Here at Corage Dolls, our mission is for girls of color everywhere to be represented in the doll industry, but if you've followed us long enough then you would know sometimes the ride can get bumpy! As owner and CEO of Corage Dolls, Flora Ekpe-Idang unapologetically shares her ups and downs as transparency and relatability are key in order to stay connected to our audience and drive our mission home. Today, we will examine the current state of the company, address just how far we've come, and highlight how we're preparing to launch Corage Dolls to the masses. This post is particularly significant because as a Black-owned business it is our first Black History Month as a company. So, stay tuned as we delve into the making of Aaliyah. 2017 for us was eventful, to say the least. We began production for our first ever children’s book, changed our manufacturer, and launched our website. Blood, sweat, and tears have gone into turning a dream into reality, and with a few valuable lessons learned, we can comfortably say we are now wiser in our approach.

Fighting through the mess: Amid a shoddy situation with our former manufacturer, we were demoralized and exhausted. Through no fault of our own, an arduous circumstance which left us with a substandard product, a burned bridge, and bruised dreams seemed to us an insurmountable obstacle. Still, we rose and turned an unfavorable position into the resiliency that led us to our current manufacturer, which we should expect by Spring 2018! In the midst of the manufacturing drama, Aaliyah's book went into production. Creating her storyline and finding an illustrator capable of capturing our vision through digital art was a taxing process, but we were determined. Being a black business owner supporting black-owned businesses, Flora enlisted the talents of an expert writer, and a prolific illustrator based out of Ghana. The trio hit the ground running and deadlines turned into milestones.

As proof that fruits of labor are the sweetest in the orchard, we are now proud to announce that we are approaching the finish line, and "Don’t Give Up, Aaliyah" will be available for purchase in 2018! More updates to come.Our journey thus far has been equally rigorous and rewarding. We encourage you if we can persevere in the face of adversity, so can you. Continue to fight for your dreams. Persevere, leave no stone unturned and always remember, setbacks are often setups for a breakthrough. You owe it to yourself to pay homage to the revolutionary figures that came before you such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, and Madam CJ Walker by giving yourself a fair shot at success. Join us in celebrating Black History Month on Instagram as we highlight the men and women of color who pioneered the Black doll industry. As for Corage Dolls, we're just getting started. Success is not possible, it is inevitable.