Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
    BAUCE
    SUBSCRIBE
    • Hustle

      How To Stay Organized When Hiring New Employees in Your Business

      March 23, 2023

      10 Considerations When Starting a Home Business

      March 17, 2023

      Top 10 Remote Jobs For Digital Nomads To Consider

      March 17, 2023

      Here’s Why You Should Invest in Online CPR Training For Your Employees

      March 15, 2023

      5 Ways To Improve Your Medical Practice

      March 15, 2023
    • Believe

      Can Journaling Really Change Your Life For the Better?

      March 23, 2023

      8 Ways To Get Comfortable In Your Own Skin

      March 1, 2023

      What It Means to Retire as a Self-Made Woman

      January 11, 2023

      Entering Your 30s And Feeling Less Sure Of Yourself Than Ever? Consider This

      November 9, 2022

      10 Ted Talks To Help Black Women Entrepreneurs Grow Their Businesses

      October 14, 2022
    • Earn

      4 Tips for Successful Retirement Planning for Millennials

      March 24, 2023

      These Are The Best Ways to Settle Back Taxes as a Small Business Owner

      March 2, 2023

      5 Ways to Close the Gender Pay Gap in Medicine 

      March 2, 2023

      Shopping for a New House? Here Are 5 Things You Need to Do First

      February 24, 2023

      How To Improve Your Credit To Increase Loan Options and Secure Better Terms

      February 24, 2023
    • Live

      Social Media Dating in 2023: Stop Wasting Time and Energy on Bad Dates

      March 23, 2023

      8 Common Misconceptions About Antibiotics

      March 23, 2023

      Want to Maintain your Youthful Appearance? Here’s How to Do That

      March 23, 2023

      5 Tips for Making Big Decisions

      March 21, 2023

      5 Tips for Hiring a Skilled Medical Malpractice Lawyer for Your Case

      March 21, 2023
    • Profiles

      How Marissa Kearney of Target While Black Is Changing The Black Shopping Experience

      March 8, 2023

      Founder of Black Girl Sunscreen Shontay Lundy Shares How She Built A 7 Figure Business From Scratch

      February 28, 2023

      CEO of 0514 Design Tahiti Spears Partners With Walmart To Highlight Black Excellence For Black History Month

      February 22, 2023

      Beauty Expert Tiara Willis Shares How To Successfully Earn Six Figures As A Beauty Influencer

      February 20, 2023

      Best-Selling Author Nathalie Nicole Smith Shares How To Leverage Your Story To Build A Personal Brand

      February 24, 2023
    • About
      • Advertise
      • Jobs
      • Contact
    BAUCE
    Features

    How Darnika Platt Is Revolutionising The Self Care Industry With Her Luxury Men’s Spa

    By Omotunde SotuminuMarch 24, 20217 Mins Read
    Darnika platt of man cave Atlanta
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    When we think of self care, we often picture ladies in bubble baths with candles reading Vogue Magazine. Men hardly seem to be in the self care conversation. Does that mean they don’t need self care? No. If there’s one group of people who really need self care, it is men, specifically Black men. Years of generational trauma stemming from slavery, and race based exclusion for health, social and economic resources has in turn led to disparities within the community. As a result, this has had an adverse impact on mental health in the Black community. Statistics from Mental Health America show that adult Blacks and African Americans are more likely to have feelings of sadness, hopelessness and worthlessness than adult whites. Thus, all this point to the fact that men do need to look after themselves, and self care is one way to start.

    Well, Darnika Platt of Man Cave Atlanta identified this gap in the self care market, and decided to create a luxury men’s spa which provides a men centric environment where men can cater to their self care needs, thus normalising the notion that it’s okay for men to look after themselves. She shares with us why : “It actually started with trying to get my husband to go get his foot and nails maintenance. It was like pulling teeth He hated going, especially if it meant him missing his Green Bay game. I started “people watching”  while at my spa appointments and watched the uneasiness that come over the men as they walked in. It got me thinking what if there was a place that felt inviting to men, offered them all their grooming services, all in one place because convenience is key. Besides, sometimes we want to have our alone time so ManCave Atlanta allows men to have their little escape as well.”

    For Darnika, this process has been a journey. She recounts: “When I started, I had no idea about what it took to run a spa, even for men. I frequently get self-care services but that was about it. I do have experience being a business owner because I’ve ran my own tax business for years, plus my parents and grandparents had their own businesses as well. But it took a lot of research to get where I am today.”

    You may wonder what it’s like for her running a business catering to men. Darnika shares that she loves it: “The guys who come in are no different than my husband, my brother, and my friends. They’re professional men that want or need to be taken care of but also want to relax and my facility is basically an upscale hangout spot for them. I fashioned it after the show “Cheers,” where everyone knows your name. They get to come in and get their services done, but they can also network, hang out, smoke a cigar, and just be themselves.  Also, our services aren’t just for men. All of the spa services are open to men and women. But our membership is only to men, and they get to enjoy our private business and sports lounge, our cigar lounge, and our private barbershop.”

    Moreover, it is important to note that while there’s a lot of men who don’t do self care, there’s still a large portion of men who do. Darnika echoes that:  “It’s becoming increasingly popular for men to learn who to take care of themselves, which means that they need to have clean hands and feet, healthy skin, and healthy hair. If you go to a nail salon you will see men come in.” 

    However, she states that the problem at hand is that: “these services are traditionally marketed to women. And a lot of men aren’t knowledgeable that these things aren’t just what women do, but their things that all people should do to be healthy. Also the word cosmetic generally refers to products marketed toward women. Men think that cosmetic products mean makeup. But truly the word cosmetic refers to any product that aids in the health of hair or skin. If you give a man a pedicure, he will enjoy it. What he doesn’t enjoy is going to a nail salon filled with mostly women, or having to sit there and smell nail polish and acrylic.  

    Darnika stresses that self care is extremely important not just for Black men but for every man. She says “The same way every man should exercise, eat right, and drink water, they should also be getting massages regularly or relaxations and muscle health. They should be getting facials and other esthetician services to prevent breaks and inflammation, hydrate the skin on their faces, and extract materials from their pores that contain dead skin and bacteria. They also should keep their hands and feet clean.  Health isn’t just about lifting weights and eating right, it’s about doing everything possible to make sure that every part of your body is clean, hydrated, and well taken care of.”

    Like every business, there are blessings and challenges. Darnika shares hers: “The building was the biggest blessing. It was in the best location and had more than enough room to incorporate everything. Everything is exactly the way I wanted it and it’s also exactly what men want. Men walk through my doors shocked at the facility. I like to say that it’s a polished version of what men want because it’s essentially what men want through a woman’s eyes. I’m very proud of the end result.   

    On the other hand, she states that launching a business during the pandemic was her biggest challenge. She recounts: “Not only was business slow because people weren’t leaving their homes or not frequently places with close contact, but also working with the government to get permits and licenses takes a lot longer now. “

    Like every successful entrepreneur; they have to find a way to adapt to the changing restrictions caused by the pandemic. For Darnika, the hardest part was sustaining the business through this slow patch: “Things are just now getting better, but at the beginning, people weren’t frequently barbershops, hair salons, nail salons, and spas. Even here in Atlanta, while we were more open than most cities, people were still being cautious. The best we can do is constantly sanitize, provide hand sanitizer, require masks, and hope that our efforts to keep everyone healthy while allowing them to relax make our customers comfortable with coming in for services.”

    Darnika has shown that she has what it takes to weather the storms that may come one’s way when running a business. She shares the key ingredients to building a successful business in the self care industry: “you just need the proper equipment and licensed professionals that will work for you. I think the success part comes from the same knowledge that requires running any successful business which means doing your research, being organized and making a plan, having an understanding of finances with actual capital and a budget, knowing how to market yourself, determining what’s your target audience. All of that stuff is important, no matter if you want to open a spa or a food truck.”

    Darnika is optimistic about the future of ManCave ATL. She shares: “We’re currently in the process of adding a kitchen to provide our members with fresh food. But our plan is to have 7-10 new locations within the next five years.”

    Through Darnika’s story, we see that one of the attributes of successful entrepreneurship is to identify a problem or gap in your industry and provide a solution to it. For more information about ManCave Atlanta and to inquire about services and memberships, visit https://www.mancaveatlanta.com/.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email Reddit WhatsApp
    Previous ArticleSpring 2021 Fashion Trends: Your Ultimate Guide
    Next Article The Important Aspects To Consider Before Becoming A Locksmith
    mm
    Omotunde Sotuminu
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn

    Omotunde Sotuminu is a digital storyteller passionate about the empowerment and advancement of Black women in the corporate space and entrepreneurial world. She also serves as Content Manager for BAUCE Mag, so unique and strong pitches are welcome at: [email protected]

    Related Posts

    How Marissa Kearney of Target While Black Is Changing The Black Shopping Experience

    March 8, 2023

    CEO of 0514 Design Tahiti Spears Partners With Walmart To Highlight Black Excellence For Black History Month

    February 22, 2023

    Beauty Expert Tiara Willis Shares How To Successfully Earn Six Figures As A Beauty Influencer

    February 20, 2023
    Add A Comment

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Your Go-To Resources

    How To Truly Break The Cycle of Debt

    It’s Time To Stop Sleeping On Your Credit Score, Sis – Here’s Why

    These Are 15 of the Highest Paying Careers To Pursue

    15 Good Jobs That Women Can Do From Anywhere Without Experience

    Here’s How To Trick Yourself Into Saving More Money

    Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    • Jobs
    © 2023 BAUCE MEDIA LLC

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.