Source: Carlos Stephens / @stillgoingdesigns
Retreats, conferences, seminars, workshops, and lectures that promise to help you take your business, your career, or even your life to the next level are in abundance. But if you’re anything like me, you likely find yourself questioning not only the cost of these events but also the quality of the content that’ll be presented, resulting in you staying home more often than not. This past Saturday, Cantu took those questions out of the equation completely when they partnered with CurlBox to host a free masterclass for women in Atlanta to help them get their minds and their money right.
Source: Carlos Stephens / @stillgoingdesigns
If you know CurlBox, you also know the name Myleik Teele, the woman who created the natural hair subscription box and has built a career helping Black women take care of far more than their hair. Via her podcast and retreats, Myleik regularly drops tips to help Black women feed their souls and their businesses, making her the perfect person to curate a masterclass for Cantu.
Source: Carlos Stephens / @stillgoingdesigns
After brief opening remarks from Myleik and members of the Cantu team, the masterclass kicked off with a Get Your Mind Right Session led by therapist Thea Monyee who set a lofty goal for the day: “I wanted to say that if you do these three things, in 24 hours your life will completely change.” Those three things, Monyee said, are:
- Stay open no matter what.
- Choose Joy.
- Be accountable to the fact that you are a master creator.
Source: Carlos Stephens / @stillgoingdesigns
On the topic of choosing joy, Monyee told attendees, “We don’t always have to choose struggle. We don’t always have to choose pain. There is no scientific metric that has shown that it makes you any better or stronger. It does build character, yes, when you experience it and you allow yourself to move forward. But when you stay stuck in the pain and stuck in the struggle and you start making decisions based on the idea that you don’t deserve joy, you completely dissolve.”
As for the notion of being a master creator, Monyee encouraged women in the audience to let go of the belief that their lives are some sort of accident. “The life you have right now and how you feel about it is a direct result of what you created. There are no neutral thoughts. Everything is either creating or destroying at all times and that can be hard to own.”
Source: Carlos Stephens / @stillgoingdesigns
Going a step further, Monyee reminded guests their very existence is a part of a larger purpose. “Why is it so easy to believe that we are some fluke as opposed to some grand design for your purpose?” she challenged. “The sooner you own that you can create the life that you want because you were born to be a master creator.”
Source: Carlos Stephens / @stillgoingdesigns
Speaking of ownership, in the Get Your Money Right portion of the masterclass, Marsha Barnes of The Finance Bar pushed audience members to own their financial secrets, even asking volunteers to openly share one thing about their finances that they wouldn’t want anyone else to know. Even those who didn’t speak in front of the crowd, were forced to take an honest look at their financial situation using a worksheet Barnes gave everyone to calculate the true cost of their lifestyle. Not long after, she handed out stickers to keep everyone accountable and mindful when it comes to their spending.
Source: Carlos Stephens / @stillgoingdesigns
“If you have a bank account and you’ve never sat with a banker, make time to sit with a banker just to have conversations,” Barnes told the audience after questions arose about investing and saving for retirement. “I promise you it doesn’t matter how much money you’re earning, just start a conversation because the more you talk about things the more comfortable you are with going in there.”
Source: Carlos Stephens / @stillgoingdesigns
The third masterclass was all about teaching women how to Get Your Style Right and improve the way you present yourself to the world. During this portion, Brooklyn-based stylist Tiffani Williams and photographer Mecca Gamble McConnell laid out tips for building your wardrobe and putting your best face forward on the ‘gram to convey the image that will move your personal brand or your business forward.
Source: Carlos Stephens / @stillgoingdesigns
In between workshops, guests were able to network, snap pics, and even get pierced while being treated to a sneak peek of some of Cantu’s upcoming launches (there’s a new line infused with flaxseed oil and another with avocado) and sounds by DJ Gina Tollese. Click through to see how guests spent their day.
Source: Carlos Stephens / @stillgoingdesigns
