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

Hi Laurie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
For us, it was a deep, unwavering desire to connect with Black entrepreneurs, to connect them with a community that champions us and is rooting for us. We wanted to help support our community by providing a simpler solution to buying Black. When we decided to support Black-owned businesses and switch our products to natural alternatives we had to do a lot of research to find the best companies to replace our everyday products with. Shopping on many websites and paying a ton in shipping costs. We wanted to make it convenient for everyone to be able to switch their everyday products to natural ones and make it easier to support Black-owned businesses. Knowing that people are busy and lack the time to research, buy and try different products, we decided to do the work for them. We packaged the products into one luxury box, and that is how The Blk Lifestyle was created.

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’m a queen Jackie of all trades! I’ve always loved taking on new projects and seeing them through to completion. I’ve held so many positions over the course of my career. I got my first job when I was 14 but even though I worked for a company I knew that I always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Starting many small businesses along the way, I also worked for many different fortune 500 and nonprofit organizations in different capacities. The most interesting one was working in the Special Investigations Department at Start Farm Insurance (head office).

What I learned, was that no matter where I found myself, I always loved to learn and struggled with the fact that I never had one clear path that I wanted to focus on because of it. I finally became comfortable in being a Jackie of all trades when I found a career in event production. I was finally able to use all of my skills together! My love for taking on new exciting projects and being creative was perfectly rolled into one. I’ve been producing events in LA for about 7 years now. I’ve created consumer experiences (events) for top brands like Google Music, Samsung, Amazon, adidas etc. Producing everything from small social gatherings, listening parties, product releases to brand activations at the Special Olympics, and concerts. I’ve also been investing in real estate since the age of 21 and I truly believe in the power of building generational wealth through real estate.

The Blk Lifestyle (TBL) is a new business venture that my sister and I created to help elevate Black-owned businesses and help champion self-care. We both believe in the importance of giving back to our community, which is why we have worked closely with the non-profit BFCN.ca and many others for more than 11 years. Sharing resources and mobilizing communities is an essential way for a community to thrive. TBL is an extension of the work that we already heavily do; advocating for equality within the Black community and pairing that with artistic creation. Creating The Blk Lifestyle has afforded us the opportunity to be creative with the boxes that we curate for our customers.

Our mantra is to Live Black, Buy Black, and Build Black. We did not want to create a subscription box that would just sit in a customer’s closet. Consumers already spend a lot on non-essential items that often don’t get used. We wanted to enter an industry and create a box that would be used while upholding our belief that one should spend our money wisely. Personal care is important, and what we put on our skin every day is even more important. The products we carry are natural and organic. We want to encourage our customers to be cautious of the toxins in our regular everyday products.

Lastly, we wanted to promote businesses that aren’t always highlighted. Personal Care and Hygiene isn’t always sexy. We often see fashion lines and makeup businesses highlighted but deodorants and toothpastes not so much. These items need even more attention than traditional beauty products because they are the ones we are using multiple times a day.

Thinking long term, we hope that The Blk Lifestyle grows to be the number one destination that consumers come to experience Black lifestyle brands. Our goal is to elevate natural Black-owned products and Black luxury in the US and Canada and eventually around the world.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We eating Black-owned everything, hitting up; Simply Wholesome, Grilled Fraiche, Stuff I Eat, Poppy + Rose, and Sweet Chicks to start. We’d drive along the coast and head to Malibu spending time watching the waves at Point Dume and maybe drive as far north as Big Sur. We’d visit the museums like the African American Museum and the Broad. Walk the Arts district downtown to see if there are any pop-up art exhibits. Go hiking at Runyon Canyon and Griffth Park. And of course, listen to live music at 77, Federal, or Dirty Laundry.  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 couldn’t be where I am today without my parents and ancestors before them who taught me the foundation of taking risks, believing in yourself, and giving back. I also defiantly couldn’t juggle everything that I do (parenting, real estate investing, producing, and running a business) without the love and support from my super talented husband and partner-in-crime, Nathaniel W. James.

Website: TheBlkLifestyle.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theblklifestyle/ OR www.instagram.com/mslauriefiona/

Twitter: twitter.com/theblklifestyle

Facebook: Facebook.com/theblklifestyle

Image Credits
Nathaniel W James

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.