HAPPY WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
Hey Boss,
I'm excited to "pen" this note as a somewhat personal ode during Women's History Month. While it's celebrated every March for the world to reflect on all of the small and large contributions that women have made over the years in society, I choose to celebrate these accomplishments every day through the work that we do at Bossy Cosmetics!
As the founder of a business that exists to celebrate, empower, ignite, and energize ambitious women, this month feels pretty regular for us. Our North Star is seeing women win at whatever we put our minds to. It's in the name of the company (BOSSY), the name of our products (INSPIRING, CONFIDENT, FIERCE etc), the bold imagery (have you SEEN our instagram?) and our website. We are obsessed with cohesion across the brand as we never want our customers or visitors to be confused about what we stand for - WOMEN MAKING HISTORY TODAY.
As the founder of this company, I never lose the opportunity to say the following things:
- I want to see more women lead in society (business, politics, and every sphere of life)
- I want to see women's pay equity gap close faster than it has historically, especially for women of color
- I want to see more women sit on corporate boards because that is where key decisions that affect our economies are made
- I want to see more women run large businesses and become self-made millionaires/billionaires
- I want to see laws get passed that show that we understand how difficult it is for women, who predominantly run families, to get anything done within and beyond the home
- I want women to have MORE of what they need and want
It feels great to say this during Women's History Month but the truth is that I say this every time I have the opportunity to do so!
I want to celebrate Women's History Month by recognizing that women today are history in the making. We are setting the example for generations to come and I want to acknowledge the power and beauty of female relationships in all of their glory. I have been the benefactor of love, kindness, support, and counsel from several women in my life over my career. I wanted to name this special phenomenon because I don't think it gets enough attention. We spend so much time looking for mentors who are ahead of us in a particular industry or effort but have we invested in relationships with our peers who can equally serve as mentors?
Since starting Bossy Cosmetics, the importance of peer mentorship has taken on a special dimension in my life. I have been fortunate to belong to a strong bond of sisterhood amongst various groups of women. These women have supported my journey in a variety of ways including multitasking as a mother, wife, daughter, business leader, community representative, board director, and friend. Each of these roles that I occupy is important to me and I have learned that my female friends, who also identify as ambitious, understand the trials of cruising across various lanes and learning from their mistakes and successes makes me feel seen, heard, and certainly less alone.
So this Women's History Month, I am celebrating women who have paved the way for me to occupy several lanes in excellence as well as women who are doing so today. I want to thank my friends and investors who have leant a listening ear and put their money where their mouths are by supporting my growth as a human and business leader.
Cheers to peer mentors, female friends, and women who are supporting one another!
HAPPY WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
Meet Nnenna. My best friend, confidante, and Bossy Cosmetics investor. She's a general badass in business, life, and beyond! Nnenna, I am grateful for you!
Meet Lexi and Anita. Two power women in Silicon Valley. I've know Lexi since 2000 when we were in the same section in business school and she has since gone on to build an amazing career as an operator in tech. She's an investor in Bossy Cosmetics and an amazing human! Anita is someone that I have just come to know and admire in recent years and she is nothing short of fly! Anita has a distinguished career in tech, she is the first Black woman to serve as Chief Data Officer of a publicly traded company AND she is an investor in Bossy Cosmetics. She's amazing and I am so grateful for our growing friendship.
Meet my big sister-friend who also happens to be named Aisha. We met on a flight over 20 years ago and have been confidante's to one another since. I am grateful to have such a loving friend in my corner who invests in me in more ways than one!
Meet Stephanie, Bossy Cosmetics' lead designer. If she hadn't sent me an email essentially saying that our early product packaging was ugly, I never would have responded, met her, and hired her to help us level up. Her attention to detail is amazing and our ability to work together to create artistry while we design for our customers delight is something I love! I am truly grateful for her!
Meet my friend Lola Okunola who has shown me that magic exists within you and jumps out when you least expect it! Lola is a marketer, entrepreneur AND an acclaimed artist. She's also a fantastic chef and has listened to me cry several times in my lowest moments of building Bossy Cosmetics. I am so grateful to her for her love and support!
Meet my mom. I won't even get into it because she's otherworldly. What I will say is that she's been the wing beneath my wings in every step of my journey and I am thankful that God chose her to be my vessel into this world! Thank you mommy!
Meet my badass friend, Missy. She's a supermom of 3 kids and an executive, yet always finds the time to listen to my woes! Her counsel is balanced, informed, and honest. If I didn't have her as an investor in Bossy Cosmetics and walking me through the difficult moments, I would have packed it in! I am truly grateful to her!
Meet my girl, Moji. She's my dear friend, an investor in Bossy, and my truth-talker. She never lets me lie to myself about anything. She is the MOST consistent friend that you could ever hope for. Such a solider in your corner and has a beautiful heart of gold. I am grateful for you!!
Meet my friend, Rama, whom I affectionately call GURUMAHARAMA because of how zen she is and how calming her presence can be. What a beautiful soul this woman has. She's effectively an advisor to Bossy Cosmetics because I lean on her brilliance in so many ways. I am so grateful for her!
Meet Funmi, my small but mighty soldier-sister-friend. Funmi is always down for a laugh and to listen to your deepest fears. She's a dear friend and one who will take the time out of her own busy schedule to help you prepare for the onslaught of orders that getting on Oprah's Favorite Things list will cause! I'm so grateful she is in my corner!
And last but not the least, meet my high school friends-sisters, Bibi and Folake. We've known each other for over 30 years. In addition to their love and support of me, my family, and my professional aspirations, both of them dropped what they were doing last summer when I called them and I told them that I needed support. I was stressed and some times, only your girlfriends who truly love you can come to your aid and THEY DID. I am so grateful to them both!
If you made it this far in the note, WOW and THANK YOU. I hope you find a moment this Women's History Month to pen love notes to your special group of friends who have shown you what active love looks like. I plan to spend all of Women's History Month, celebrating women who are making history today.
Love always,
Aisha
