Check Out Khnuma Simmonds’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Khnuma Simmonds.

Hi Khnuma, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Girlfriendism is a concept derived from the girlfriends of My Girlfriend’s Closet St. Croix. It is inspired by women, created by women, and ALIVE because of women. Our mission began when we opened My Girlfriend’s Closet in 2011 and while I am the sole owner of My Girlfriend’s Closet, I always say ‘we’ because the mission was never about me – it was always about honoring the women who came before me, celebrating the women who are with me, and envisioning a ‘living energy of empowerment’ that would continue to grow in the women after me through the movement. My Girlfriend’s Closet was initially inspired by the core women in my family – namely my mom, sister, niece, and I. We spent most of our years living together or next to each other (there’s no getting away! L.O.L.). The styles were so different. We’d celebrate those differences and describe our styles as they correlated to our persoalities and perspectives in life. For example, my sister was the ‘Classy Professional,’ which we’ve always associated with her conservative nature and elegant demeanor.

My mom was the ‘Comfy Athlete’ and my niece, the ‘Bohemian.’ in contrast, I was the ‘Chic Trendsetter,’ which they’ve always associated with my daring yet feminine style and joyful demeanor. While our current location has expanded in concept due to the Girlfriendism movement, our first location was structured to represent these four styles. The boutique was designed to feel like a literal closet. When we opened the boutique, our slogan was ‘Empowering Women through Fashion, Faith, and Friendship,’ but fast forward; we realized that our boutique evolved into more than a place to shop. In 2020, many changes occurred due to the pandemic, including my decision to resign from my full-time job as the Executive Director for the Territorial domestic violence and sexual assault prevention agency to focus on business. I am offering an expedited version of this transitional process. Still, as we say in the Caribbean, ‘to make a long story short (lol), I essentially had the opportunity to reflect deeply on what my business meant to me and WHY it called me to immerse myself fully. Ultimately, I realized that it was this ‘thing’ called Girlfriendism. It’s a term that the girlfriends who have supported us for over a decade in business had created to describe the ‘feeling’ they experienced every time they shopped with us or supported our social events for women. Through this reflective process, I realized that Girlfriendism is more than a ‘thing’ – it is a legacy of what is created when women can be their authentic selves and genuinely support, celebrate and embody women’s empowerment. From that, our mission has evolved into a seven-layered business.

It provides services through:

• Girlfriendism Fashion (My Girlfrend’s Closet)
• Girlfriendism Fitness (SoKh Caribbean Dance Fitness)
• Girlfriendism Wellness (Mental Health Services by Khnuma and Local Collaborators)
• Girlfriendism Business (Training in collaboration with The Xausky Group)
• Girlfriendism H.O.P.E. (The Non-Profit, Philanthropic Arm of Girlfriendism that is a Project of the St. Croix Foundation for Community Development)
• Girlfriendism Travel (International Girlfriendism Retreats & Group Travel For Women).
• Girlfriendism has been trademarked, and our tagline is ‘Girlfriendism: Inspired by the women of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Created for women all over the world!’

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
But of course….NOT! (LOL) Anything worth having in this life requires challenges along the way, or should we call them opportunities? I must admit that initially, the idea of owning a business and birthing it was relatively smooth – not because the process itself was smooth but because my family supported me wholeheartedly. They provided the security that I needed even when uncertain of an outcome, whether it was my Dad, who rolled up his sleeves to build the display shelves, my sister who organized my policy handbook, my mother who cared for my children, my niece who worked at the boutique or my aunt, who made a point to be one of our first (and ongoing) customers. My family has always been there in some capacity. This support has been enormous in my success and the growth of the Girlfriendism Brand because it validated my business vision and me, especially in difficult times. As a business owner at 24, their ongoing encouragement has fostered my ability to validate myself and see beyond my vision of what was just a brick and mortar to what is now a global movement for women’s empowerment.

I realize that the questions asks for some struggles though and I’ve been fairly vague thus far. I’m not sure if that is due in part to mastering the art of ‘letting go’ or living in such entrepreneurial bliss at the moment that the struggles are in my subconscious, or both! (LOL) What I will share, however, is one of the hardest yet most critical decisions I had to make in order to commit to my life purpose through Girlfriendism: resigning from my full-time job of seven years as the Executive Director for the Territorial Coalition to end domestic violence and sexual assault. I LOVE people! I LOVE to support them, uplift them, and see them live FULLY! This was one of the passions my full-time job allowed me to do while advocating for a cause that is dear to me, but it was also the very thing that stood in my way of pursuing my purpose of empowering women through Girlfriendism. Let’s be clear – the cause didn’t stand in my way, but how I did it (through a full-time job) wasn’t conducive to my larger vision as an entrepreneur, to my purpose of empowering women globally, and to my mental health, which the people around me greatly impact. Hence the ‘stuck between a rock and a hard place’ decision I had to make when I finally decided to choose myself, my purpose, and my vision when I resigned. The message that resonated most for me in this reflective process (a mental, emotional and spiritual process that I played with for almost three years before making my final decision) was the security that allowed me to ‘pull the plug’: My Grandmother’s Legacy. One of my greatest concerns was whether I could sustain myself financially and be disciplined enough to be successful as an entrepreneur. As a single mother of two boys during a pandemic, it was a risk to leave my job. Some even considered it irresponsible because of timing and their perception of what success looked like (i.e., Serving at the peak of leadership for my organization)—having had Girlfriendism and entrepreneurship pull at my heart strings since I opened the boutique in 2011. However, success meant living authentically, creating my reality, and following my God-given purpose – Girlfriendism. How does this tie to my grandmother’s legacy? Well, I’m getting there.

My relationship with my grandmother is unique because I never met her as she passed away six years before I was born. Despite that, her audacity to live in her purpose while she was alive has directly impacted my ability to live in my purpose now. Because of her, I do have privileges that others don’t have, and because I have experienced that, there is a weight to ensure that Girlfriendism does the same for others, including my grandbabies who, like my grandmother, I may or may not ever meet. My grandmother, Hilda B. England, built the home I live in, and three generations have grown up in my house. Likewise, my Master’s education was paid in full by a scholarship named after my grandmother for her work in education guidance and counseling. My grandmother once managed our current boutique space and now, it is a family possession. I can’t put a price on that and can’t deny that she is with me every step of the way! One of the things that I had to remind myself when I had to choose between a traditional 9 to 5 and the risk (and joys!) of entrepreneurship is ‘Khnuma; your grandmother worked so you could live freely. Take the risk. You will never be homeless or hungry. If all else fails, you have family, and your basic needs are met.’ This was HUGE for me because it gave me a sense of security that I would not have if my grandmother weren’t the badass woman she was, especially for her time! This story (although lengthy!) is why Girlfriendism is about past, present, and future legacies that will live on even when I die.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
One unique aspect of the Girlfriendism Brand is our creativity in branding – especially for the Girlfriendism Fashion and Girlfriendism Fitness branches. One of the key components of the Girlriendism Fashion branch (through My Girlfriend’s Closet Boutique) is that most of our posts feature women in their most natural form daily as they engage in their shopping experience. Our business does not sell a product or service – we sell an experience! We typically aren’t selling an item or featuring women who prepped for a photo shoot with a makeup artist. Instead, we appreciate the art of women’s natural beauty and celebrate them through natural photos (often taken with a regular phone and not a professional camera either). This approach is what most girlfriends have been attracted to as they can see themselves represented in our branding and imagery. The same goes for our Girlfrendism Fitness brand (through SoKh Caribbean Dance Fitness). As a Caribbean-based business founded by a Caribbean woman and created to celebrate Caribbean culture, this branch of Girlfriendism is also mastering the art of capturing women in their natural essence. Unlike many fitness brands that portray single body types and promote weight loss or body image-specific messages, Girlfriendism Fitness portrays everyday women in their natural (and even sweaty!) bodies engaging in a collective wellness experience. So, rather than focusing on what fitness ‘looks’ like we focus on what wellness ‘feels’ like, which, to name a few, feels naturally beautiful, collectively accepting, holistically healing, generally feminine, and overall empowering! There is an art to creating these experiences, and that art is in the act of Girlfriendism: (v) The state of being a girlfriend; (n) A community of women who support other women in business, friendship & beyond!; (adj) The art of being a girlfriend whose empowerment serves others. That’s what sets us apart!

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Yes! We are extremely grateful that our 2nd annual Girlfriendism Retreat will occur internationally with 32 women from the U.S. Virgin Islands (some residing in the Territory and others stateside). They have trusted us to create a collective experience in Athens and Santorini, Greece – Holy Moly! We will connect with women in business during our stay and begin building relationships with girlfriends around the globe. Simultaneously, we are putting the wheels in motion for our 2023 Girlfriendism Retreat on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, in which we aim to have 50% of girlfriends from the Territory and 50% from abroad (so yes, you are invited!). Beyond that, we have already begun expanding our Girlfriendism Travel team so that we can host retreats for couples, families, and spiritual growth as of 2023, and we are also exploring options to expand the Girlfriendism Fashion brand by opening the boutique in a second location. To say the least…We’re up to good mischief and appreciate you taking the time to ask about it!

Pricing:

• Fashion Services: $$-$$$
• Wellness/Retreat Services: $$-$$$
• Fitness Services: $$-$$$
• Travel Services: $$$-$$$$
• Business Sevices; $$$$

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.girlfriendism.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mgcstx/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MGCSTX/

Image Credits:
Vivid Clarity Photos (For the Full Retreat Photo by the Pool and the Girlfriendism Step and Repeat Photo) Misty Winter Photography (Fitness Photo) and Cherise Richards Photography (For the featured photo)