Necole Kane

Necole Kane, a fitness guru, women’s empowerment influencer, once known for her gossip site, Necole Bitchie, has transformed her life and proved that taking care of yourself first can be rewarding in the end.

After realizing her celebrity gossip blog was not fulfilling her greater purpose, she launched a women’s lifestyle platform that created a safe space for young women of color and kept them motivated to become their best selves. The journey was not an easy one, as she explains on her website that she had to figure out what made her truly happy. She went through several lifestyle changes including meal prepping and working out. She also picked up new hobbies like training and competing in fitness competitions. Overall, she created a balance between what she was passionate about and her lifestyle, inspiring thousands of women around the world to do the same.

The Prevailing Woman magazine Founding Editor-In-Chief, Sabrina Seymore, had a chance to chat with the CEO of xoNecole. com for a more personal look at her story and what’s to come for the future.

Sabrina: You reinvented your career from a gossip blogger to a women’s empowerment brand. Tell me how that transition has been.

Necole: July will be 5 years since I left my old brand. There was a point where everything was a blur, for about 7 years. Any transition is difficult because you have to go out of your comfort zone to get there. I realized that I was bigger than my gossip blog. I’ve toured with Rihanna, had name drops in rap songs and over 20 million page views a month. I couldn’t go anywhere without someone knowing who I was. So it only made sense to use my platform for something BIGGER.

Sabrina: Many women are struggling to find their purpose in life. Other women who I’ve spoken to who feel like they are walking in their purpose say that they found their purpose in serving others. How did you get clarity in identifying it?

Necole:I found clarity by realizing what kept me up at night. Before I transitioned to XO Necole, I constantly thought about my future and rebranding my company. I knew then that was my purpose. It was the one thing that I was born with and can naturally accomplish – connecting and empowering women.

Sabrina: Who inspires you?

Necole:Oprah is definitely an inspiration. She has a gift of storytelling and is very whitty. That woman can sell out shows to all types of women. She is very confident and comfortable with her moves. Also, Ava DuVernay. She knows how to move the room.

Sabrina: How do you balance taking care of yourself along with a flourishing career?

Necole: I give myself the day first before I give it away. We all owe ourselves that I keep my phone on Do Not Disturb when I first wake up or when I’m on a conference call, meeting or anything work related. It allows me to be present because I am easily distracted by my phone. Sabrina: How do you balance taking care of yourself along with a flourishing career?

Necole: I give myself the day first before I give it away. We all owe ourselves that I keep my phone on Do Not Disturb when I first wake up or when I’m on a conference call, meeting or anything work related. It allows me to be present because I am easily distracted by my phone.

Sabrina: What is the most challenging part to train for a competition?

Necole: I’d say the social aspect of it. Not being able to hang with the girls for brunch or dinner dates due to strict diets (no alcohol and meal plans). The thing is with training, you have to stay in the gym, which is easy but can be stifling socially.

Another challenging part is how my body changes. When I’m preparing for a competition I typically wear baggy clothing because I do not want my muscles to appear. To me body positivity is only for plus size women. Women with very defined muscles can be looked at negatively or be compared to men. That is also something we face when training to compete.

Sabrina: What inspired you to go into the media and entertainment industry?

Necole: I attended Morgan State and Towson universities and majored in Television & Film. Shortly after my father passed away, and two years later my mother followed, I felt lost, uninspired and came down with a terrible case of writer’s block. Looking for a fresh start I moved to Detroit and began an internship with a radio station as a producer; my first taste of working in entertainment. Six months later I was hired as the Assistant Marketing Director/Promotions Coordinator where I was introduced to marketing and brand strategizing and the importance of building a branding platform.

After ending my gossip site, I wanted to change. I sold everything I owned and moved to Arizona in effort to clear my head and start a new life. I wanted to give women permission to evolve. This industry offered expansion with content and events. I was so terrified to rebrand my blog, but I knew I made the best decision. Site traffic began doubling and I realized I was becoming a face of inspiration for the younger generation.

Sabrina: Tell us about a time you experienced a controversial celebrity.

Necole: I’ve had celebrities come at me in the past. Mario, Nelly and Nicki Minaj. It comes with the job. I’ll never forget the moment I met Gabrielle Union. She said “wow you’re pretty and wanted to know why I was a gossip blogger.

Sabrina: Speaking of controversy, there has been a lot of dialogue centered around women’s rights and politics. I would like to ask you a few questions, to gain your professional insight on these issues. Statistics also reveal that African American women and Latinas earn 64 and 56 cents for every dollar earned by a white male. How do we address the wage gap for female minorities and mothers?

Necole:You have to have white boy confidence. <insert laughter> They have the audacity to ask for what they’re worth at any means necessary. Where we as black women tend to settle. I’m inspired by stories like Octavia Spencer. She’s been in the game for some time and she had to fight for equal pay at one point in her career and ended up receiving 5x her pay. Black women need to be more transparent about what we make, benefits and not keep it so close to our hearts. We can help each other and stand together.

Sabrina: Your company was recently acquired by Will Packer Media. What has it been like having the support of someone as influential as Will Packer?

Necole: Will Packer is someone I’ve always admired and respected. I almost called off the opportunity due to fear and reading up on past acquisitions. We spent 4 months negotiating and in that time I had to learn how to separate business from personal. I had extreme anxiety the first two years of losing my parents and I didn’t have much family around. He’s allowed me to remain as the CEO, control content, hiring, and dayto-operations. I was able to bring employees that have been working with me for years

and they can still work with me and Will Packer and that’s an amazing feeling.

Sabrina: Many look up to you as a mogul in the beauty, fitness, and media industry. What’s your advice for women who are trying to enter the space or make their brand bigger?

Necole: I would say, stay abreast to all news outlets, it’s important when you’re knee deep in the business. I am subscribed to all media outlets and read their emails and blogs daily. Also, diversify your business. I created a social presence first and eventually expanded to podcasts and events. You want to connect with your audience so that you know how to reach them.

Sabrina: Also, Can you tell me how you were able to get big brands to notice you?

Necole: Outreach. This was the only way. Originally I was waiting on brands to contact me, but I took action. I began sending out media decks and updating my LinkedIn. I invested in my brand by paying for Sales Navigator and Docsend – highly recommend. The six figure deals typically came through agencies, not the brand so I suggest you reach out to companies that manage their sponsorships. You can also search what events the brand you’re interested in sponsors and last but not least, do not get discouraged by rejection or no responses.

Sabrina: I’m sure that a lot of your success has been the result of hard work and just refining your skillset. It seems that the relationships you’re building with people and brands play a big part in that as well. Can you talk about the importance of relationship building within a career and give a few tips on how to build professional, organic relationships that last?

Necole: Your network is your net worth. Networking on social media correctly is so impactful. I love Twitter personally, but social media is the easiest way to network in these times. Also, attending events can create relationships. I was not the best at building relationships, but I learned that it’s important to go to events with people and brands you're interested in.

Sabrina: Where do you see Necole Kane in the next 5-10 years?

Necole: I see myself writing a book and becoming a world renowned speaker that inspires women all over. I’ll be a mother, wife and have a family. I’ve gained a lot of money and lost a lot of money over the years. I’ve stripped myself down and sold everything before and will do it again if it’s necessary to move forward in my career. This time I’ll be rebuilt and deeply invested into my business.

Sabrina: I saw a post on twitter that you are taking the Pajama and Lipstick on tour. Without spilling all of the details, what information can you share about the event?

Necole:Pajamas and Lipstick is a night of magic. Women surrounded by other likeminded women, sharing desserts and signature cocktails under tee-pees. We form a bond and share stories about life and finding our self-worth. It’s destined to empower women and we fix each other’s crown along the way. You can learn more by following @ PajamasAndLipstick

Sabrina: What is your definition of a Prevailing Woman?

Necole:To be victorious and still winning no matter what obstacles are thrown her way. I think of the black woman, period. We have a lot working against us and we are some of the strongest people in the world.