We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Esenam Asembri a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Esenam, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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.

On November 28th, 2023, our world shattered when my husband was found unresponsive. Suddenly, I became the sole parent to our two children, then 11 and 12. While our family rallied around my husband’s care, my father’s health deteriorated quickly and we lost him just three weeks later, on December 18th.

The fresh wave of grief at the height of the holidays felt like being trapped in a snow globe—watching everyone celebrate while I stood frozen in grief. That disconnected feeling became my new normal, persisting long after the holiday decorations came down.

As a single mom, I was forced to navigate a new path using tools from my old life. School activities, parent meetings, work responsibilities, bills, household repairs—the list never ended, and I was angry. My children were traumatized, and so was I. The grieving were comforting the grieving. That’s how we survived.

I held my emotions together for my children, my mom and my siblings. However, a month after my father’s funeral, depression enveloped me. I needed intensive therapy to recover. By July, with the kids out of school, my new life had begun—and it was incredibly empty. Joy simply vanished from our home. No laughter, not even the background comfort of the sound of the TV. Just deafening silence that I couldn’t shake. The loneliness was unbearable.

I realized I had joined a community I knew nothing about, despite having many friends who were single mothers. It’s like being asked to run the same race with one leg instead of two, with no adjustments to accommodate your “disability”. Functioning requires incredible resilience, regardless of income level. A single mother’s world is shattered, whether through death or divorce. She grieves while needing to show up with extraordinary fortitude to tackle each day’s challenges alone. Disappointment becomes familiar territory. She must find solace within, knowing no one else can fully comprehend her pain.

Then one August morning, while tackling dishes piled in the sink, my eyes fell upon an empty vase that had sat on the kitchen counter since April. It once held flowers sent by a dear friend when my father died. I deeply appreciated that gesture—the unexpected warmth, care, and generosity that lingered long after the tragedy. That small gesture of kindness became the lifeline when I was struggling. I thought about refilling it weekly with affordable grocery store flowers but couldn’t shake the guilt of seeking my own happiness while stretching the same paycheck in multiple directions. The guilt ran deep.

I found myself wishing flowers would suddenly appear at my door—a surprise from someone who was thinking of me. That’s when I realized how much I missed being remembered and thought of regularly. How much I would love receiving a surprise of my favorite things—something just for me that I wouldn’t have to ration or feel guilty enjoying.

Suddenly an idea came to mind. I desperately wanted to serve this community and as an MBA graduate and Senior Marketing Manager, I drew on my professional experience to explore my idea. I spoke to the growing community of single mothers in my circle to understand their feelings. I reached out to friends with a business acumen to help bring the idea to life. The concept practically sold itself. Though targeting single mothers, I was pleasantly surprised by how many men and allies eagerly supported the initiative—through marketing expertise, investor relations, or being among the first to purchase gifts for mothers they knew. This restored my hope that love and care can come from anywhere.

With the support of a community of mothers and friends, on November 22,2024, The Velvet Embrace was born and just in time for the upcoming holidays.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

The Velvet Embrace is a subscription gift service that provides personalized care packages specifically designed for single mothers; a gift they don’t have to share or feel guilty about enjoying. Her journey to sign up with The Velvet Embrace is effortless…

1. She completes a 10-minute survey that identifies each mother’s preference
2. We select products from different categories tailored to the individual
3. Delivers these packages as surprises to single mothers regularly ( monthly, bi-monthly etc.)

Our personalized care packages start at just $50 a month, less than the cost of small everyday indulgences—a month of coffee shop visits, therapy session co-pay, weekly takeout lunch at work, non-essential Amazon purchases, a pedicure, or comfort snacks—The Velvet Embrace provides single moms with a $50 monthly reminder that someone is thinking of them especially when it matters. Each Velvet Box is an investment in her heart, not just another purchase.

As a community for single moms by single moms we embody that rare understanding of what’s truly missing for single mothers – not just practical help (though that matters), but the feeling of being seen, remembered, and valued as an individual, not just as a caretaker. Our care packs acknowledge that each woman’s journey is unique and we want her to feel remembered every month for WHO she is and not solely what she does.

Spreading Love
What excites me most about The Velvet Embrace is the opportunity to bring joy, comfort, and recognition to single moms—women who are so often the backbone of their families but rarely take the time to celebrate themselves. We pay extra special attention to moments where she might feel left out, like Valentine’s Day, Christmas or sometimes Mother’s Day. What makes our business unique is that we are our customers. We have the same heartache as her. So we can preempt them before they happen. Fostering the mental wellness she needs for herself, her children and potential new family.

What’s also exciting is the human decency the venture revealed. We all either know a single mom, were raised by a single mom, or are a single mom. Therefore, Ideas and requests poured in to purchase boxes for sisters, other single moms, friends and girlfriends. So our business immediately expanded to include one-time gifts with various packages for these allies. Surprisingly, our Velvet Lux ( highest priced box) became the most popular item and our customers have honored us with perfect 5-star ratings across Google reviews

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Experience. After several failed attempts at starting a business, I learned just as much about what not to do as what to do. Each setback shaped my approach. Over time, work experience filled in my knowledge gaps, allowing me to take on more responsibilities myself and cut the costs of outsourcing. By handling things on my own, I kept expenses low while maintaining full control over my brand vision.

People. I was amazed by the number of people—both men and women—who were willing to help me bring my idea to life. People with prior business experience were especially instrumental. The key lesson? Be bold about sharing what you’re working on. You never know who in your circle might have the knowledge or connections you need. A friend of mine introduced me to someone who owned The Kindness Concierge, and their insights were a game-changer for my business. The right advice at the right time can make all the difference.

Customer Advocacy. This became the driving force behind my business. Many entrepreneurs start because they once faced the very problem they’re trying to solve. I can’t stress enough how crucial it is to understand your customer’s pain points, the bottlenecks they encounter, and the specific opportunities for growth. This knowledge shaped my brand vision. I started with market research, tapping into my existing network. I asked questions, listened, and used that insight to build something people truly wanted.

Purpose. My primary love language is giving gifts, and that deep-seated desire fueled my business. When your work is tied to a calling and a purpose, it gives you the resilience to keep going—even when the results aren’t immediately visible. That passion is what sustains you through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients for me began with deep market research. Before launching, I invited single moms into conversations — not as potential customers, but as collaborators. I listened to their stories, their needs, and their unspoken hopes. Many of those women who participated in the research became my very first subscribers because they felt seen, heard, and represented in what we were building together.

Since then, word-of-mouth has been a powerful driver. When someone receives a Velvet Embrace box, it often sparks conversations — whether through social media, texts between friends, or the moment someone sees a beautiful gift sitting on her doorstep. Our growth is rooted in community, storytelling, and the simple power of one mom saying to another: “You need this too.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thevelvetembrace.myshopify.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevelvetembrace/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568423938541

Image Credits

Katie Casey Photography