21Ninety caught up with the female force behind Bea N Bev, a self-care and lifestyle company that is taking part in Summit21's Chateau 21 experience.
The business partners describe themselves as "two dope black chicks on a mission to find their true selves while leading other black women on the journey to self-fulfillment and self-love". Through the selling of their self-care and lifestyle products (books, lapel pins, workshops and other events) and energy alignment sessions, the duo aims to help black women find their "innerG."
Read on below to find out more about Bea N Bev.
21Ninety: Tell us about the importance of finding your “innerG?”
Bea N Bev: This quote explains innerG well, “If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive.” – Audre Lorde
innerG is our brand of self-healing and self-care. It is the place where courage, strength, self-love, spiritual balance and your gangsta collide. innerG is important because once you have it you are able to be in situations that would have once caused you extreme pain or trauma and survive. You know how to tackle life’s most difficult situations with grace – for yourself and others. Finding your innerG is synonymous with finding yourself, intimately knowing yourself, your abilities and showing up in the world authentically, without the weight of the world and who the world tells you that you are or who they try to make you.
Photo: Bea N Bev
21Ninety: How did you two meet?
BNB: We met at work! By trade, we are both public relations professionals. When we started working together we clicked almost instantly. We understood each other without having known each other for a long period of time. We soon realized that our passions aligned in a plethora of ways and we decided to create Bea n’ Bev.
21N: Tell us a little about how you two work together to run Bea n Bev?
BNB: We are our brand. We don’t play characters; we are authentically ourselves.
Bev (born Beverlee) is the spiritual one of the two — the inner of innerG. Bea (born Brandi) is the gangsta — the G of innerG.
Bev is the type who will listen to you talk, ask you your birthday; quickly find your sign; assess your astrological chart; be ready to offer spiritual guidance using her healing toolbox, which includes yoga (she’s a certified yoga instructor) and Reiki (she’s a level 1 Reiki instructor).
A talk with Bea will have you evaluating your whole life. As a studying life coach and mindfulness instructor (expected certification fall 2019), Bea operates from the principle you can only control yourself. So to improve your life, you have to start with evaluating yourself. She’s going to ask you tough questions, possibly even call you to the carpet, but you will leave with tools to challenge your thinking, manage your emotions and advocate for yourself fully at all times while still allowing others to maintain their dignity.
Encouraging and allowing this type of authenticity allows us to work together well. We also both subscribe to the philosophy of getting it done. We have weekly brainstorming sessions and business meetings. We work together to create programming and come up with new ideas for the business. We collaborate on almost everything, whether it is a graphic, writing piece, workshop or even something as small as a title of something.
Photo: Bea N Bev
21N: What inspired you to launch Bea N Bev?
BNB: Honestly, it started with a book. We co-author I Am Enough:: 50 Affirmations for Black Women to Rise Above it All. After publishing the book and receiving amazing feedback from readers, we realized we had to do more. Not only because women were truly loving the book, but also because our community needs it. We both share a passion for helping the black community and black women; so, we were like why stop here? We followed our passion and created Bea N Bev to transform the lives of black women through a variety of self-guided healing and self-care practices.
Photo: Bea N Bev
21N: What advice can you give aspiring entrepreneurs about starting their own company?
BNB: There is only one thing that will make your business thrive and grow – hard work. You have to combine that with drive, determination, and passion. Don’t let fear or procrastination get in the way (because it will definitely try to). There are days when you will be dog-tired from all things – and just life. You won’t feel like doing anything but sleep; however, there are no days off. You are what keeps the business going – so move!
21N: Were there certain life experiences that motivated you to create Bea N Bev?
Bev: Seeing all the women in my life from my middle sister to my great-grandmothers continuing to live their lives without healing their trauma was more than enough motivation for me. Seeing how resilient and strong black women are and also seeing the potential of how much more free, happy and at peace, they could be if they were to release toxic behaviors that were passed down generations and take time and steps to heal.
Bea: There are so many, almost too many to name (see the links below). I fought through being a child searching for love from my parents, which caused me to develop low self-esteem that placed me in toxic relationships. I attracted people who exploited my vulnerabilities. I accepted less than I deserved, including being verbally, physically, emotionally and mentally abused. I have survived it all, in part because I watched the wonderful women who raised me (my mom, aunties and cousins) push through their own pain to survive. Through it all, I learned to offer grace to everyone (including, and maybe most importantly, ourselves) – because we are all doing the best we can and there is no roadmap to life. We make mistakes. We hurt people. We hurt ourselves. If we are fortunate we will recognize it all as a part of our journey.
21N: What excites you most about events like Summit21?
Bev: I don’t think anything gets me more excited than black women getting together to build, uplift, support and learn from one another in a space that was specifically created for us by us! Whew, just typing that sentence feels me with joy. We need more events like this year round. Summit21 has amazing speakers, is giving small businesses spotlight and an opportunity to grow and has great workshop topics! Community is everything; events like Summit21 are helping create that.
Bea: What Bev said! I also believe God’s purpose for my life involves me being able to help black women heal. We are the creators of the Universe. If we aren’t healthy we can’t have balance as a community. So, let’s heal ladies!
21N: Are there any projects you’re working on that we should be on the lookout for?
BNB: Many of our events are Charlotte-based right now. A list of our upcoming events is below.
We also have an online experience – #innerG52 challenge. The #innerG challenge is a year-long guided journey to releasing your #innerG (ˈ/enərjē/), the place where courage, strength, self-love and spiritual balance collide. Through the challenge participants will be able to work on their physical, mental and emotional health using Kimberly Joy Morgan's book Share the Joy :: 52 Weeks to Abundant Health; my book, I Am Enough:: 50 Affirmations for Black Women and a co-produced workbook that will serve as their guide through the experience.
These three reference documents, along with our Facebook group and videos, will lead participants on a path to self-guided healing. We truly believe there is power in acknowledging your pain, healing and rediscovering your voice. The course is set up with monthly themes and activities that address physical, mental and emotional health on a weekly basis.
Registration is rolling so people can register anytime here. The cost for the actual course is $52, which includes the purchase of the two books.
Upcoming workshops and conference:
Live in Color Workshop Description and Upcoming Dates:
Listen up, you have a story to tell – and the world needs to hear it. Colorful stories of triumphs, failures, love found, love lost and childhood experiences that have and continue to shape how we think, feel, live and love. These years of experiences – and trauma – increase our risks of disease and death.
So, it’s time to speak your truth and tell your story. It’s time to rid yourself of the hurt, pain and trauma. Through the #LiveInColor workshop you will use a variety of writing and interactive activities to open your truth Chakra (known as your throat Chakra), deal and heal from trauma and use your newfound freedom to examine how your life experiences have shaped who you are and how speaking your truth can help you move forward living life in COLOR.
This two-hour workshop is guaranteed to open your eyes, mind and heart to finding your truth and living it unapologetically. By the conclusion of the workshop, you will walk away with a new understanding of your experiences and will make a commitment to #LIVEINCOLOR.
Upcoming Workshop Dates:
- – May 29: Live in Color Workshop. Charlotte, NC Registration link (free event for local influencers)
- – June 15: Live in Color Workshop. Charlotte, NC: Registration link
- – September 22: Jim Adams Farm & Table Atlanta, GA. DC and Nashville coming soon
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We are willing to travel! Call us if you want to schedule a workshop in your city.
- One-day Intention-Setting Conference: December 28, 2019
- This one-day conference will provide women of color with a day of healing, self-care, and intention-setting for the new year. Attendees will spend a day learning how to use various tools to manage life’s craziest moments from other black women to include, but not limited to:
- One-day Intention-Setting Conference: December 28, 2019
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– Yoga and meditation
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– Nutrition
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– Journaling
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– Chakras and crystals
We also are releasing two new books and a journal. The first will be a revised version of I Am Enough and the second will be a book of affirmations young girls ages 11-17. The journal will accompany the revision of I Am Enough. We are also working on adding more workshops.
Finally, we curated a few playlists for women here.
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