Meet Raven Barrett of Cocoiv

Today we’d like to introduce you to Raven Barrett.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Raven. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Becoming a mother is how Cocoiv came about. I wanted to create a business that honored the women who raised me as well as something that reflected my new stage in life; Black motherhood. My sole purpose starting off was for my clothing to start conversations. I knew Black mom sayings would make people smile and laugh or at least bring up a memory of their mothers and grandmothers and ultimately themselves. I knew putting Black maternal health on a shirt would shed knowledge on a prevalent issue in our community that needs to be addressed and discussed. I knew the words “Melanin mommy magic” would make us feel empowered. Long story short, I wanted to create a brand that connected us as Black women but most importantly empowered us as Black moms.

For me, there’s nothing like a good tee and I’ve always been addicted to fashion so choosing tee shirts to convey my messages was just a no brainer. I initially came up with the idea for Cocoiv when my daughter was four months old. I remember texting my God sister asking her one million questions about whether or not to start.

I came up with every excuse in the book of “why not”. I was a new mom so I questioned when I was going to have the time. I questioned how I was going to have the energy because that sleep deprivation in the first six months was REAL! I questioned how I was going to start because the only business since I had was customer service. I questioned what people would think when I had already been laid off and now I wanted to start a business with a newborn baby. I questioned using my savings to start a business instead of using it to obviously live off of given my financial situation.

After going back and forth with myself on this business idea for six months, the deciding factor that made me start was God. There was a charge on my account that I had been disputing for about three months. One night, the idea to start this business was heavy on my spirit but I remember giving God one of those excuses, and this time it was about money. I told God (like I’m the boss) that if the money was credited back to my account then I would start Cocoiv. Something told me to check my account at that moment and the money was back. Mind you, I had checked the account two days prior and the money wasn’t there. I literally looked up to the ceiling and yelled, “Ooookay I hear you”. The next day I placed an order for 50 shirts and the next is history.

Here is Cocoiv still standing through a pandemic and all.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Ha! Absolutely not. I started this brand when my daughter was nine months old. Those days were a little easier compared to these toddler stages. Pray for me y’all.

Between doing orders and making sure that she takes a nap, potty’s in the toilet (emphasis on the toilet part because there have been plenty of potty sessions on the floor) and doesn’t spill food everywhere, its ALOT!

On top of all of this, I have had to teach myself everything. Shoutout to Youtubeiveristy! I’ve learned how to do my own taxes, run ads, design shirts, design a website, and the list goes on. It was a huge learning curve in the beginning but I’m grateful that I am able to run all aspects of my business. When am able to hire someone, I’ll be able to tell them the ins and outs of how everything is ran.

Please tell us about Cocoiv.
Let me start off by saying that it is pronounced Cocoiv (ko ko- i-vy) not Coco four. It’s like Blue Ivy but it has nothing to do with Blue. I still love the Knowles – Carter crew though.

Now that that is it out of the way, Cocoiv is the brand that is dedicated to paying homage to Every Black Mom with conversations + comfort in mind. Every Black Mom is different yet we can all relate to the beauty of Black motherhood. By using an array of phrases and statements from a Black woman’s point of view, we give a wearable voice to Black motherhood.

The company specializes in t-shirts, with the top two best selling shirts being “Grown Folk Business” and “Black Boys Deserve”, but we also offer home good items and buttons. I’m for sure known for those top two selling shirts as well as the Grown Folk Business Topics that I do on Instagram every Tuesday night at 9 pm. We talk about everything from motherhood, womanhood, and everything Black. So definitely follow on IG.

What sets Cocoiv apart from other mom brands, is my specific niche: Black moms. Outside of my target audience being the main difference, my IG is honestly a sisterhood group or a big mom group, however you want to look at it. I refer to my audience as Coco mamas and these mamas (whether they have children or not) feel safe enough to share their truths whenever I bring up a topic. It’s inspiring and puts me at awe that so many women share similar experiences. You can literally scroll through the comments and see women uplifting each other, encouraging one another, sharing tips, and just laughing. It’s a good feeling to see and be apart of.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was a sassy, smart mouth, tomboy that loved to eat. Basically, what my daughter is now. I’ve always been very observant of people and their energy as well. Blame it on the Cancer in me.

My life was consumed with basketball, former shooting guard here! Outside of basketball, I was obsessed with writing, drawing, and music. I was eight years old and knew all are the words to “What’s your fantasy” by Ludacris and “We’re Not Making Love No More” by Dru Hill. As you see, I had a good balance of artists on my playlist as a preteen and still do.

You also couldn’t tell me that I wasn’t Lil Kim or Eve or the yellow power ranger depending on my mood.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cocoiv.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: Cocoivbrand
• Facebook: Cocoivbrand

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