoy your time, the getaway itself is not enough. Planning is essential. For example, I like to know the deets about where I’m staying.
There’s no “we’re not even going to be at the hotel” vibes for me - the location matters, and I want to see reviews. Also, I think it’s helpful to have a few pre-planned activities to ensure you make the most of the time. Finally, one of the most important elements is travel. How are we getting around?
There is nothing worse than feeling forced to rent a car at the last minute or attempting to use public transportation only to get lost in the middle of nowhere. (Yes, I’m speaking from experience). That’s why I personally appreciate rideshare apps.
However, unfortunately, the dangers of these platforms are getting more and more severe. I’ve personally been in cars where men have asked about my views on dating, politics, and more- only to drop me at my house 10 minutes later – talk about awkward. I’ve also heard more startling stories where friends felt so uncomfortable that they hopped out of a car to avoid potentially dangerous situations.
Personal testimonies like this are why I was so excited to learn about HERide, a woman-owned, Black-owned rideshare service based in Atlanta, GA. Check out xoNecole’s conversation with the founders, Jillian Anderson and DeVynne Starks, below to learn more about their business, ongoing strides in the tech community, and why you need to add HERide to your travel hacks list ASAP.
Jillian Anderson (L) and DeVynne Starks (R).
Courtesy
xoNecole: Let’s start at the beginning. Can you tell me a little bit about yourselves?
Jillian Anderson: From a young age, I've been deeply involved in sports, earning scholarships for basketball and volleyball at Albany State University. My passion for competition and resilience was further honed during my time playing professional basketball in Morocco, where, unfortunately, an injury brought me back to the U.S. Throughout my journey, I've always been drawn to technology and entrepreneurship. Starting with selling candy bars in grade school, I later founded a successful fashion brand called BEA$T during my college years.
My background in computer science and my entrepreneurial spirit laid the foundation for HERide. The challenges I faced as a tech founder are nothing compared to the determination and drive instilled in me through sports and entrepreneurship. These experiences have shaped me into the competitor I am today within the tech industry, where I continue to push boundaries and innovate for HERide's mission.
DeVynne Starks: Growing up around entrepreneurs, I quickly understood both the hard work that entrepreneurship requires and the freedom that it offers. After earning my Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from Albany State University, where Jillian served as my RA and we first connected, I pursued a Master's Degree from USC Annenberg in Communication Management with a focus on Public Relations.
My career path led me to establish Cultiv8PR, a boutique agency specializing in PR, social media, and content creation. We've worked with diverse brands across various industries, always prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our strategies. I'm passionate about storytelling and have a knack for finding unique narratives that resonate and cut through the noise.
In 2022, Jillian approached me to co-found HERide, recognizing my dedication to client success and my commitment to driving impactful change. Together, we've grown HERide into what it is today, leveraging our combined strengths in technology, entrepreneurship, and communications to make transportation safer and more inclusive for everyone.
xoN: What made you start HerRide?
Jillian: As the CTO and founder of HERide, my journey began from a deeply personal place. During my time as a rideshare driver for Uber and Lyft, I consistently heard from women about their concerns and fears surrounding safety when riding with male drivers. Women would share stories of relief when they saw a female driver approaching or even canceling rides until a woman arrived. Some would go as far as asking to be dropped off at a nearby location if a female driver was unavailable.
These experiences opened my eyes to a significant gap in the ridesharing industry—a lack of options that prioritized women's safety and comfort. In 2019, I founded HERide with a clear mission: to provide a safer and more inclusive ridesharing experience for women. We launched our app in 2020 on both Google PlayStore and the Apple App Store, and in 2022, with the addition of my co-founder DeVynne Starks as our CMCO, we began offering live rides.
HERide is about more than just providing convenient transportation. It's about challenging the status quo and advocating for meaningful changes in ridesharing safety regulations. Women's voices had been silenced, and their needs overlooked for far too long. We made it our priority to give women the option to choose a female driver if that makes them feel safer and more comfortable.
Our vision is to be disruptors in the industry, not only by offering convenience but also by integrating cutting-edge technology to enhance safety measures. We are committed to transforming the ridesharing landscape, ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender, feels secure during their journey. HERide is not just a service; it's a movement toward greater safety and equality in transportation.
xoN: Have you dealt with pressure to open the platform to men? How do you combat that?
DeVynne: While our primary focus is on providing a safe and inclusive platform for women and non-binary individuals, we also welcome everyone to use our services. Our decision to prioritize these groups stems from a critical need to address long-standing issues of safety and comfort that have been overlooked in the ridesharing industry for far too long.
From the outset, we designed HERide to answer the urgent call from women and non-binary individuals who often felt unsafe or uncomfortable during ridesharing experiences. Our commitment to safety is evident in the technology we've implemented, such as piloting biometric features and our rigorous 1:1 driver onboarding process.
While many men have been supportive of our mission, we understand there may be questions about why we choose to prioritize specific demographics. We ask those who question this decision to consider the urgency and importance of feeling safe during transportation. If you were in a situation where your safety felt compromised, wouldn't you want a service that prioritizes your well-being?
It's important to note that by prioritizing women and non-binary individuals, we aim to improve safety standards for everyone. Our ultimate goal is to transform the entire ridesharing landscape by advocating for better safety measures that benefit all passengers. We believe that everyone deserves safe and secure transportation, and HERide is committed to making that a reality for everyone who uses our platform.
It's important to note that by prioritizing women and non-binary individuals, we aim to improve safety standards for everyone. Our ultimate goal is to transform the entire ridesharing landscape by advocating for better safety measures that benefit all passengers. We believe that everyone deserves safe and secure transportation, and HERide is committed to making that a reality for everyone who uses our platform.
xoN: Do you have any plans to expand, can you walk me through your process to scale the business?
Jillian: Expanding HERide to other major cities is definitely part of our vision for growth. Currently, we are focused on scaling our operations in Atlanta, Georgia, where our goal is to onboard 1,000 drivers who each complete 10 rides per week. Achieving this milestone will ensure that we have a robust and reliable service in place before expanding further.
To support this expansion, we are actively raising funds with a target of $1.5 million. These funds will be crucial in enhancing our technology, expanding our marketing efforts, and establishing a strong operational base in Atlanta.
Once we've successfully met our driver and ride targets in Atlanta and secured the necessary funding, we plan to identify and evaluate potential new cities for expansion. Our expansion strategy will involve careful market analysis, assessing demand, regulatory considerations, and establishing local partnerships to ensure a smooth and successful launch.
Ultimately, our goal is to replicate the success we've achieved in Atlanta by offering safe, reliable, and inclusive ridesharing services to more cities across the country. We're excited about the future growth of HERide and the opportunity to make a positive impact on transportation safety and accessibility for all.
xoN: It's a big deal to be the first Black-owned rideshare company to partner with Hartsfield Jackson Airport in Atlanta. What does that mean to you, and how did you advocate for yourself – particularly when it came to the signage?
DeVynne: Being the first Black-owned rideshare company to partner with Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta is a monumental achievement for HERide, and it means everything to us. Jillian and I have always seen ourselves as disruptors, driven to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change. Our journey to secure this partnership was both challenging and rewarding.
Jillian: The process to become approved as a rideshare service at the airport was rigorous and took nearly a year. We had to ensure that our systems seamlessly integrated with the airport's infrastructure and diligently followed up on all required paperwork. On September 13, 2023, when the airport officially announced our partnership, it marked a significant milestone not only for HERide but also for our commitment to providing inclusive and secure travel experiences for all passengers.
DeVynne: One of the key challenges we faced was advocating for ourselves to receive directional signage within the airport. After months of persistent advocacy, in February 2024, we successfully secured signage that significantly increased visibility and traffic to the HERide app. This advocacy effort didn't just benefit us; it also paved the way for another emerging rideshare company to receive signage, demonstrating our commitment to opening doors for others in the tech industry.
Jillian: In a tech world where gatekeeping is prevalent, DeVynne and I believe in breaking down barriers and empowering other tech founders, especially those from underrepresented communities.
We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with the airport and excited about the future. Moving forward, we aim to replicate this success in other major cities that share our values of inclusivity and innovation in transportation. This partnership not only strengthens HERide's presence but also inspires us to continue pushing boundaries and creating opportunities for others in the tech particularly the ridesharing industry.
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Kayla Nicole says she wore a dress that was once worn by Braxton herself for the Halloween costume. “It’s not a secret Toni is more on the petite side. I’m obsessed with all 5’2” of her,” she tells xoNecole via email. “But I’m 5’10'' and not missing any meals, honey, so to my surprise, when I got the dress and it actually fit, I knew it was destiny.”
The episode was the perfect way for the multihyphenate to take control of her own narrative. By addressing the viral moment on her own platform, she was able to stir the conversation and keep the focus on her adoration for Braxton, an artist she says she grew up listening to and who still makes her most-played playlist every year. Elsewhere, she likely would’ve received questions about whether or not the costume was a subliminal aimed at her ex-boyfriend and his pop star fiancée. “I think that people will try to project their own narratives, right?” she said, hinting at this in the episode. “But, for me personally – I think it’s very important to say this in this moment – I’m not in the business of tearing other women down. I’m in the business of celebrating them.”
Kayla Nicole is among xoNecole’s It Girl 100 Class of 2025, powered by SheaMoisture, recognized in the Viral Voices category for her work in media and the trends she sets on our timelines, all while prioritizing her own mental and physical health. As she puts it: “Yes, I’m curating conversations on my podcast The Pre-Game, and cultivating community with my wellness brand Tribe Therepē.”
Despite being the frequent topic of conversation online, Kayla Nicole says she’s learning to take advantage of her growing social media platform without becoming consumed by it. “I refuse to let the internet consume me. It’s supposed to be a resource and tool for connection, so if it becomes anything beyond that I will log out,” she says.
On The Pre-Game, which launched earlier this year, she has positioned herself as listeners “homegirl.” “There’s definitely a delicate dance between being genuine and oversharing, and I’ve had to learn that the hard way. Now I share from a place of reflection, not reaction,” she says. “If it can help someone feel seen or less alone, I’ll talk about it within reason. But I’ve certainly learned to protect parts of my life that I cherish most. I share what serves connection but doesn’t cost me peace.
"I refuse to let the internet consume me. It’s supposed to be a resource and tool for connection, so if it becomes anything beyond that I will log out."
Credit: Malcolm Roberson
Throughout each episode, she sips a cocktail and addresses trending topics (even when they involve herself). It’s a platform the Pepperdine University alumnus has been preparing to have since she graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism, with a concentration in political science.
“I just knew I was going to end up on a local news network at the head anchor table, breaking high speed chases, and tossing it to the weather girl,” she says. Instead, she ended up working as an assistant at TMZ before covering sports as a freelance reporter. (She’s said she didn’t work for ESPN, despite previous reports saying otherwise.) The Pre-Game combines her love for pop culture and sports in a way that once felt inaccessible to her in traditional media.
She’s not just a podcaster, though. When she’s not behind the mic, taking acting classes or making her New York Fashion Week debut, Kayla Nicole is also busy elevating her wellness brand Tribe Therepē, where she shares her workouts and the workout equipment that helps her look chic while staying fit. She says the brand will add apparel to its line up in early 2026.
“Tribe Therepē has evolved into exactly what I have always envisioned. A community of women who care about being fit not just for the aesthetic, but for their mental and emotional well-being too. It’s grounded. It’s feminine. It’s strong,” she says. “And honestly, it's a reflection of where I am in my life right now. I feel so damn good - mentally, emotionally, and physically. And I am grateful to be in a space where I can pour that love and light back into the community that continues to pour into me.”
Tap into the full It Girl 100 Class of 2025 and meet all the women changing game this year and beyond. See the full list here.
Featured image by Malcolm Roberson
Contentment. By definition, it’s the state of not only being “satisfied with what one is or has” but also “not wanting more or anything else.” And you know what? Although it might not be a popular aspiration of many, it is a sign of spiritual maturity on certain levels. After all, it is the Apostle Paul who once said, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content…” (Philippians 4:19 — NKJV).
Being content is about not complaining. Being content is about learning to be comfortable in your present circumstances. Being content is about choosing to find joy and fulfillment, on some level, and in some way, on a daily basis.
Personally, I dig all of this so much because when you have mastered true inner contentment, it creates stability, self-awareness, and a type of resilience that makes you…shoot, powerful beyond measure, if you ask me. Because when someone knows how to “find the good” and “make peace,” regardless of what is going on around them, they truly are unstoppable. Yeah, on so many levels, contentment is the ultimate life hack. It’s something that each and every one of us should aspire to become: completely and genuinely content.
Thanksgiving is basically moments away at this point. In preparation for that time of self-reflection, pour yourself a glass of wine, turn on some soft music, sit on your coach, and then ask yourself, “Am I content?” If you’re not sure (or you need the definition unpacked for you just a bit more), here are seven signs that you may not be…and yet, there is no time like the present to do something about it.
1. You’re Super Impatient
GiphyHonestly, putting another Scripture right here could be all that is needed in order to bring this point to a swift and abrupt end. Which one? I Corinthians 13, the Love Chapter, starts off with “Love is patient” (I Corinthians 13:4). Yeah, if you want to know if you love yourself and love yourself well, how patient are you…including with yourself? Throughout the years, I have shared one of my favorite definitions of "patient" in several different articles: “bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like.” For me, it’s a blaring reminder that mastering patience isn’t just about waiting (more on that in a sec); it’s about waiting with grace.
Content people can do this because, on some level, they know how to apply the John Piper quote, "God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them." Another way of looking at this is people who can wait well — without complaining or getting annoyed by delays or challenges in the meantime — get that in order for things to truly come together, there are lots of moving parts…some that they don’t even know about. And so, if they want the best outcome, yes, waiting well is oftentimes not just involved; it is required.
Impatient people don’t get any of this. That’s why they are so stressed out all of the time.
2. You’re Worried About Things You Can’t Control
GiphyThis. Past. Election. Chile. And then the cabinet that that man is putting together as we speak? I don’t even want to get my blood pressure up, expounding on it. Let me just pivot by adding one more Scripture — because it is beyond fitting: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34 — NKJV)
Although worrying is something that pretty much everyone does at one point or another, one of my favorite quotes on it is by an American humorist by the name of Erma Bombeck: “Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere.” And really, when you stop to really think about worrying, isn’t that the truth? For one thing, all worrying does, by definition, is cause you to torment yourself by focusing on things that aren’t even going to happen (somewhere between 85-90 percent of the time, in fact; there is actually a science on that) or trying to control things that are beyond your control.
If being a worry wart is your internal struggle, my advice would be to look at life this way: If you’re worried that you’re about to get written up for getting to work late again, leave your house earlier — you can control that. On the other hand, if you’re worried that you’re going to get laid off before the holiday season ends, so long as you’ve been doing your best (which is also something that you can control), please put your energy elsewhere because that is something that you can’t control.
And I promise that when you choose to be calm and confident over worrying yourself to death, that can help you to manage what you can’t control so much easier. Oh, and your health will thank you, too, because worry is attached to things like insomnia, muscle tension, headaches, overeating, and drinking too much. All this over things that probably won’t happen in the first place? Yeah, sis…(choose to) relax.
And by choosing to chill out, there is some contentment that follows because you will see the good as much as, if not more than, the potential bad. Trust me.
3. The Past and/or Future Consume You
GiphyOn the heels of the Scripture that I just provided for the previous point, it also applies to this one. You know, back when I was doing some intentional research on forgiveness, I always appreciated the insight of author Gary Zukav: “Forgiveness is accepting that the past cannot change.” While this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t hold people accountable for what they have done, it does help you to be compassionate with those who are truly sorry (check out “Heads Up: It's NOT An Apology If An Amend Isn't Made”) because, no matter what has transpired between you and them, one thing they can’t do is go back into a time machine and change it.
And you know what? When it comes to the mistakes — or, let’s be real, sometimes they are conscious poor decisions — you have made, you can’t either. So, why let their misdeeds or your own consume you to the point of internally destroying you?
Then there’s the future. What if you get robbed? What if your mom gets cancer? What if your husband files for divorce? Girl, if you are caught up in the future that hasn’t even happened yet, you are definitely gonna drive yourself up the wall! And this is why so many mental health experts and platforms are all about encouraging individuals to live in the moment. You can do this by meditating, taking breaks from social media (and the news), journaling, doing things that you enjoy (instead of waiting to put them off), and resting.
Listen, one of the best things about choosing to only focus on the here and now is you can find little things about it to be content with — and that helps you to be/become more content overall.
4. You Always Think About Wanting More
GiphyAlthough it certainly wasn’t my plan for this piece to be so Scripture-heavy, I’ve got to flow with what immediately comes to mind and, for this point, the verse, “So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners” (Proverbs 1:19 — NKJV) is it. And just what does it mean to be greedy? A greedy individual isn’t just low-key obsessed with getting and having more — please catch it — they are also quite EAGER.
Eager folks also tend to be impatient. Eager folks are perceived by others as being very intense (and not in a good way). More times than not, eager folks haven’t really mastered how to take a moment to appreciate what they do have because all they care about is what’s next. And when you’re in a state of that kind of, well, anxiety…how could it not affect your quality of life? I mean, really.
And what if you read all of that and said, “I’m not greedy; I’m just ambitious” — listen, there is nothing wrong with having goals and wanting to obtain them. However, an ambitious individual knows how to find balance. If they get a promotion, they will schedule a vacation to celebrate it. If they just got a new car, they are not in a rush to get a new house until they can financially afford it. If they were just proposed to with a really nice ring, they aren’t hounding their new fiancé about setting a date within the next two weeks.
People who always want more, without taking the time to enjoy what they already have, are never going to be content. Why? Because there is always something else that you can want…even if you don’t need it or it really isn’t the time for it. Meanwhile, content people get that it’s a good thing to not go after everything all of the time; that it’s far wiser to embrace what is already before them — because some folks don’t even have…that.
5. You Compare Yourself to Others
GiphySomething that I actually get asked fairly often is, do I feel “some type of way” that I do so much work in the realm of marriage when I’ve never been married myself. The short answer is “absolutely not” because I know that I could’ve been married, a few times over, at this point; however, I am just as intentional about not wanting to be divorced as I am about being in a healthy marriage, not just “a marriage.”
I’m grateful to be in that head and heart space too; otherwise, I would be out here comparing myself to other people — and there is nothing good, healthy, wise, profitable, or beneficial about doing that. In fact, science isn’t a fan of playing the “keeping up with the Joneses” game, either.
According to science, that can ultimately do things like lower your self-esteem, cause you to only see the bad/negative things in your world (in comparison to other people), and it can jack up your perception of what’s really going on with other people. For instance, if you’re 33 and comparing yourself to your friends who are already married and parents, you might want to talk to them about what their day-to-day, beyond their IG posts, is like.
Because while prayerfully, their life is filled with many blessings, if they are being totally honest with you, they will also share that you’ve got some “pros” to your life too (honey, there are some real benefits to being single; check out “If You're Not In Love With Being Single, Ask Yourself These 6 Questions.,” “10 Bona Fide Benefits Of Being Single,” and “10 Words That'll Make You Totally Rethink The Word 'Single'”). Content people get that every season does — because it’s true.
6. You Don’t Verbalize Gratitude Often
GiphyThere is someone in my world who I actually try to avoid as much as possible. It’s not that she’s not smart, and honestly, she’s one of the funniest individuals that I’ve ever known (and I’ve known her for most of my adult life). It’s just that…she is always wanting something, and I find that to make her a very draining individual. Lawd, even as I am typing all of this out, I’m trying to recall a time when I’ve heard her say, “thank you” for something (no joke), let alone express any form of genuine gratitude. She’s just got such a sense of entitlement that whatever she does receive, she thinks she’s owed and what she doesn’t have, she believes that something is wrong if it hasn’t arrived yet. Geeze, what a horrible type of existence.
You don’t have to take my word for it either because there is plenty of data out here to support that people who don’t take the time to be grateful for what they have ended up being unhappy, more stressed out, in more physical pain (yes, literally) and definitely more negative than everyone else — which would explain why people don’t like hanging out with them as much.
So, since this is the time when gratitude is the theme of the season, think about what you are grateful for when it comes to what you’ve accomplished this year, then write it down and post it up somewhere. Then, as far as the individuals, for whom you are grateful for — send them a handwritten note, get them a gift card to their favorite coffee shop, or even just call to tell them.
One of the most beautiful things about being in a state of contentment is it reminds you of a lot of what you already have. It really is enough…for now…in this very moment.
7. Being (and Living) Satisfied Is a Foreign Concept to You
Giphy“Tubi movies” really is a complete sentence. LOL. And yes, sometimes, when I’m taking a writing break, I will check out some of the most…I-wouldn’t-normally ones, just to lend my support. In walks Never Satisfied with its own self-explanatory meaning. Y’all, it really is oh so true that there are folks out here dealing with some unpredictable and sometimes even truly dire consequences — and it’s all because they didn’t know how to sit down somewhere and learn how to be satisfied with the people, places, things, and ideas that they already have.
That said, I am indeed a quotes gal, and one of my favorites on the topic of satisfaction is by actor Christopher Reeve: “Success is finding satisfaction in giving a little more than you take,” and although I don’t do what I’m about to do often (because I try to take Matthew 6:1-4 very literally and seriously), I’m going to illustrate what he said about satisfaction by sharing a recent situation.
This past week, a nurse practitioner (I prefer those to doctors) diagnosed me with wrist tendonitis for the first time in my life. If you knew how many keystrokes that I do a day, you’d probably be shocked that it took this long. Anyway, as I was waiting in line to get a prescription, a young Black man was basically freaking out because his insurance was refusing to cover his own meds. According to what he was telling the pharmacist, he always only pays $5; however, this time, they were charging $62, he simply didn’t have it, and the insurance company was not picking up.
As I watched him shaking and sweating while saying that he really needed it today and fretting while talking to his mom on the phone, I offered to cover it — and after going back and forth with him for about three minutes, I did. In my mind, although I didn’t plan on spending about $85 (total) that day, the little inconvenience that it was costing me was nothing in comparison to how much it was going to benefit him — I could tell from how he and his mother reacted (even the pharmacist mouthed “thank you so much”), and that is what made it money well spent.
To help someone who had no way of helping themselves in the moment? That brought me a lot of satisfaction because it’s nice to lighten someone’s load while leaving it to karma to handle it. ALL OF IT.
And that’s why I thought it was best to wrap all of this up with a reminder that being satisfied is being content. And when you can be so satisfied with your life that you want to help others? That is a level of contentment that is truly unmatched because you start looking for ways to bless others simply so that they can feel just as content as you do.
____
Our culture? It really is never satisfied, which explains why a lot of people are so miserable. SMDH. You don’t have to be like the masses, though. This Thanksgiving, please purpose in your mind (and heart) to be(come) more content. It will make you a rare gem that benefits everyone and everything around you.
Including yourself, sis. No doubt about it.
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Originally published on November 28, 2024