We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kalaani Reynolds Shuvona T. Rembert-Spann a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kalaani Reynolds, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Kalaani: Melanated Money Mondays actually started out as a social media platform on Facebook May 29, 2020 at the height of the pandemic and also social unrest in the country and around the world. I was asked a simple question after making a post on my personal page, “what would you do or would have done?” I didn’t take that comment as a challenge towards me, however, I felt helpless. I didn’t know ‘what’ I could do to help, so I did what I saw my parents do. Created a space where we could eat. My parents instilled the ‘hustle’ mentality in me at a very young age from rent parties, to fish fries, and trunk pop-ups. They saw their community was in need, and instead of saying ‘someone should do something’ they actually DID.

Shuvona:
I have had the privilege of working with Kalaani on past projects and so I knew her in that spectrum. I knew she was someone who supported those in need and those in her community, as well as the projects that I have been a part of. So when she created the group and invited me, I was a little apprehensive, simply because we have all seen how when tragedy hits, everyone starts the same trend of going to social media. I am a supporter of progression and purpose. It only took me a few days and I joined the Melanated Money Mondays group. As I was watching the posts and also engaging with members, I got a full vision of where I saw the group could expand on and off-line.
I reached out to Kalaani with this revelation and her words were “Sis, we need to talk” and the rest as they say, was history.

Kalaani:
We understood that we were not the only social media group to promote Black-Owned businesses, however, when I created it, it was the right time. I didn’t wait. I didn’t give into self to doubt of what my heart was telling me to do. After partnering with Shuvona, we established a solid foundation in how we would operate the group and also the business. Anyone is welcomed to join the Melanated Money Mondays group, as it is a public group. We have all ethnicities, backgrounds, religious beliefs, political beliefs, lifestyle preferences, etc. represented in the Family group. Our Family is comprised of black-owned businesses and consumers looking to support them.

Our motto: “By Us. For All.”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Kalaani: I am a small business owner of a natural hair care beauty salon, N’Ndigo Soul. We provide natural hair solutions for our melanated family locally and nationally. Having parents that have always demonstrated entrepreneurship, it was very natural for me to open my own establishment, not just for myself, but those desiring to learn the trade of natural hair care. We have trainings and I teach classes on best practices for lasting effects with natural hair. I wanted a space to educate other hair artists to learn and eventually branch out on their own to recreate what they’ve learned in their business. So when I started the family group, Melanated Money Mondays, it was still the same principles for me. I wanted to help. I knew if I built it, they would come and we all could eat.
I am a mother of a successful son and daughter-in-love and mother to an adult disabled daughter with autism. To see my children thrive off of what was instilled in me, encourages me everyday that my passion is purposeful.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

Kalaani: I met Shuvona through mutual acquaintances. She was a director for a few their projects and I would see her maneuver about these events with such ease and precision and was truly impressed. She ‘took care’ of those she was representing with class and integrity. So when she reached out to me about the vision she saw for the group, I knew we needed to talk. I just wanted a safe space for black-owned businesses to thrive, but she saw so much more. Initially, she only wanted to give me this insight. She wasn’t seeking partnership or monetary gain, truly just wanted me to succeed. Truthfully, we are total opposites, so I know this partnership was ordained. I often joke and say that she is the calm to chaos. I have so many ideas, and she actually sees me. She doesn’t try to change me, she navigates with me.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Shuvona: Truthfully, we didn’t. We used our own funds to host our first event “Labor Day of Love”, back in September 2020. We paid out of our own pockets for everything and our found even reimbursed one of our vendors because as she was traveling to the event, her equipment fell off of her truck. It truly was a “Labor of Love” event. However, I knew we needed to be strategic in how we promoted the now brand, Melanated Money Mondays™, LLC. In 2022 we were recognized as a Facebook Community Accelerator by Meta, and received a grant for our impact in community efforts. This was huge for us and since, has allowed us to contract exceptional team members to help us perfect and expand the M3 brand more effectively.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.melanatedmoneymondays.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melanatedmoneymondaysllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/melanatedmoneymondays. https://www.facebook.com/melanatedmoneymondaysllc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/melanated-money-mondays/
• Youtube: UCT4z02Gjn9NdibKXSyJxKqQ

Image Credits
Javet Blunt Photograph Katrina S. Crawford Photography Jeffrey Bowens Photography