Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Phnewfula (new-fa-la) of Edgewood

We recently had the chance to connect with Phnewfula (new-fa-la) and have shared our conversation below.

Phnewfula, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Normal days for me are pure chaos. I have a child who is a senior in high school so the journey to college in itself takes up a huge amount of time, mental capacity, and finances. That same child also happens to be an exceptional athlete which means adding sports to my schedule. My daughter is a competition cheerleader so I’m adding her competitions to that same schedule. Owning a business is very much like having a child so Happy Mango needs have to go on that same schedule. I am consistently trying to figure out how to be 3 places at the same time.

You know what is not on the schedule? Time for me. I have accepted that at least for the next year, I will exist gracefully amid chaos.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Phnewfula (pronounced New-fa-la), and I created Happy Mango as a welcoming space for parents to feel understood and supported. While we are a retail boutique with the aim of selling products, our top priority is to educate you about your purchases and help you find what truly works best for you.

Being a parent is unique; it’s the only job where you are expected to know everything about someone you have never met, who cannot provide feedback, and for whom you have no reference. We are here to help bridge that knowledge gap.

Choosing a car seat or stroller for your child can be significant financial commitment. To ensure we provide the best information, my staff undergoes multiple training sessions each year to stay informed on the latest products and safety practices. Additionally, we have a licensed Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) on staff who specializes in car seat education and installation—this is one of our strengths.

In addition to our car seat and stroller expertise, we offer a thoughtfully curated selection of baby gifts, products, and items for moms. All the brands we carry are eco-conscious, and we ensure that all products that come in contact with babies or moms are non-toxic.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
The city of Atlanta has been my greatest and most influential teacher. I did not grow up in the United States, so Atlanta is my true home. I first arrived in Atlanta to attend Clark Atlanta University. Upon my arrival, I was quickly recruited by a company called Midnight Marauders to assist with club promotions. The club environment introduced me to the concept of entrepreneurship. I was initially perplexed to see people who seemingly had jobs, staying at the club until 4 a.m., so I decided to ask them about it. This experience allowed me to observe the various types of careers that people had created for themselves.

My boss, Jerrell Allen, played a crucial role in shaping my early work ethic and helping me understand how things operated. He took me around the city and showed me how the community contributed to making Atlanta what it is today. I was surrounded by other entrepreneurs and had the opportunity to witness both success and failure firsthand. I learned why certain ideas worked in some areas but not in others, often due to location.

I also saw peers my age carving out career paths that they would follow well into adulthood, achieving considerable success. My experience at Clark Atlanta University taught me invaluable lessons about hard work, networking, and the importance of finding a way or creating one!

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me that there is always a way through. Suffering, however, is not my preferred method of learning. I take direction quite well, and I love to learn from other people’s mistakes. During the times when my business was really financially challenged, I had to get creative and figure it the f**k out! Suffering has forced me to be creative. Again, important to know that I’m also creative when I’m not suffering, so I’m going to go ahead and make sure the universe knows that.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that my children are the center of my universe, and they would be correct. I love my friends, I love my family, and I love my business, but there is nothing more important than my children. My work hours revolve around them, my social life is always intertwined with theirs, and everything I do is with them in mind. My commitment to making sure they have a childhood they don’t have to recover from is THE thing I work hardest at and will continue to.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope that when I’m gone, people will remember how well I treated them. It is important to me that my children feel like I have left them all the tools they need to thrive in life, and when they think of me, they always feel love. I hope that people tell the story of how hard I worked and how much I loved them. I hope that the legacy of Happy Mango speaks for itself, and that I successfully created an environment where moms can work and not have to choose between being a great parent and having a job.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shophappymango.com
• Instagram: @shophappymango
• Twitter: @happymangoATL
• Facebook: Happy Mango Baby Boutique
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shophappymango