#GIRLBOSS SPOTLIGHT: FRANCE NEPTUNE

Written by: Chelsea Satine

Meet France Neptune, she's the founder of Edify Your Sister. A brand geared to helping youth girls and women know their worth and discover their purpose. France is all about building a sustainable sisterhood, one where women can come together and stop tearing each other down and start building each other up. Read all about our #Girlboss of the hour, and how France plans to make sisterhood a thing of the future!

Chelsea Santine:

Are you a one perfume for every event kind of gal or do you choose your scents depending on the event? Where was the first place you wore Tux Cologne?

France Neptune:

I choose my scents based on the events of the day. For a typical workday in the office, I tend to gravitate towards light, airy scents. For an elegant evening on the town, I would choose a more powerful, captivating fragrance. My first time wearing Tux Cologne was to a meeting at work. The cologne provided just enough fragrance to make a statement, without being overwhelming or obnoxious.

CS:

With a thriving business and making an intentional effort to empower women, we are certain that you serve as an inspiration to women around the world.  How do you practice self-care for yourself? What do you do to take care of yourself?

FN:

I make intentional efforts everyday to take time out for myself. At the end of each day, I replay the day, examining the distractions and stressors that I can eliminate or manage more effectively, moving forward.  Afterwards, I meditate. Eliminating my need to be a “people pleaser,” and mastering the art of saying “no” have both played integral roles in my self-care regiment. Now, I make sure that each time I add another duty or responsibility to my plate, I remove another one. As women, we are nurturers by nature, so it’s easy for us to get burned out; however, this is something that we can control! Burnout is detrimental to our physical and mental health. Self-care is not a luxury, but a necessity for our overall well-being.

CS:

As a woman with vision, we imagine that you have tons of ideas often. How did you know that Edify Your Sister was one of ideas you should execute and bring to life? How did you transition from the ‘just a vision’ stage to execution?

FN:

Empowering girls and women is more than just a cliché or catchy phrase for me—it is, indeed, my passion! I began to feel a sense of urgency, pushing me to step out on faith and fulfill this passion. As I began to seek God, He began to reveal the vision of my passion at work.  In addition to my daily conversations with God, I wrote down each of my goals and assigned deadlines. I also conducted extensive research on successful businesses. Edify Your Sister is the end result of this tireless effort.

CS:

Edify Your Sister is a ground-breaking anti-body shaming movement. What is the biggest challenge you face when having conversations around body shaming?  

FN:

Anti-body shaming is a key component of Edify Your Sister’s overall mission. When conversing about body shaming, the biggest challenge I face is the demon of comparison.  We have allowed Hollywood, and the media as a whole to dictate who is beautiful and desirable. Having these images constantly forced on us has various ramifications. It causes us to start shaming our bodies, comparing our bodies to our sisters’ bodies, and even taking out our aggressions on our sisters and shaming their bodies. Edify Your Sister aims to empower women and young ladies to be the best unique and authentic versions of who God created them to be; therefore, diminishing the power that the media images hold in our lives.    

CS:

We are fascinated by your mission to change the trajectory of young girls and women's lives by teaching them self-worth. It seems some of the world’s greatest leaders have had some of the most arduous life expertness.  What is your personal experience with learning self-worth and how did it contribute to launching Edify Your Sister?

FN:

For years, I struggled with a lack of self-worth. My validation was directly correlated to men, as I only felt valued when I was in a relationship. The relationships that I was in were unhealthy. When I wasn’t in a relationship, or consistently talking to a man, I wasn’t happy. It was not until a relationship left me verbally, emotionally and mentally stripped of my self-worth and my self-esteem depleted that I began to seek God. Accepting Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior has taught me that His validation is all that matters. Finding my identity in Christ has been the most liberating experience, and has motivated me to share my testimony with as many women and young ladies as possible, with the hopes of them steering clear of what I had to endure.

CS:

What advice do you have for women entrepreneurs who are interested in launching a business within the same sector as yours?

FN:

Seek God and allow Him to lead you! Make sure that you are truly passionate about your endeavor. Seek mentors that have expertise that you can learn from, and who are willing to share their knowledge with you. Network and add some accountability partners to your circle. Do not compare yourself with anyone else. Remember that your race is uniquely yours and no one else’s. When you mess up, resist the urge to throw in the towel and give up. Learn from the experience, and keep pushing forward.

CS:

You have two degrees! Undergraduate degree in Business Management and a Graduate degree in Human Resources Management.  When it comes to learning new skills to launch a business, book or product, do you believe people should self-teach or pursue a formal education?

FN:

I wholeheartedly believe that a combination of both is needed in this day and age. There is an unbelievable wealth of knowledge available to the public simply by perusing the internet. Classes can be beneficial for those who learn best in a formal setting, or on a one-to-one basis. Formal education also has the extra incentive of an instructor, the expert on a specific subject manner who can assist, offer real-life experience and advice.

CS:

Where do you see Edify Your Sister next year? How do you set realistic long-term goals for your business?

FN:

I see Edify Your Sister expanding and broadening our horizons in every way possible. As we grow, I anticipate holding more events as well as establishing chapters in different states throughout the country. I also see increased opportunities to impact our communities and the lives of our sisters. In order for a goal to be realistic, it must first be achievable. First, I write down my goals, along with a timeline that supports our mission and vision. Next, I assign action steps to each goal.

CS:

Do you have a mentor or someone who supports you with sustaining Edify Your Sister? How important are mentors when it comes to business success?  

FN:

I am so thankful for my mentors and accountability partners! Mentors and accountability partners are extremely important. They both have expertise and skillsets that you do not, and are willing to share their knowledge and experiences with you. These relationships should evolve over time, as you grow in your entrepreneurial role. The key is to maintain complete honesty and transparency with your mentors and accountability partners so that they are equipped to guide you effectively.

Let's continue the sisterhood wave, and support France in her future endeavors. Be sure to follow Edify Your Sister on instagram, and view their website to get in touch with France directly!