( ENSPIRE She Did That ) Alicia Boateng, Creator of the Afro Glam Collection
The Afro Glam Collection was created to motivate and empower women of all colors, all over the world. Alicia Boateng is a mother of four, a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. When she’s not sitting behind her computer coming up with innovative ideas, working on social media or at her workstation crafting she is enjoying her family and binges on the Food Network.
The Afro Glam Collection is delicately handmade cups designed with stones and not one cup is the same. This makes each cup unique in unison with the company mission. “This world is full of beautiful, strong, influential and empowered women and the cups are a tribute to the empowered woman. There are many obstacles in life that make some women forget what they are capable of achieving in their lives. In history, women have been put down, held back and told we are incapable. Female empowerment is needed to create a world full of aspiring female CEOs, scientists, athletes, politicians, artists, and overall girl-bosses”, says Alicia.
It takes almost 2.5 hours to complete each cup because of love and the amount of creativity that goes into the process. It is not until each cup is finally completed that Alicia decides her name.
I talked to Alicia about her brand and how she is maintaining her business during a time of uncertainty.
What made you start designing these cups?
The Afro Glam Collection was created to motivate and empower women of all colors, all over the world. This world is full of beautiful, strong, influential and empowered women and my cups are a tribute to us. There are many obstacles in life that make some women forget what they are capable of achieving in their lives. In history, women have been put down, held back and told we are incapable. I have a 16-year-old daughter named Macy Genevieve. I emphasize why female empowerment is crucial in today’s generation of women. It is needed to create a world full of aspiring female CEOs, scientists, athletes, politicians, artists, and overall girl-bosses.
What purpose do you see it fulfilling that you did not see when you started?
The purpose that I see it fulfilling that I did not see initially was the Afro Glam Cup being invigorating. In the sense that once they opened the package and witnessed the cup in their hand, they immediately felt the positive energy the Afro Glam Cup exuberated.
No one cup will ever be the same, which resembles us, as women and our many facets which makes us all unique. My purpose is to empower women by reminding them they are beautiful no matter what part of the world they are from. -Alicia Boateng
How do you think your product will help your customers during this time?
Right now, we are living in a world of uncertainty. Our world as we knew it, has been turned upside down. If there is one thing that should remain consistent and promising is how women feel about themselves. The mission behind my Afro Glam Collection is to remind women that their beautiful, they are strong, courageous and they were built to overcome adversity.
How are you maintaining your business during this global pandemic?
I am maintaining my business by offering special bundles (Easter and Mother’s Day) and FREE SHIPPING for orders $50 and over. In addition, we are selling handmade facemasks and headband sets. With that being said, we have collaborated with Dr. Cyril Blavo, President of International Health Initiatives, Inc., in donating facemasks to health care professionals within our community.
What general advice would you give to someone looking to start a product-based business?
Once you find your “This is IT” product, stick to it. When I started ABD, I was all over the place, and honestly, I think that sometimes you need that to happen in order to determine what product works best in order to identify your target audience
Afro Glam Cups can be found online at www.aliciaboateng.com
