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

Alright, Lasandra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

Reflecting on my childhood, I have always wanted to start my own business and write a book. I knew I didn’t want to work for someone the rest of my life. My dreams are now my reality. There have been many obstacles along the way, which influenced and motivated me to do better. There were so many things to do and be done but the question posed was where do I start? Planning was very difficult because I wasn’t sure where to start. I knew I had a story and wanted to share it with the world, I knew I wanted to write a book, and do something with make-up while helping others care for their natural hair. I know this sound like a lot, but I did it. I started making lip gloss from scratch out my bedroom. Next, I wrote and published my first book “Little Orion and his Granny”. I am now working on Dope and Bossy Natural Hair Products which will be launched this year. As an entrepreneur, I am always searching for different revenues to make an income. As I mentioned, I recently wrote a children’s book. My inspiration came from my mother and son “Orion”. My mother is hearing impaired, and my son has partial hearing loss with that being said I wanted to bring more awareness to children and adults about the different challenges that occur inside schools. Being that my mother is older her challenges were a little more difficult and different.

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?

Hello, my name is Lasandra Powell, and I am from Riviera Beach, Florida. I attended Roosevelt Middle School and graduated from Palm Beach Gardens High School. I’m a mother of four handsome young boys. I’m 31 years of age. Recently, I became the author of “Little Orion and his Granny”. I am also the CEO of Dope & Bossy and as of April 2022, I also started a YouTube Channel called Boy Mom x4. My boys are my world and I enjoy being their mom. I started making products once I realize the different ingredients in other products that I was putting into my hair and on my lips wasn’t as healthy and natural as it should have been. Which caused different side effects. Either it was drying my hair out or causing my hair to shed more and my lips wouldn’t stay as moisturize as I’d like. So, making products was a passion for myself and I wanted to help others as well with a more vegan, organic cruelty free products. As far as my book “Little Orion and his Granny” I’ve always wanted to write a book as a child and being able to share light on the hearing-impaired community came very personal for myself having a mom completely deaf and a son that has some hearing loss. Their different challenges that they and the hearing-impaired community deal with and a story needed to be told. Starting my YouTube channel was something I’ve wanted to start for a very long time. I vlog and do videos with my children all the time so I wanted to show my overall lifestyle with the world. The type of products I provide are natural lip and hair care. Mostly made from natural ingredients for women, men and children. Honestly, I have great hair, long, thick beautiful hair. I am always getting asked what I use or put on my hair. I think being an example and showing how much my product works helps promote the business. I am most proud of situations I’ve overcame and my growth, for example being a single mother of four, and still trying to be positive role model for them, myself, family and peers. Looking at everything I’ve overcame and still going I can honestly say I’m proud to be an author, business owner and YouTuber.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

For most of my life, I have been mentally and physically fighting. Fighting to be a better mother, struggling with school, and battling depression and anxiety while being a single mother of four. There is nothing more powerful than a changed mind! Realizing I had to become self-disciplined and inspired. I can relate to being homeless, worried about how we were going to make it, physical and mentally abused but given an opportunity to make a difference. I choose peace, love, joy and happiness for my children and myself. Turning my pain into a purpose. I am now eager to become successful and leave a legacy for my children.

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

I had to unlearn taking everything personal and procrastinating. I have had to learn not to share everything with everyone. People portray to be happy but low key be jealous and envious. I can remember sharing my ideas and my friends telling me “Someone is already doing that”, so I shouldn’t. To later find out they were that someone. Have you ever had your ideas stolen from you? It’s heartbreaking and devastating. Trusting someone nowadays is not as easy as it may seem once you’ve been betrayed. Taking a step back and evaluating my life and my circle of family and friends I’ve been able to set a side my personal feelings and deal with them with a long-handed spoon. These past months has truly been an eye opener and a networking experience. I am proud to say I am a woman of color with multiple entrepreneur encounters. I am the owner of Dope and Bossy and book Author of “Little Orion and his Granny”. Dope & Bossy is a beauty brand that specializes in handmade lip glosses and hair care products. All handmade products are vegan, organic, and cruelty-free.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/dopeandbossyllc2020?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087738878407&mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@boymomx413

Image Credits
Sniper Vision