How To Build Community To Organically Grow Your Business

Jinnie Lee
May 06, 2022
Isis Asare, founder of Sistah Scifi,

This week on Selfmade Stories — our series with Office Depot OfficeMax where we speak to emerging entrepreneurs about their small business launches — we chat with Isis Asare, founder of Sistah Scifi, which is the first U.S. Black-owned bookstore focused on science fiction and fantasy written for and by Black women. We find why launching Sistah Scifi wasn’t about “following or chasing a market trend” but rather how it grew organically based on the needs of her community.

B + C: If you were at a dinner party describing Sistah Scifi to a guest, what would your elevator pitch be?

Isis Asare: Sistah Scifi is the first Black-owned bookstore focused on science fiction and fantasy in the United States.

B + C: What did you feel was missing from the marketplace that led you to launch Sistah Scifi?

Asare: I wasn't following or chasing a market trend. I was exploring topics and communities I am passionate about.

B + C: How have you approached marketing your brand and raising awareness?

Asare: The most important aspects of marketing Sistah Scifi is authenticity and ensuring our community feels seen and reflected.

B + C: What are some of the ways you maintain your mental health or ways you stay focused while embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?

Asare: I have a great therapist. I purposefully sought out therapy at the start of my entrepreneurial journey to develop the tools to achieve deeper emotional capacity. I think it might actually be working!

B + C: Who or what keeps you inspired?

Asare: The community of Sistah Scifi Siblings is so awesome. They keep me inspired.

B + C: How has your business evolved since you first launched?

Asare: We were born as a book club and then morphed into an online bookstore. That was really exciting for me because I love e-commerce. Currently, we are expanding beyond books with science fiction-related merchandise and have secured wholesale accounts with the Museum of Popular Culture in Seattle and the Oakland Museum of California. We will pursue more wholesale accounts with museums across the country.

B + C: What are some of your major wins or successes that have propelled you forward?

Asare: My favorite Octavia E. Butler quote states, “First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won't. Habit is persistence in practice.” As an entrepreneur, I feel the same way about being sustained by output-driven wins and losses. I focus on habits that build community, communicate my brand authentically, optimize the customer experience, and finally infuse all my actions with love. The last tenet is inspired by bell hooks' All About Love. I know if I — supported by my team — focus on these habits, the universe will take care of the outputs.

B + C: What kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind with Sistah Scifi?

Asare: I am trying to stay grounded in the present. However, Sistah Scifi’s mission is to double the number of Black and Indigenous speculative fiction writers on the New York Times bestseller list in the next decade. In the past fifty years, there have been less than 10.

B + C: What has receiving the scholarship to Selfmade done to help you grow your business?

Asare: It forced me to finalize my pitch deck. I am not actively pursuing equity investment, but having a well-thought-out pitch deck is a major accomplishment for me as an entrepreneur.

B + C: How have Office Depot OfficeMax services/products helped you accomplish more in your business?

Asare: I used the grant to produce signed bookplates for some of our most popular titles. The authors love the additional promotion, and Sistah Scifi Siblings love being able to get autographed books in a COVID-safe manner.


Thanks Isis! Learn more at Sistah Scifi and follow on Instagram.


Isis used Office Depot OfficeMax products to help with community-building efforts and so can you to grow your brand awareness. From creating signs, posters, and banners to get your business noticed to marketing materials to keep your customers informed, Office Depot OfficeMax offers a full suite of business services and solutions to help you bring your business to life.

30 Bougie But Affordable Gifts To Spoil Everyone On Your List

Charles Chocolates
Chocolate Brand

December always has a way of sneaking up on us with a frenzy of cute holiday decorating, festive gatherings, and dreaming up the best gifts for our besties. If this month has you feeling more frazzled than festive, don’t worry—we’ve got you (and them) covered.

Charles Chocolates

Charles Chocolates Winter Fleur de Sel Collection

We partnered with Charles Chocolates, the award-winning artisanal chocolate brand, to create a gift guide filled with unique and just-a-little-bit bougie finds, because everyone deserves to treat themselves once in a while, holiday season or not! From a plushy robe and scented candles to a box of the most creative handmade chocolates, including a chocolate box you can actually eat, these picks are perfect for everyone on your list — and maybe even a little treat for yourself.

Score a FREE Charles Chocolates Bar when you spend $25 or more!

The Coffee Lover

Brit + Co

Charles Chocolates Winter Collection Edible Chocolate Box

These coffee-lover gifts, including a colorful French Press and adorbs mug, are sure to perk up your day — and theirs! Pair your morning cup with a delicious piece of handmade chocolate for the ultimate sensory experience. You can literally eat the box in this Winter Collection from Charles Chocolates filled with Fleur de Sel Caramels, Peanut Butterflies and Milk Chocolate Caramels. SO good!

Featured:

The Cozy Homebody

Brit + Co

Charles Chocolates Holiday Collection

For the pal who loves to stay in and get cozy, here’s a cute kettle for steeping her favorite tea, some cozy wears, and Charles Chocolates Holiday Collection with flavors like Pecan Fleur de Sel Caramel, Cinnamon Spice Truffle, Orange Zest Truffle, and Maple Truffle. Charles Chocolates are all natural so it’s real chocolate vs. a sugary (read: cheap) substitute. The flavors are so unique and fun to taste-test. It’s the perfect gift for when you’re feeling indoorsy!

Featured:

Your Holiday Crush

Brit + Co

Charles Chocolates Peppermint Bark

Sneak a fancy chocolate bar, like Charles Chocolates Peppermint Bark Bar, made with homemade peppermint candy, in your S.O.’s stocking, plus some essentials for the camper, music lover, and beanie wearer!

Featured:

The Sweet Tooth

Brit + Co

Charles Chocolates Bittersweet Chocolate Santa

Sweet tooth be gone with Charles Chocolates Bittersweet Chocolate Santa Clause. This thing is not small, weighing in at 3 lbs. of deliciously rich chocolate. Adults will actually enjoy this vintage-style Santa as much as kids! Pair with a bottle of wine dressed in an adorable bow, a cake stand candle (so cute!), darling dessert plates, and/or a baking lover’s cookbook! Toss some mint chocolate almonds in stockings too!

Featured:

Your Jewish Bestie

Brit + Co

Charles Chocolates Hanukkah Collection Edible Chocolate Box

There’s a lot of talk about Christmas this time of year, but not all of our friends celebrate. And this year, Hanukkah starts on Christmas day so we can celebrate together! Gift your bestie who celebrates the Festival of Lights with this Hanukkah Collection Edible Chocolate Box filled with flavors like Fleur de Sel Caramel, Passion Fruit Heart, Espresso Caramel, and Meyer Lemon Yankee. They might also enjoy a new cookbook celebrating their heritage, cozy slippers, jewelry, and an artful wine decanter for the holidays. Candle-lighting matches are a perfect stocking stuffer or White Elephant gift too!

Featured:

Score a FREE Charles Chocolates Bar when you spend $25 or more!

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10 Ways Your Home Office Design Is Killing Your Productivity

I've been working from home since long before it became the norm. And my "office" has evolved from a spindled-back chair at the kitchen table to an airy home office with a view. Back then, my productivity took a hit without essentials like adequate storage space, comfortable seating, and a bit of privacy. While it has its perks, working from home comes with its fair share of challenges; your home office setup doesn't need to be one of them.

Here are 10 ways to redesign your home office for better productivity!

Caio

1. Bad Lighting

Dim or harsh overhead lighting can strain your eyes and limit your focus. Try to get close to a window for natural light or use daylight bulbs to mimic sunlight to boost your mood, creativity, and focus. Find a desk lamp that works for you too!

Ella Jardim

2. Clutter Everywhere

A cluttered desk equals a cluttered mind, IMO. Reduce the stress that comes with a disorganized and cluttered desk by bringing in shelves and organizers; finding sleek cable-management solutions; and removing any unnecessary items to reduce visual distractions.

Vlada Karpovich

3. Uncomfortable Furniture

If you're sitting most of the day, it's so important to invest in a good desk chair. An unsupportive chair or poorly sized desk can be uncomfortable, making it harder to stay focused for long periods of time. Your back will thank you!

Ketut Subiyanto

4. No Boundaries Between Work and Home

Distractions at home like kids and partners can kill your productivity. Avoid blurring the line between work and home life by designating a private space, separate from high-traffic spaces, for your work hours if you can. Use rugs, curtains, or acoustic panels to reduce noise too.

Mizuno K

5. Lack of Storage

I get it, they're not the best-looking pieces in your home, but without proper filing systems you’ll waste time hunting for important documents or supplies. Invest in modern storage options that look good too from Mustard Made and The Container Store.

Vlada Karpovich

6. Unoptimized Tech Setup

Slow Internet or outdated tech tools can make you feel totally frustrated and can slow down your productivity. Upgrade your Internet to a faster connection, and refresh your tech gadgets and programs to make sure you work more efficiently.

Ivan Samkov

7. Awkward Desk Placement

Placing your desk in a spot with too much noise, traffic, or distractions — like facing a TV — will guarantee to disrupt your concentration. Find a more zen spot where you can focus on the tasks of the day.

Anna Shvets

8. Ignoring Ergonomics

Check your monitor height, keyboard positioning, and add a wrist rest so you don't lead to feeling uncomfortable and fatigued, cutting your workday short.

Mikhail Nilov

9. Lack of Personalization

A sterile, uninspiring office design does your motivation and creativity no favors. Make work feel less like a chore by adding personal touches through artwork, personal photos, candles, some fresh flowers or plants. Greenery can improve air quality and actually reduce work stress. Add a little snack station for quick energy boosts and keep water handy. Also, your Zoom backgrounds should reflect your personality!

Serpstat

10. No Inspiration

No matter what you do — whether it's a creative work or something more analytical — you want to feel inspired. Personalization can help, but dive into vision boards, books, magazines, quotes that inspire your work and help you bring fresh ideas to your workday. Color psychology can help too: blues and greens encourage focus and reduce stress while pops of yellow or orange can spark creativity! Break out the paint if needed!

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Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

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18 Beauty Buys We're Loving This Holiday Season

City Beauty
beauty products

'Tis the season to look your glowiest. We’re diving into our favorite beauty picks for the season to moisturize and refresh. It’s the perfect time to embrace self-care with the impending festive hustle and winter chill. Friday night facials, anyone? From hydrating cleansers to rich body butters and everything in between, here are 18 beauty essentials bringing us a boost of joy this holiday season. They make great BFF gifts and stocking stuffers too!

City Lips Plumping Lip Gloss

This festive Holly-colored lip gloss gives you an instant plumping look while it also moisturizes, and it comes in a slew of gorgeous colors. Plus, the lip gloss keeps plumping over time! City Beauty products are Leaping Bunny-certified (AKA cruelty-free), and made without irritants or harsh chemicals. Win-win.

Steve Madden Goldie Fragrance

Feminine and sweet, this fragrance is a mix of fruit and floral scents like pear, jasmine, gardenia, and sandalwood. It's a lovely reminder of summer mid-winter and perfect way to feel officially dressed up.

Dieux’s Baptism Gel Cleanser

Reset your winter skincare routine with this gentle cleanser that moisturizes, protects, and deep cleans. It has a rich, creamy foam that actually removes makeup and sunscreen so you feel so very refreshed!

Sweet Relief Overnight Barrier Balm

Your bedtime routine just got better with this moisturizing mask and balm. It features nutrient-dense seed butters and antioxidant-rich apricot kernel oil to protect your skin barrier so you wake up all glowy and pretty.

City Lips Night Oil

City Beauty's City Lips Night Oil is another essential for your bedtime routine. You can feel the deep hydration that helps your lips look naturally radiant and it works to add volume while you sleep. Sweet!

LOOPS Clean Slate Detoxifying Mask

Spend your Friday night in with this 10-minute detox mask that feels so refreshing and really soothes your skin. It has a mix of mineral-rich volcanic ash to help remove dirt, while aloe vera and bamboo water add all the vitamins, electrolytes, and nutrients your skin craves. Try it a few times a week for fresh-looking skin!

Glossier You Fragrance Discovery Kit

Traveling for the holidays? Pick up this limited edition travel spray trio of Glossier You (our fave), a creamy, clean scent; Doux, a woody blend; and Rêve, a lush, dreamy fragrance. Bon voyage!

Wild Refillable Deodorant

These planet-friendly refillable deodorants come in fun seasonal cases and scents, like this Fresh Cotton & Sea Salt, inspired by freshly washed linen drying by the seaside. And they actually work!

Davines OI Hair Oil

Before you head out to the holiday party, run this multipurpose hair oil through your 'do. It detangles, reduces frizz, and leaves all hair types so soft and shiny.

City Beauty Lid Lifting Treatment

This lid-lifting cream makes you look awake even when you've been tossing and turning all night. It lifts and firms the appearance of saggy eyelids and feels like an instant lift!

Liquid Panacea Centella & Kombucha Firming Recovery Booster

Skin looking a bit dull and tired, or red and dehydrated? Try this firming serum with anti-inflammatory kombucha. If you suffer from really dry winter skin, THE MOST Hyaluronic Super Nutrient Hydration Serum is your winter superpower with hyaluronic acid, kombucha and organic safflower oil to relieve stressed and dehydrated skin.

Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Balm

Upgrade your mani and give dry, cracked cuticles a little love this season with this lemony butter made with beeswax, shea butter, avocado oil and lemon! You can also use it on feet, elbows or knees.

Rinna Beauty The Perfect Party Eye Kit

Party season has begun so you can go all out on the eyes with this shimmering eye shadow and complementary mascara and lip makeup.

Ogee Complexion Perfecting Tinted Serum

This tinted moisturizer is organic and cruelty-free and glides on smooth. It's the perfect blend of plumping gooseberry fruit, refining daisy flower, and brightening vitamin C Concentrate to give your winter complexion a healthy boost!

OSEA Undaria Algae Body Oil

This seaweed-infused body oil is a staff favorite (I keep it on my desk) because it never feels greasy but instantly makes your skin look soft and nourished. It also smells amazing.

Tarte Shape Tape Concealer

This award-winning concealer is super light and gives you that no-makeup makeup look. It helps soften dark circles and keeps your skin hydrated and glowy. It's also vegan and cruelty free.

Yaman Medi Lift 3D Microfiller Micro-Tip Patches

Need a little skin boost for the holidays? Fit in a micro-beauty-moment with an at-home facial using these beauty patches that hydrate and help firm up skin with collagen.

Mutha Body Butter

This whipped butter made with shea, cocoa, and mango butters smells citrusy and hydrates skin for up to 48 hours. It's great for after the shower and helps improve the look of stretch marks. Indulge and treat yourself!

Subscribe to our newsletter for more beauty inspiration!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

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Spencer Pratt & Heidi Montag Break Down In Tears About “Life Changing” Public Support After $2.5 Million Home Burned Down

The world watched as the devastating L.A. fires swept away home after home last week — including reality TV icons Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt's. To say it was heartbreaking for the L.A. community would be a gross understatement, and these two have been very open about the toll it's taken on their family. In an interview with Good Morning America, the couple opened up to share about their experience — and share the incredible way friends and fans have come together to support them.

Looking for ways to help L.A. after the devastating fires? Here's a very helpful list of resources you can donate to!

Here's how fans are helping Spencer Pratt & Heidi Montag after the L.A. fires

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt joined Good Morning Americaon January 15, 2025 to talk about how the L.A. fires continue to impact them. The couple shared what it was like having to quickly leave their home in a moment's notice. Heidi explained that Spencer told her to grab anything she wanted to keep, so she ended up grabbing her kids' teddy bears because she was so flustered.

When their $2.5 million home actually caught fire, Spencer got choked up talking about watching their kids' rooms burn on their cameras. He said, "Our son’s bed started just burning in the shape of a heart. The fire started in the shape of a heart. I was like, ‘This is like, out of body insane.’"

Outside of that, the couple detailed the loss beyond the material items of it all. Spencer opened up about the memories lost throughout it all, too. He said, “I feel like a ghost. I don’t have a single photo now from before an iPhone existed. I don’t have any of the dumb little things that are on your shelves in your parents’ they’re all gone. Not a single nothing.”

And to Heidi, their home was more than a physical place to live. She shared, “It’s a place that you love that you live, it’s a refuge from the world. And to have that be gone, it’s a really difficult concept to continue to daily deal with."

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

In the midst of the devastation, fans and friends have banded together to support Heidi and Spencer in a really unique way. After Spencer posted on TikTok that people should stream Heidi's 2010 album Superficial, so they can generate revenue to rebuild their lives with, people took that and ran with it. The song eventually hit #1 on iTunes, and Spencer even shared that there's potential for it to hit Billboard's Hot 100 Dance Chart, too.

And it's not just fans blasting this throwback song. Friends and fellow celebrities like Paris Hilton and Flava Flav both posted the song on TikTok. Plus, former The Hills co-stars shared the song as well, including Brody Jenner, Kristin Cavallari, and Audrina Patridge.

Heidi said, “The fan support has been such a light in such a darkness for us. It’s life-changing.”

We're sending love to Heidi and Spencer — and all the families impacted by the terrible L.A. fires this year.

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OMG, Netflix Just Confirmed The ‘You’ Season 5 Release Date (With New Video)

Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) is back for another season of snooping and stalking in New York City, and thanks to the new You season 5 teaser, we know exactly when this new TV show is returning. In addition to showing us characters from the past like Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail), Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti), and Marienne Bellamy (Tati Gabrielle), Joe straight-up says goodbye to the one person who's always been there: you. Yep, Netflix went there.

“Every season they manage to find new space to make it interesting and relevant,” Penn Badgley told Tudum. “And this season, I think somehow coming back to where it started allowed for it to just become grounded in the way that it needs to also have this kind of spectacular finish.”

Here's a breakdown of that brand new You season 5 teaser.

"Hello, you. Do you remember me? Cause I remember you," Joe asks in the You season 5 teaser, over shots of New York City and Mooney's Books. "Here we are together again, back to where it began."

"A lot has happened these many years together," he continues. "Identities, cities, loves, complications." The trailer is a walk down memory lane for viewers and for Joe as he remembers Beck, Love, and Marienne — and locking them up. Plus some fights and escapes he made along the way.

"All that led me here to now, to where I as always meant to be," he says. "And the one constant, the one thing that has always been there for me, is you. You who have been there the whole time and will be there with me to the end. Goodbye, you."

Okay, this is totally giving me Black Mirror, metaverse vibes, especially since Joe's in his creepy underground bunker with all that blue lighting. I have chills down my spine just watching this!

Is season 5 of You coming out?

Yes, You season 5 is dropping on Netflix April 24, 2025.

We've been waiting for new episodes since season 4 premiered in 2023, but the writers and stars have been planning Joe's ending for much longer. "We have some ideas that we've been talking about pretty much from the beginning," Sera Gamble told EW when she was showrunner in 2023. "It's really the debate about what kind of justice would be fair and appropriate for a guy like Joe. And then do we believe that he would get that kind of punishment? My short answer is like, maybe not from the American system. But there might be other ways. So that's the stuff we're talking about."

But whatever these writers and directors have up their sleeves, Penn Badgley promises You season 5 will come to a "perfect" conclusion. “I would love for people to just be like, ‘Wow, it’s over and I feel good and I don’t want to watch it again,'" he told Harper's Bazaarin March of 2023. And honestly, a perfect ending is all TV fans can hope for these days, right?

Who's in the You season 5 cast?

The final season of You stars Penn Badgley, Madeline Brewer, Anna Camp, Charlotte Richie, and Griffin Matthews.

Are you excited for the final season of You? I cannot wait to see the way Penn Badgley and Netflix bring the show to a close. Follow us on Facebook for the latest You season 5 news — and updates on all your favorite TV shows!

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