Meet Jenisu Romany-Ottley: Co-Owner with my kids Xian and Liev – Xi&Liev Creations

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenisu Romany-Ottley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenisu, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The idea of having our own businesses has always been in our goals but that final push to get it started was driven by my oldest son, Xian. He had an idea to make bath time fun for all and he started throwing out real, solid ideas! His enthusiasm and clarity of ideas showed he clearly spent some time thinking it through – from the different products to offer, to how to make it quirky and different and all this at just 7 years old! I was excited to fuel his vision and started researching how to create soap products while I discussed starting a business with my husband. We were excited to create a platform for his entrepreneurial spirit to be showcased and for his products to come to life. As Xian and I started creating and testing the soaps, his younger brother Liev was equally excited to help and come up with ideas – at just 4 years old – and the name of the business “Xi&Liev Creations” was born. With the creation of “Xi&Liev Creations” we have been provided numerous opportunities that we didn’t initially envision. These include building a strong sense of pride in our kids with what they have and are capable of achieving while developing strong work ethic (as they are involved in every process of the business) and a platform for additional growth, both creatively and financially.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
“Xi&Liev Creations” makes fun, dessert themed bath and body products for all ages – so whether you are young or young at heart we have something for you to enjoy. Our product themes, shapes and scents are geared toward transporting you to happy memories and places – be it the “Carnival” which is a bright colored cupcake soap that smells like cotton candy and festivity or “Strawberry Sunrise” that takes you to your favorite Caribbean island destination, cold drink in hand. Our products are made with skin loving nutrients including Shea, Mango and Cocoa butter, Avocado oil, Jojoba oil, Olive oil and Manuka Honey – so it not only looks great and smells amazing but it hydrates your skin! We are most proud of our kids – their ingenuity, entrepreneurial spirit and work ethic at just 7 and 4 years old – and excited to see them both continue to grow and express themselves through their creations. We are also very grateful to have the opportunity to share their ideas with our customers with our most frequent compliment from our adult customers being that the soaps bring out their inner child and puts a smile on their faces. As with all new things, there were bumps along the way and obstacles to hurdle. I knew little to nothing about soap making, so I had to take a few classes and do a lot of research, experimenting and testing before we were at a point where we were comfortable sharing our products. Major lesson we’ve learned so far is to stay the course, keep learning, keep humble and you will reap the rewards of your hard work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Food wise – we love Marietta Fish Market and Pappadeaux. Great prices, amazing food, quality drinks – absolutely love it, so one or both would definitely be on the list. Top golf or bowling would make the list also, as we crack jokes on missed swings and miss pins, even with bumpers up. We would take the kids to the High Museum and the Georgia Aquarium before tucking them in bed and searching out a comedy club like Oak Comedy Lounge ATL or a lounge like Suite Lounge Atl – to laugh and dance the night away! Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First, I would like to shoutout my sons, Xian and Liev, for being so creative and pushing me out of my comfort zone. Challenging me to help them create a business and brand, that I knew little about, has been very rewarding, as it not only gave me the opportunity to also be very creative and learn something fun and new but also the opportunity to see them grow so much. My husband, I have to shout him out (love you baby!), as he handled the initial business setup, steps in where needed to keep the boat running smoothly and ensures that our ideas and ultimate creations are fully thought out and done to the best of our ability. My family, especially my Mom, has also been amazing! They always buy, share, post and do everything to ensure that “Xi&Liev Creations” continues to be successful. Without the support from friends and family pitching in to support and share, “Xi&Liev Creations” wouldn’t be what it is today – thank you so much! To our current and future customers, we are extremely grateful and thank you for giving our small business a try!

Website: https://www.xiandlievcreations.com/

Instagram: @xiandlievcreations

Facebook: https://fb.me/xiandlievcreations