Topicals' CEO wisdom, a kickstart to starting your own newsletter, and the tasty recipe I made last night

All my latest favorite things | May 2024 Edition

When I left Instagram a year and a half ago, I left not only 50k “followers” (that word truly gives me the ick, as the kids say) but I left behind some things that I actually loved to do including regularly sharing the following:

• my favorite beauty and skincare routines and products

• my travels and what I’d see, eat, and do when stamping my passport

• the daily self-care rituals that filled me up

• music, art, and other forms of creativity that inspire me

• spiritual wisdom and insights

• tips and lessons learned as an entrepreneur and small business owner

Taking a hiatus has restored me in ways that I can’t express. And while I don’t miss the dark side of what Instagram has unfortunately grown into and the impact that it had on my identity and mental health, I do miss sharing my favorite things with my community. And I’m back to doing just that in a way that feels healthier, simple, and fun for me.

So, each month, within A New Thing, I’ll be sharing a list of the things that are making me smile, filling me up, and supporting me in my journey. So, let’s get into our first edition.

1. This amazing conversation between Olamide Olowe, CEO of Topicals, and Buku, Host and Founder of God is My Creative Director. I can’t express how expansive and affirming it is to connect with and discover other faith-based entrepreneurs! This conversation sheds light on patience as a heart posture, the proper role of money, and trusting God during the delay. I hope that it inspires you, regardless of whether or not you are an entrepreneur, or a Christian.

2. Granola Butter by Oat Haus. I’ve only tried the original and I eat this with bananas, apple, and toast. I think I’m addicted. It’s such a tasty blend of surprising ingredients including gluten-free oats, maple syrup, cinnamon, rosemary, cardamom and ginger. Get 10% off of your first purchase with my affiliate link.

3. Flodesk. I’ll never forget when I transitioned from Mailchimp to Flodesk. I had been using Mailchimp to send newsletters to thousands of people every month as I was growing my community and brand Black Girl in Om. It was fine. One of my team members suggested that we switch to Flodesk for its more aesthetically pleasing design options. Once we made the switch, not only was it more ~*aesthetic*~, but it was also immediately way more intuitive and easy. If you’re a digital content creator, influencer, creative, and/or small business owner and you don’t have an e-mail list you’re missing out. Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk using my affiliate link.