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Meet Sondra Diggs
Sondra Diggs is a girlfriend relationship advocate and creator of Girlfriend Therapy in a Box by Glitter Me This & Co. She encourages women navigating through “middle age”, which she redefines as the “batting cage stage”, to tackle life’s obstacles by nurturing relationships through Sondra’s proven S.M.I.L.E method, leaving women with more sparkles and less anxiety.
She started Glitter Me This & Co. to provide multiple channels for women to uplift each other through not only her creation of Girlfriend Therapy in a Box that captures the very essence of having her girls by her side to help at a moments notice when you can’t be there in person, but also all with inclusive Girlfriend Therapy Pop-Up events that provide a means for women to help give back to the community through supporting charities that enhance the lives of other women and teens, and Girlfriend Therapy In-Session Live Show featuring unfiltered talk, allowing women to gather together, grab a glass and remotely join in for some fun girl talk.
Through her 25-years as a CPA and corporate CFO, she redefined the standard 9 to 5 professional image by bringing sparkling energy into boardrooms while hosting countless theme events enabling women to leave their worries at the door.
Sondra has been featured in WPGC’s 95.5FM "Community Focus", KORE Women, Real Beauty Real Women, My Story Magazine, and women’s conferences in the Washington, D.C. area. Sondra is a member of the Lumbee Native American tribe.
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Sondra is available for presentations, speeches, workshops, podcasts, radio shows and panel discussions.
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Get to Know Sondra
How did you come up with your business idea?
As a divorced mom of two teenage girls, care-taker of aging parents, a CPA and a corporate CFO of multi-million dollar international company, life felt like I lived in a constant batting cage.
In just one year, I dealt with my mother having a stroke from Lupus, my father being diagnosed with Alzheimer's and aggressive prostate cancer, the loss of my longtime mentor and boss, and unexpected mental health issues with both of my teenage girls.
The only time I was truly happy is when I was hosting a party for my girlfriends.
The planning process alone was my prescription to control anxiety. I escaped into the details and the ultimate high came when I realized magic was happening. The dynamic of these women together was the greatest therapy anyone could ask for. Hours of laughs, one-on-one chats and secrets shared. Everyone bonded and left feeling a sense of relief and the feeling that their load was a little lighter.
I loved it so much that I wanted to box up that feeling and share it with the world. When I turned 50 I vowed to do what I am passionate about, so I hung up my calculator and took a leap of faith.
And, Girlfriend Therapy In a Box was born.
What is Girlfriend Therapy In a Box™?
Girlfriend Therapy In a Box is a sparkling, personalized gift box that captures the very essence of having her girls by her side to help her celebrate and get through life's ups and downs at a moment's notice, curated with a SMILE to help her Sparkle, Move, Indulge, Laugh and Exhale, just like she would if you were there.
The result is beautifully curated gift boxes that are tailored for specific things, such as battling cancer, or a loss, breakups, celebrating new beginnings or your best friend, treating yourself and even when you're burning down the house with hot flashes. In addition, we have limited edition boxes for Galentine's Day, Valentine's Day, Christmas, Mother's Day, Graduations and more.
What were your main goals when you started?
My passion is to promote girlfriend therapy in person as much as possible and but there are times you can't be together. For those times, I wanted to create a way to deliver that feeling to her door to help her deal with whatever life throws at her, or to help her celebrate one of life's many milestones.
What is the S.M.I.L.E. philosophy?
We've designed our boxes around our philosophy of SMILE - Sparkle, Move, Indulge, Laugh and Exhale. Why? Because that's exactly what we do when we are together as girlfriends. There are five items per gift box, tailored to the theme of the box, with one item for each letter in the word SMILE, plus an extra SMILE item. "S" is for Sparkle; "M" is for Move; "I" is for Indulge; "L" is for Laugh; and "E" is for Exhale. What does it spell? SMILE - A curve that sets everything straight!
What's the meaning behind your hashtag - #stressstealssmilesheal?
One of the most important investments you can make is into nurturing your friendships.
What do you enjoy most about your business?
I personally enjoy connecting with women and bringing them together to enjoy a SMILE. A key part of the business is hosting Girlfriend Therapy Pop-Up events. We did a Galentine's public all-inclusive event for ladies night out that was a huge success! Hosting and seeing women leave their worries at the door for just a moment, to Sparkle, Move, Indulge, Laugh and Exhale brings me more happiness than I could have ever imagined. We plan to hold at least four pop-up events a year.
Who is your soundboard for when you need to plan, think, share or more?
My business partner, Karen. She takes down all my thoughts, ideas and desires and manages to put them in an organized order of importance. She was an English major on top of her Marketing background, so I can speak right from the heart and she quickly tweaks it. I run all my ideas past her just to get feedback and keep my sanity.
Do you have a mentor?
My mentor for many years was my boss from my CFO life, he recently passed away. One of the things he always told me as we talked about the day I would go out on my own, was to hire people who knew what they are doing. Even though I am a start up, I am very aware that I need and will be hiring people who have expertise in areas that I don't.
Do you have a morning or evening routine?
Every morning as I get ready for the day, I play the song "Rise Up" by Andre Day. It inspires me to rise up unafraid of what the day will bring. In the evening, I end with drinking a detox hot tea.
Do you have an exercise routine?
I have always worked out, sometimes at home and sometimes at the gym, where I was a funk aerobics teacher back in the day. Exercise is so important and it keeps me sane. When I need to burn off some energy, I will crank up the old school hip hop and just dance and dance and dance. I sometimes post the videos on my social media to show people my authentic self and hopefully encourage others to do the same. Music heals the soul so I'll keep dancing like no one's watching, even when they are.
If you enjoy coffee or tea, what is your favorite drink order to have when you visit a coffee shop?
I don't drink coffee so it is usually tea unless for some reason they serve wine, then it's definitely wine.
Please share one of your favorite books you have ever read.
"5 Love Languages" - It was a profound discovery for me to learn how we relate to each other. We all have a love language, in friends, or relationships, and this book helps you figure out how to truly give to someone and understand them by understanding what language they speak.
How do you stay motivated and grounded?
I have always been a humble person, growing up in a conservative home where my parents taught us the importance of saving. Even in the height of my career when I could live like a king, I lived well below my means knowing one day it would give me this ability to stop and follow my passion.
What do you do for relaxation?
I am very energetic and always moving so I will take advantage of a Netflix time out with a glass of wine, to settle my thoughts and my body and just relax and get lost in something outside of my own world.
Name one place in the world you would like to visit.
Greece