Chic Spotlight: Forever Cheeky Chicks
Cincy Chic: What did you both do pre-Forever Cheeky?
Sarina Newstead and Barb Dougherty: Pre-Forever Cheeky we were moms, housewives (we prefer the term "domestic divas") and working outside the home. Sarina had her own interior decorating business "Whimsical Interiors" and Barb sold nutritional supplements for a direct marketing company. We both had corporate backgrounds: Sarina primarily in Human Resources and Barb in Customer Service and Operations.
Cincy Chic: What's the Forever Cheeky Philosophy and how did you come up with it?
Newstead and Dougherty: The Forever Cheeky philosophy is to greet each day as a new adventure. There are a lot of things that happen in life and while we may not always get it "right," we dont focus on the past; rather, we move forward. That is where the tag line "Cheeky Never Looks Back" comes from. We encourage women to go out and flaunt their cheeky side, which we have coined to mean "fun, feisty and fearless."
Cincy Chic: What's the "cheekiest" thing you've ever done/experienced?
Newstead and Dougherty: So many cheeky moments, how do we choose just one? There is a story we posted on our Web site where Sarina was at an authentic Chinese restaurant where the dishes of food keep coming to the table. Somewhere during the course of the evening a little bowl of hot water and a slice of lemon appear. She thinks to herself, how lovely I can refresh my palette between the courses. She takes a few delicate sips from the bowl, and pats her lips with her napkin. The person next to her gives her a nudge and gently tells her she just drank from the finger bowl and she was not the first guest to use it.
Cincy Chic: What do you want your clients to get out of your products/philosophy?
Newstead and Dougherty: We want our clients to feel their cheeky spirit come through whenever they wear, use or carry one of our products. The fun part of the message is that laughing is better than the alternative – and healthier, too. Get out there and enjoy life. The feisty part is to not be so concerned about being judged. Go ahead and be cheeky. Just be your best self. Set good intentions and know that your strength, confidence and real beauty comes from within. The fearless part is about taking the leap and pursuing your passion. One person can make a difference and it is never too late to follow your dreams.
Cincy Chic: There's also a philanthropic side to your company. Tell us about that…
Newstead and Dougherty: From the very beginning we have said that whatever we do, we have to give back in some way to the community. We are especially interested in helping women and children. A portion of the profit from our sales goes to various organizations that we care about. We are also encouraging cheeky womens groups where other women can join in and raise awareness for organizations that they are interested in. With the women that get involved, we suddenly have a huge network of people "paying it forward."
Cincy Chic: What's your favorite thing to do in Cincinnati?
Newstead and Dougherty: We love to do anything outdoorsy in Cincinnati. We have the incredible Loveland bike trail, the scenic Ohio River and a fun downtown area. We also enjoy exploring all the quaint little towns around the area. Great retail therapy!
Editor's Note: The Forever Cheeky ladies were a sponsor of our recent "Bras with Flair on the Square" event. Cincy Chic extends a sincere thanks to their support, which was so very important to making the first annual event a huge success… and for reminding us to stay "cheeky" despite the rain!
