The Biggest Boss
a living Manifesto of a Black Woman finding favors in odds instead of breaking even
Shapel LaBorde is the Founder and Owner of the brand Blyssom and The Source Experience, its physical wellness spa center component. Intentionally established since 2017, Blyssom has given me a new meaning of the phrase, "from the mud". In the seven long and intentional years since the brand's conception, transformations have brought about intense growth and expansion. I've concluded that I am deliberately going to be all that I choose, desire, and aspire to be. Every vision that sits well within my Spirit of what I find a calling to...I will do.
In the essence of keeping it real, I have a lot of fiery passion coupled with an intense curiosity and an insatiable learning appetite. This is what led me to be here today telling my story in my own way. As a child, this element of my being remains a constant driving force in all that I do with my foundation being extreme faith. I was raised by my great grandma, the original Grandma Babe, and my mother, Ramona before she got too ill. I was born and bred in South Jamaica Queens, NY but I grew up in Atlanta, GA during my intense matriculation at Spelman College. I thrived and took my experiences in the working class hoods of these magical places and used them to propel me deeper into becoming Shapel.
I came back home and chose to put a PhD in Philosophy on hold to be closer to family and also truly live and redefine Shapel. After completing City Year, an AmeriCorps program, I moved to Vietnam because I said I wanted to. Although I've traveled to a lot of places, finding a home and living in Vietnam creates this pride and nostalgia for me because this is where I was actively creating Shapel. By the time I came home, I was filled with so many experiences and new wisdom, that I was able to shift a seemingly difficult period in my life yet again. Thank you, God. I gained several Ancestors the same year I applied to the New York City Teaching Fellows for the 2nd time. Hard times make diamonds. Rejection makes Winners of the Game. I was able to work full-time as an ESL teacher in the South Bronx and then Queens and essentially receive a Master of Arts in English Grammar (TESOL) despite several hiccups and real-life stuff. Fast forward to a tumultuous relationship that will divinely result in one of my greatest blessings, Sage Ali.
Now back to the passion. As a Black queer radical Christian feminist, my purpose spiritually and divinely is aligned and balanced through my relationships. My work is relationship-based. My philosophical perspectives are grounded in relationships. And just basically speaking Libras are really into Aesthetics overall. So I am that healer and Esthetician who tries to cultivate and foster a healthy and authentic relationship. I ended up in the Summer of 2018 at Christine Valmy International School immediately after finishing my Master's and pushed my Ph.D. goals back a little more based on a spiritual reading of doing healing work. Regardless if I wanted to or not because this was equally my calling as is Academia is what Spirit said. But wait I'm pregnant.
Now back to the extreme faith. It is the thing that answers the following questions, How does a pregnant full-time teacher commit to going to work and school seven days a week?... from Long Island to Times Square on the Weekends and Long Island to Queens during the Weekdays. How does one not succumb to post-partum depression with a less-than-optimal experience? How does one move from Long Island back to South Jamaica Queens specifically to the house she was born and raised in to take care of a newborn baby and great-grandmother? Because despite adversities, I truly believe experientially that God does not give you more than you can bear and the Universe is full of abundance if we just shift focus.
Being Shapel is something I am grateful for because despite everything I am truly blessed. 2020 has been a year of increase in favor and I know that I am ready to continue to play my role and exceed my expectations. I planted the seeds in my mind to grow and expand Blyssom years ago and continue to optimize the experience. This year I have taken on much responsibility and officially inherited my family's home. Being blessed full circle with such an honorable sacred space and getting to raise my daughter here, it is my mission to restore my home through my work as an educator and my brand. I have more dreams and goals. I have more lessons to learn than to give. It is a fine balance in all aspects of my life remaining afloat and thriving. I hope you can adopt the mantra that mindset matters. Anything you can think of can materialize. Just align your faith and your actions. I am still doing it. This life is yours now. That's the key to being The Biggest Boss.
Thank you!
