Nicole Ari Parker Isn't Just SATC's New Star—She's The Brains Behind Gymwrap
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Nicole Ari Parker's foray into the business world was more than just attaching her name to
a brand. It was a start-to-finish innovation that holds a special place in her heart.
“I was trying to solve a very personal problem, as a Black woman who invests so much in her hair,” she says of the motivation behind her sweat-wicking headband, Gymwrap.
The actress, who stars in the Sex and the City revival And Just Like That…, credits two events for inspiring her creation. The first was a workout invite from husband Boris Kodjoe that she declined, having just had her hair flatironed. (“When you’re married with kids, jogging is a date night,” jokes Nicole. “We needed a date night.”)
The second was an interview given by then–surgeon general Regina Benjamin, MD, highlighting the problem of women skipping workouts to preserve their ’dos. (One study found that a third of female African American participants exercised less due to their hair.)
Nicole got to work cutting her exercise clothes to fashion a prototype. Ten years on, Gymwrap is going strong. “The idea was in the spirit of service,” she says.
Here's how Nicole took her business from a dream to a reality:
Network Wins
“I surround myself with encouraging people. We remind each other that no matter where you start, you should love yourself through the process.”
Bank Your Lessons
“The best advice I’ve received was from my dad, who said, ‘It’s gonna make the story better when you’re old.’ Essentially, every problem has an end, and the test you’re going through will become your testimony.”
Enlist a Workout Buddy
“A friend of mine who lives in Detroit sends me fitness classes that we do together. It’s a 30-minute session in different time zones with two best friends. There’s nothing like the support of others.”
19: The number of versions it took to get Gymwrap juuust right
This article appears in the December 2021 issue of Women’s Health. Become a Women's Health+ member now.
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