Q and A with Vivian from Bloomingdale, Illinois
“Never be afraid to try something new. If your heart’s not in it and pulls you toward something else, let it guide you. ”
Q: Tell us about yourself.
A: Hello! My name is Vivian, and I’m passionate about helping others. I am the owner of Xpressive Mocha Cafe, which was created because my husband and I wanted something natural to aid in the healing of our son’s eczema. After discovering shea butter and the wonderful benefits it offers, I began to mix the butter with essential oils to create something that was not only working but assisted in giving my son’s skin the extra moisture it needed.
After being asked what I was using, Xpressive Mocha was born. Me being a coffee lover as well, I knew the caffeine in coffee would just be a bonus so I added that as well as tea. Our online store was created in 2014. Since then, fast forward to 2022, we opened our storefront in Bloomingdale, Illinois.
At the Xpressive Mocha Cafe, our passion for skincare allows us to provide helpful information and products that help with the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, and other personal skincare issues. We provide skin consultations with clients to discuss their skincare concerns; educate clients on how to use skincare products and provide product demonstrations; we plan, organize, and participate in skincare events and shows; and give accessibility to order new skincare supplies and maintain relationships with our customers.
Our body butter doesn’t contain any preservatives. To use it, you simply put a small amount on your fingers and rub it into your skin, just as you would with lotion. Body butter is thicker than lotion, so you don’t need a lot to moisturize.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: I’m from a small area in Wisconsin where everyone knows everyone and you are a community. I remember cooking with my mom daily and imagining I was making a meal for my imaginary family. I’m from a family of 10 children, so we did a lot of cooking. Cooking and experimenting have always been a passion of mine. When I had to take home economics in school, that just solidified that making things with my hands was a stress reliever for me. I was always a fan of chemistry class because it intrigued me, and my teacher was wonderful! I believe this is the same passion that drives me to create my plant-based products for men and women today.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: Something valuable I would like to share with everyone is to never be afraid to try something new. If your heart’s not in it and pulls you toward something else, let it guide you. When I first started college, I truly believed I was going to be a lawyer and that it would be great. One computer class changed my life. It’s as if I had found my calling and switched career paths that day. I continued with the information technology world for years before having kids and discovering my newfound love. After moving from Wisconsin to Illinois, I became a computer science instructor and did that for seven years. Covid proved to me that time waits for no one and you have to go for your dreams now. Quitting and persuading myself to go after my dream of having a storefront was the best decision I could have made.
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: Feminism to me means being true to yourself and taking advantage of all the opportunities that are available to help you. As well as having multiple sisters to confide in along the way when you feel you can’t.
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