Little Black Dresses have represented the marriage of fashion & celebration for over 90 years. As we travel & dine & sip on some wine (see what we did there) , we'll be sure to make it fashionable. Don't worry...we'll throw in some color and prints as well.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
tope akinmade mudabai
WIFE/MOTHER/ENTREPRENEUR
Self-Aware. Generous. Loyal.
Tope's smile makes ME smile. All of her sisters, mom & dad (The Chief...Yes, a real one) have smiles that make you feel all mushy, gushy inside. Tope has trusted me with her tresses and lovely face as a MUA & stylist on many occasions. Today is her birthday and I pray that it is the best one, yet!!! Keep smiling and shining! The world is watching!
Tope is celebrating life and love with her hubby & little one and LBDSAW is here for it ALL! We asked her our Signature Spotlight questions and here is what she had to say.
LBDSAW: Choose 3 words to describe yourself.
TOPE: Self-aware. Generous. Loyal.
LBDSAW: How would you describe your personal style?
TOPE: Timeless and Comfortable. You won’t catch me in anything super tight and
I don’t do trends.
LBDSAW: If you are a salad lover, tell me what you'd have in your Signature Salad.
TOPE: I always like a hint of sweetness in my salads. So dried mangos, raisins,
cranberries etc. I also like the complexity of blue cheese.
LBDSAW: If you are a wine lover, do you prefer red or white?
TOPE: Dry white with some ice cubes.
LBDSAW: If you were to create a signature cocktail, what would be in it (with or without alcohol works)?
TOPE: I like anything with a Gin base. Gin and Tonic is my go-to cocktail. If it’s fit
for the Queen, it's fit for me. Sprinkle in some lemon or berries.
LBDSAW: Where is your favorite place to dine?
TOPE: Italy. What’s not to love about fresh pasta and wine 24/7. And I love that
they serve half bottles.
LBDSAW: What travel destination has been your favorite?
TOPE: Italy again. The country just has so many parts to explore.
LBDSAW: Where haven't you been that you'd like to explore?
TOPE: Any of the pacific islands. The flight time just scares me.
LBDSAW: What makes you feel the happiest?
TOPE: At the risk of sounding bougie, LOL…. the honest truth is that fine dining
makes me happy. A well-prepared meal paired with a nice wine and great
customer service can leave me on a high for days.
LBDSAW: What do you enjoy most about being a Wife/Mother/Entrepreneur?
TOPE: Wife: I love having a confidant. Someone who is on your team. I literally take work and other life issues to my husband to help solve. He helps give perspective. You know how we ladies can get. Emotions running high and everything. He breaks things down and helps me SEE. He’s also my number one encourager.
Mother: Gosh. Those warm tight hugs from a little being who is hopelessly in love with you. PRICELESS.
Entrepreneur: I love the problem-solving aspects of it as well as the experiential learning. You sometimes have to teach yourself new skills or learn on the fly. In the country we operate, a lot of the agencies try their
luck with various levies on businesses. You have to be a quick thinker, a good researcher and also have a healthy dose of assertiveness to make your case on whether or not a levy applies to you. LOL
LBDSAW: What advice would you give to someone pursuing their passion & purpose?
TOPE: Explore away. I’m learning everyday that we humans are multidimensional beings (I have the millennials/Gen Z to thank for that). We can have multiple purposes at once or one purpose for a season. The key is to be sensitive to the signs and times of your purpose. Secondly, if its truly your God-given purpose, the resources to execute will come. I’m not saying it would be easy. But once you start to walk toward it and in it, you will notice a trend of overcoming obstacles. When my husband and I look back at our businesses we have a lot of “I can’t believe we did that” or “how the hell did we get through that” moments.
LBDSAW: What's next for you?
TOPE: I’m a new and first-time mum. So right now I always have to remember to pace myself and live more in the moment. The pandemic has also taught many of us that its actually ok to slow down a bit and still be productive. My hope is to continue to strive for balance (family, friends, work, business etc.) and most importantly not feel guilty where I fall short.
LBDSAW: How can folks follow your journey?
TOPE: They can follow IG: @gofitnessng and @akabangalagos
LBDSAW: Thank you so much for being our guest, Tope! We will be following your journey!
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
shenetta malkia
PROPERTY MANAGER/ENTREPRENEUR
Heart. Love. Grace.
I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Shenetta after too long of a time spent not seeing her in person. I mean it's been YEARS, folks! She took time out of her VERY BUSY schedule as an all-around BOSS of a woman to celebrate my Bday and LBDSAW Experience with some very special people.
Shenetta is tireless and shares her story and expertise through her philanthropic efforts and businesses within the Property Management & Real Estate fields. Somehow she finds time to compete in pageants and further share her story to the masses.
It's been a long time since she has modeled one of my MRM original pieces. I think it may be time for us to create some fashion magic together. Ohhhhh, Shennnettaaaa?!? Are you ready to play in fabric?!?!? Hehehe...
We asked Shenetta our Signature Spotlight questions and here is what she had to say!
LBDSAW: Choose 3 words to describe yourself.
SHENETTA: Heart, Love, Grace
LBDSAW: How would you describe your personal style?
SHENETTA: It varies on what I am feeling. I love getting glammed but I love a soft sweat mixed with some slides.
LBDSAW: If you are a salad lover, tell me what you'd have in your Signature Salad.
SHENETTA: Ok, so I do not do salads but I love cucumbers with a French dressing. It’s the classic for me.
LBDSAW: If you are a wine lover, do you prefer red or white?
SHENETTA: White
LBDSAW: If you were to create a signature cocktail, what would be in it (with or without alcohol works)?
It would be called Still Rising. It would have my favorites Crystal Head with a splash of Malibu Rum.
LBDSAW: Where is your favorite place to dine?
SHENETTA: Still exploring. My favorite is Mexican and then Italian.
LBDSAW: What travel destination has been your favorite?
SHENETTA: Belgium.
LBDSAW: Where haven't you been that you'd like to explore?
SHENETTA: I must explore Spain.
LBDSAW: What makes you feel the happiest?
SHENETTA: My peace of mind.
LBDSAW: What do you enjoy most about being a Property Manager/Entrepreneur?
SHENETTA: What I LOVE most about being a Property Manager | Entrepreneur is creating the solutions to some very much difficult situations. Problem solving is the essence of what we do for our client. As an entrepreneur I am always looking for new innovative ways to (solve) some very much real situations in life.
LBDSAW: What advice would you give to someone pursuing their passion & purpose?
SHENETTA: Once you tap into your purpose, stay there! Everything else will follow. We look outside of our purpose at times looking for something that was already coming and destined. Hold On. It’s always purpose over money.
LBDSAW: What's next for you?
SHENETTA: So much is coming! The Book Fearless Women Rock Volume 3, Oct. 2021. The International Ms. Pageant as I move forward for the title of International Ms. USA, Crown Check 1.2.1.2
St Lucia for New Years. This one is for our Queens Still Rising! Bully Free Beautiful Me and a few other things. The most important right now is the coming of my brokerage as I prepare to move from REALTOR to Broker. Stay tuned for The PMS Of The City Realty.
(Follow Shenetta for the most up-to-date Info)
LBDSAW: How can folks follow your journey?
SHENETTA: Follow The PMs Of The City, Empowerment Essence, Shenetta Malkia on IG, FB, Linked In, Twitter. Website www.thepmsofthecity.com , www.empowermentessence.org
LBDSAW: Thank you so much for being our guest, Shenetta! We will be following your journey!
