Women in Business: Bliss Books & Wine + a Playlist
Words by: Maggie Laubscher | Music by: Abby Yemm
Meet the Bliss sisters. They willed their dream company into existence through determination and faith. And it worked! Sisters La'Nae Robinson and La'Nesha Frazier created Bliss Books & Wine, an independent bookshop in KC, as a reading and drinking respite from everyday busyness. It’s also our go-to online shop and is stocking much of our Nelle HQ library alcove.
Bliss is fully online right now, with plans for a brick and mortar shop in the near future. They have an online book store, guided book & wine pairings, virtual author events, and reading challenges. They’ve created a virtual home away from home for all book lovers, one that’s welcoming and insightful.
By the end of this article, you might start your own biz - that’s how energizing La’Nae and La’Nesha are. They are also still working full-time while building Bliss Books & Wine. !!!
Bliss’s next author event is Feb 24th with Dr. Taryn Fletcher, via Zoom. Join the event here. Fletcher will dive into her upcoming book, In All Lanes: Action Steps for New Leaders to Empower Black and Brown Students, Rethink School, and Transform Behavior. Mark it down, Nellies.
And in the meantime, get to know the Bliss sisters below. We chat about book dragons, the joy of Oprah, and who gave them their spirit animal. Not in that order.
Where are you from originally?
La’Nesha: We were both born and raised in Kansas City, MO.
What makes KC home for you?
La’Nesha: We were both born and raised in KCMO, and most of our family still lives here. KC will always be home base, no matter where we reside. It’s the spirit, the fire, and the love of KC that makes it special. Home is where the heart is. And ours belong to KC.
How did you start out in your career?
La’Nae: This career was a long time in the making. I actually created my own library in the basement of our childhood home. I would make La’Nesha, our cousins, and friends ‘check out’ books from my personal collection, complete with personalized library cards and signature cards inside the books with stamped return dates. To this day, one of my cousins still refers to me as ‘The Librarian’.
Somewhere along the way, La’Nesha came over to the dark side and became a book addict with me. We’re both trained in totally different fields from the book retail industry, but reading is our passion. That’s what matters. And when you tack on our fascination with wine exploration, starting Bliss Books & Wine seemed like a no brainer.
The library of kid La’Nae
What's an obstacle you encountered early on, and how did you overcome it?
La’Nae: The first obstacle was going from ‘I have this great idea’ to ‘Now what?’ We filled in the gaps by enrolling in business entrepreneur classes. We went through the Entrepreneur Business Basics FastTrac program with Kira Cheree. We also took a Small Business Development Program with Dan Smith and Charon Thompson at The Porter House KC.
Once we were finally up and running, we were suddenly faced with yet another challenge: the pandemic. Really quickly, we had to figure out how to stay open and relevant. We moved entirely online and halted our in-person pop-ups. It ended up letting us reach beyond KC and build our Bliss community across the US. It was unexpected, but a fantastic pivot for us.
How did you think of the idea of Bliss Books & Wine? I love the name.
La’Nesha: Bliss Books & Wine was born of pure frustration and necessity. It was created to fill a void. I desperately needed a place I could go to decompress, have a glass of wine, and finish reading my book. But no place existed for me to go!
Men have their bars and cigar lounges, but I had yet to discover a place for me. As a wife and working mother of two, I needed an hour or so of silence, sipping, and relaxation. So I decided to create my own.
We wanted to build a place that would bridge the gap between great social drinking and introverted reading. That gap is my bliss. And I hoped it would be for others as well.
La’Nae came up with the name. I called her with the idea, and she said it sounded like bliss. And there it was, Bliss Books & Wine was born.
Do you like being an entrepreneur?
La’Nesha: Absolutely. It’s one thing to put your all into your regular 9-5 job, but when it’s yours… when it’s your dream and your baby that you created from scratch… It means so much more.
What's the hardest part of being a small business owner?
La’Nesha: It is definitely no walk in the park. Well, maybe Jurassic Park. The process is long and hard, but it is so worth it. You have to be dedicated and committed to seeing your dream come to fruition. We are both still working full-time in addition to wearing all the hats at Bliss. Working your regular job, being a wife and mother, and trying to get your dream off the ground - it’s a lot to handle.
Annnd… the best part?
La’Nesha: This is a two-fold answer. First, it’s setting an example for our kids. We have the honor of showing them that dreams + hard work really do pay off. That you can reach exceptional heights. They see it all -- the good, the bad and the ugly. Leaving this legacy for our kids is everything. We are building generational wealth. It’s not just money, but life lessons.
Second, it’s the sense of community. We received an email around Christmas time from a husband who wanted to give his wife a gift from us. His email was so heartfelt and touching, it brought us to tears. He got it! He got our purpose and our why and he wanted that for his wife. That’s the best feeling, when others connect to your why.
La’Nae + La’Nesha
Moguls in the making
What are you working on currently?
La’Nae: We just created several reading lists and a new reading challenge on our website, all aimed at motivating everyone to read more. We’re also working on an event with Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, plus participating in this year’s Juneteenth celebration. We’re also filling slots for upcoming author events.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
La’Nesha: In all honesty, all accomplishments are our proudest! In thinking in terms of our company, it’s everything: from the smaller recognitions of being tagged in a post to the largest of being featured in Oprah Magazine. We are truly grateful for all we’ve been blessed with.
What’s the last book you read and loved?
La’Nesha: Ooh, that’s tricky. I tend to enjoy most of the books I read. I’ll narrow it down to two I read in 2020, each for different reasons. I’m an urban fantasy/fiction/YA girl at heart and I LOVED Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. My other favorite was Untamed by Glennon Doyle. So many applicable life lessons that I will read yearly.
La’Nae: The last book I fanned over was Untamed. I have sticky notes everywhere -- I would not dare mark up the book itself -- and I even got a second signed copy from Glennon herself. As La’Nesha said, that one will be an annual read. I quote it quite often.
What causes are near and dear to your heart?
La’Nae: We have been proud supporters of Reach Out and Read: Kansas City for the past couple of years. We sponsor their events and hold book drives to keep their shelves stocked. We genuinely believe that readers are leaders. What better way to usher in the next generation of book dragons than to build out their personal libraries?
Book dragons! Did you come up with that?
La’Nae: I think I saw book dragons in a meme and decided that describes us better. Why be a bookworm when you can be a book DRAGON?!
What is your favorite wine/book pairing on your website right now? I want every single one!
La’Nesha: They are all my favorite. It was great partnering with these local wineries, like KC Wineworks. I haven’t read all the books, but I have had all of the wine! If I had to pick just one pairing, it would be the Legendborn + Viognier pairing.
La’Nae: With Valentine’s Day approaching, I think I’ll go with the Blanc de Blancs and Party of Two. I’m a sucker for a good sparkling and a romance novel.
Legendborn + Viognier pairing
Urban Fantasy wine pairing
Where do you envision yourself in 5 years?
La’Nesha: In a fantastic brick and mortar in midtown KC, working on opening a second location.
Your mantra.
La’Nesha: ‘We can do hard things’ from Glennon Doyle. It is very simple yet powerful.
La’Nae: ‘I am more than enough.’ Recited each morning.
Your theme song.
La’Nesha: I Believe by KB, feat. Mattie of For Today
La’Nae: Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys
What is your spirit animal?
La’Nesha: A cheetah! Thanks, Glennon. :)
La’Nae: Glennon and her cheetah have become the unofficial company mascot.
How have you coped during the stresses of the pandemic?
Both: Self-care in whatever form. Reading, wine tasting, bubble baths, meditation, movies, a game night with family. Anything that causes you to smile and your heart to be happy and full of love.
Name three brands that define your personality.
La’Nesha: Firestick, Amazon, Brunch
La’Nae: Apple, Bath & Bodyworks, Hallmark
Get Some Bliss in your life:
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