In CafeMom's monthly series, Work It, Mama, powerful moms detail how they navigate their professions and home life.
In 2022, the World of EPI, the largest Black female-owned multicultural toy manufacturing and design company, took home the Oscars of toys. The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Fresh Fierce Collection, available on Amazon and at Target, won the Toy of the Year Award for Doll of the Year. Mom boss Dr. Lisa Williams, the CEO and Founder of the World of EPI, is the powerhouse behind the collection.
A pioneer in the creation of authentic, multicultural dolls representing people of color, as well as innovative accessories, coloring and activity, and partyware, Williams says her company's vision, mission, and values are "rooted in celebrating diversity."
In 2010, Williams watched a recreated segment of the Doll Study of the 1940s, which found children preferred white dolls and assigned positive characteristics to them compared to Black dolls.
"Even though decades had passed since the initial study, findings reveal some bias still exists and positive attributes are associated with lighter skin tones, and negative attributes with darker skin tones," says Williams. "I was saddened when I heard a chocolate little girl point to her doll and say her doll’s skin is nasty, and it still brings tears to my eyes today. The segment ultimately changed my path."
Williams went on to commit herself to developing a business focused on encouraging acceptance, inclusion, and self-love among children of all ages.
"That’s how the World of EPI was born," she says. "And shortly thereafter I launched the Positively Perfect Dolls and the Fresh Doll Collections, a diverse line of multicultural baby and fashion dolls. The sculpts are one-of-a-kind pieces of art, with unique facial features, custom-blended skin tones, and a variety of hair textures, reflective of ethnicities found around the world: African American, Afro-Latina, Latino/Hispanic, Caucasian, and mixed-race/biracial. I know representation is key, and each doll is designed to inspire children to see their beauty, brilliance, and power reflected back to them, and foster imagination during positive play."
'Seeing our work in Target and other major retailers is an extraordinary experience,' Williams says.
"Every time I see one or our products on the shelf, I get goosebumps," she adds. "But nothing is more gratifying than seeing a child with one of our dolls and saying, 'Mommy this doll looks just like me.' Authentically representing our babies is in the very core of our company’s DNA. We custom blend skin tones, create one-of-a-kind face sculpts, and design innovative patent pending hair textures and styles."
Boss life for Williams requires her morning get off to a solid start.
Now that the mom of two is an empty nester, she jokes that her mornings are have become "peaceful and quiet."
She adds of her a.m. routine, "I like to wake up, sit in meditation, read inspirational books, exercise, and then start my day. In my world, there is not a standard workday. I say this with great gratitude: My days are long and jam-packed with phone and video meetings, planning with my internal teams for our brands current and future, collaborations with license partners, and PR segment recordings and interviews, just to name a few agenda items you might find on my calendar on any given day.
"Needless to say, once my day gets started, it is like a NASCAR Speedway. It starts fast, stays fast, has few pit stops, and doesn’t end until I’ve left nothing on the field."
For Williams, successfully running a company means she must keep her mind right, so making time to recharge and to find balance is key.
"My days are full and non-stop," Williams says. "I am in meetings, making decisions, interacting with others, and representing the company to customers, buyers, license partners, and the media. The stress can be overwhelming at times. One of the practices I’ve found helpful in the moment is deep breathing. This allows me to relax, become centered, and have clear thinking. [This is] very important for me as I navigate the course of my day."
And when it comes to her constant motivator, Williams knows her work is 'positively impacting a child’s life.'
"I know when a child truly sees who they are — their beauty, brilliance, and potential — there are no limits to what they can achieve as they grow," she adds. "I’m motivated by changing the lives of children so they see they are unique, amazing, and can be and do anything their heart desires. For me, the ultimate career is being of service to society and future generations."
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