Authenticity Above All: Creating Sustainable Community with Abena Boamah

In a word, this conversation feels like home. Join Black Girl In Om Founder, Lauren Ash and Art Director, Deun Ivory for this enriching, moving, cackle-filled chat with their very best *clears throat and sings* giiiiiiirlfriend, Abena Boamah. The mastermind founder of Hanahana Beauty [hanahanabeauty.com] has been a truly beautiful reminder for our community to stay smooth and confident since the early days of BGIO. As you listen, you’ll hear moments of remembering, laughter, and genuine love as a reminder of what supportive, enriching, and true community looks like in practice. As is clear from all the ways we’ve recognized Abena over the years and this glowing description, we absolutely adore her here at BGIO. After listening to this conversation on creative entrepreneurship, forging authentic relationships, managing anxiety, and truly living one’s best life, we know you will too.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT ABOUT:

How Abena identifies herself as a person and how she defines the Hanahana Beauty mission
The inspiration behind Hanahana Beauty: where it all started (plus: the beautiful way her family was part of the process)
The integral part community and friendship can play into expansion and growth in both personal and business development
Real, honest, and thoughtful communication and how it can completely change your friendship
Abena’s deep desire to shift the way we see beauty and how she’s making it a reality — this totally ties back to our incredible conversations with beauty bae, Siraad Dirshe
The next step Abena is taking to create truly sustainable processes for Hanahana Beauty and in her personal entrepreneurship journey
Why it’s crucial to be intentional and clear about how you learn and share knowledge
A TED Talk that speaks to Abena’s intentional curation choices and a musical experience that seriously inspired Deun’s subsequent work
Managing (and thriving) with anxiety — shout out to therapy and practices rooted in self-awareness
Processes for setting yourself up for greatness through intuition, intentions, manifestation, and gratitude
An individual and collective manifestation, courtesy of the shea butter queen herself