Meet Shanicia Boswell: Author, Entrepreneur, and Founder of Black Moms Blog

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shanicia Boswell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shanicia, what are you inspired by?
I am inspired by my life around me. I did not just become a mother – I made motherhood my. business. All parts of what I do originates from something I have personally experienced in motherhood or hearing about another mother’s story. I am constantly amazed at how resilient women are. I never want to paint a picture of perfect motherhood. Instead, I like to present what real motherhood looks like.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am most known for creating Black Moms Blog, an online global community where we talk parenting, culture, and lifestyle from a Black mom’s point of view. In just five years, our community has nearly 600,000 community members across all platforms. I created this space within the already marginalized space of parenting to reflect positive Black motherhood. I believe my business is successful for a few important reasons. 1. This space did not exist. It was needed. 2. Starting Black Moms Blog was easy because I love being a mother. What wasn’t easy is the consistency to keep going, especially on days where I felt like I had nothing to give. 3. I have a strong community that supports what I do. Black Moms Blog was the chair I built to pull up to the proverbial table. It has never been my intention to stop there as it pertains to my growth. Through this platform, I have gone on to write for major publications like The New York Times, Washington Post, and have been featured in spaces like Harper’s Bazaar, Yahoo News, PopSugar, and many other notable platforms for being an expert in the field of Black motherhood and self care. I am releasing my third book next month: Oh Sis! You’re Pregnant!: The Ultimate Guide To Black Pregnancy And Motherhood. This is my baby. I am so excited to share the pregnancy journey with Black moms with real topics that relate to us such as Black maternal health, using our voice, breaking generational curses, and so much more. Like most business owners, I had to overcome my insecurity of feeling like an imposter in spaces. Imposter syndrome happens when you feel like you’ve made it in a room where you don’t belong and somehow, everyone will find out you don’t belong there. We all go through it and you only overcome it when you build your own confidence. Once you realize that the reason that you are sitting at the same table with those you admire is because you have earned your way there, you will start to let this guilt go. We have such a strong relationship with insecurity but we can’t grow in that mental space. The biggest lesson I have learned when it comes to being successful is to ask for help, know how to delegate that help, and learn how to accept the help. Someone once told me, “Only. a greedy person runs a business alone”. There is absolutely no way your business will reach its full potential when you are trying to do it all on your own. Release some of the responsibility and hire out, accept the volunteers, and build a team. The one thing I hope to inspire other women to know is that they can do whatever they put their mind to. I am a self taught and self made entrepreneur. I have a lot of faith in myself and my ideas because I know that there is not anything I can’t learn if I put in the work to know it. My brand is authentic and wrapped in my love so it is a real reflection of my heartwork. I never want that message to be lost, no matter how big my businesses grow to be.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We are in the middle of a pandemic so this isn’t the easiest question to answer! But, if my best friend was visiting and she got in on a Friday, the first place I would take her would be to The High Museum for one of their Jazz or Sound Table Friday events. We could listen to good music in a social distanced and fun environment. We may hop over to Apartment 4B for a cocktail and fried mushroom oysters. In the morning, we would wake up and I would take her for a spa day at Iwi Farm Oasis where we would enjoy the sauna, a yoni steam, and a body scrub. We would end our trip with a bike ride through Piedmont Park down towards the Beltline and maybe a beer at Krog Street. I have lived in Midtown for the most part for the last 14 years and I don’t drive! It’s one of the things I love about the city. It’s so easy to get around. I walk for the most part. I live near Whole Foods, Piedmont Park, a Trader Joe’s and Atlantic Station. Walking is exercise for me. I can also hop on the train, bike it, or order a Lyft to move around. When things were open, I could walk up to Crescent for a night out or walk to Woodruff Arts Center to listen to the orchestra play. Atlanta has such a vibrant personality. Out of all the places I visit, this always feels like home.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to all the moms who have believed in me and trusted me to tell their stories. My businesses exist because of them.

Website: www.blackmomsblog.com, www.shaniciaboswell.com

Instagram: @shaniciaboswell @blackmomsblog

Linkedin: @shaniciaboswell

Twitter: @blackmomsblog

Facebook: @shaniciaboswell @blackmomsblog

Youtube: @blackmomsblog

Image Credits:
@lennoxave