New Year, Same Mission

If you're reading this, we are so happy you made it into 2021 and that you're still rocking with us!

To say the least, 2020 was a year for the books, in so many ways. Personally, it was a very humbling, eye-opening, emotional, and spontaneous year in which I learned a lot about myself and how to navigate this world. For Pop of Culture, it was a relatively QUIET and tremendously uncertain year, and at some point I felt stuck and defeated. But then I remembered that nothing is permanent in this world and found ways to keep moving, growing, and learning for the betterment of the brand.

Now, it is 2021, and although things are not perfect, they are looking better and I am remaining optimistic! I want to let you all know that yes, it is a new year, but our mission remains the same -- to create an ecosystem, for Black entrepreneurs and creatives, centered around business and entertainment that provides superior value and opportunities.

You're probably thinking, what is Pop of Culture up to this year? Even if you're not thinking that, I am going to tell you! But first, let me tell you what we have been up to. Ready?

1. About 8 months ago, we launched the Pop of Culture Marketplace. The marketplace is an online destination where shoppers in U.S. and Canada can shop high quality Black-owned brands from around the world. Right now, we only have items for women, but menswear is coming soon! Be sure to check it out and shop!

2. We pulled off our first INTERNATIONAL popup shop in Lagos, Nigeria! Being Nigerian, it is very important for me to find a way to bring the POC brand to the African continent, starting with the place I know best. This was the first step and there is more to come. Watch this space.

3. Pop of Culture was a recipient of the Facebook Small Business Grant for Black-owned businesses! We won $2500 and $1500 worth of ad credits for Instagram and Facebook. The money was SO needed to handle some overdue financial obligations and the ad credits are a life saver!

4. Last, but certainly not least, I hired TWO wonderful interns. Check out their pictures on our About Us page. For the longest time, I kept thinking about how to grow the team with very limited financial resources and without being in the states. Thanks to a Twitter post and a job posting on Handshake (HIGHLY recommend this platform for finding college interns), I landed some great interns who love the brand and are excited about all we have planned. This is the beginning of great things because now I can implement some of the ideas I have that will scale the brand.

Now that I've shared what we've been up to, time to talk about what is in store. Our 2021 popup shop season kicks off NEXT MONTH, and we are so excited to start. This year, we are popping up in NYC, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The last 3 cities mentioned are new cities for us, but we hope they'll become staple cities in 2022 and beyond. Our popups will be done on a smaller scale, with more focus on creating a community and collaborating with other lifestyle brands.

If you're interested in participating in our popups, click here to apply. If you're interested in sponsoring or collaborating, shoot us an email.

We are constantly receiving feedback and just know that we are working to make the brand as valuable as possible to Black entrepreneurs and creatives, not just in America, but around the world. It's all about taking baby steps until we get there. Thank you for your continued support and we hope to see you at our popups!

Until next time,

Nyema

xoxo