This week in the part 2 series with Abena Boamah, Founder and CEO of Hanahana Beauty, she continues her conversation with Kendra by delving into on-the-fly lessons she’s learned in entrepreneurship, sharing how The Hanahana Circle of care provides sustaining production on multiples sides, and giving visual artists the opportunity to collab with beauty brands they grew up on. 

 

Bio: Abena Boamah is the Founder and CEO of Hanahana Beauty, an ethically-conscious, Black-owned clean beauty + wellness brand aiming to disrupt the global beauty industry by promoting increased  transparency of ingredient sourcing, accessibility of products, and responsible environmental  practices. Hanahana Beauty empowers Black women globally by creating sustainable access to income  and healthcare for shea butter producers in Ghana. 

 

Follow @beanieboamah @hanahana_beauty or visit https://hanahanabeauty.com/. 

 

Quote: “Our community is more than just here in the States. When we look at scaling there are black people everywhere”

 

Tune in to learn more from Abena and Kendra! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Abena Boamah, Founder and CEO of Hanahana Beauty, talks about her journey before Hanahana Beauty, 5 years building out her business and the impact she’s carved out across her social media in part 1 of a 2 part series. 

 

Bio: Abena Boamah is the Founder and CEO of Hanahana Beauty, an ethically-conscious, Black-owned clean beauty + wellness brand aiming to disrupt the global beauty industry by promoting increased  transparency of ingredient sourcing, accessibility of products, and responsible environmental  practices. Hanahana Beauty empowers Black women globally by creating sustainable access to income  and healthcare for shea butter producers in Ghana. 

 

Follow @beanieboamah @hanahana_beauty or visit https://hanahanabeauty.com/. 

 

Quote: “I feel like as a child I understood that I was Ghanian. I understood that yes also I was black too. African American to me was like yes I am actually really African and I know where I am from and I am American.”

 

Tune in to learn more from Abena and Kendra! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Akilah Releford, founder and CEO of Mary Louise Cosmetics joins me in conversation about how her DIYing turned into a full fledge business, the beauty in  rediscovering self care and the creation of the infamous Mississippi Mud Mask. 

 

Bio: 25 year old Akilah Releford is the founder and CEO of Mary Louise Cosmetics, a clean beauty brand that helps its Gen Z audience redefine beauty on their own terms. 

Releford created Mary Louise in 2017 from her college dorm room at Howard University with the intention of making fun and playful beauty products for the masses. Mary Louise Cosmetics has stamps of approval from Marie Claire, ELLE, and The New York Times  and can also be found in Macy's, JCPenney, + more. 

 

Follow: @akilahreleford @marylouisecosmetics or visit https://www.mymarylouise.com/

 

Quote “It’s important to be able to pivot and show agility as a founder, you have to be able to change constantly”

 

Tune in to learn more from Akilah and Kendra! 

 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Julie Napolitano, Founder of Pup Wax shares how rescuing dogs led her from a corporate executive role into her journey as a founder, being one of the first to be chosen for the Target petcare accelerator program, becoming one of the top premium dog lines . 

 

Bio: Julie Napolitano founded Pup Wax in 2019, realizing a lifelong dream of building a business that makes the world a better place for dogs. Pup Wax® is the first and only 100% clean premium skincare for dogs and provides healthier, safer, and more effective skincare alternatives. In February 2022, Pup Wax® rebranded as Puppington™ to support its growth and the expansion of its product offerings to clean label supplements, probiotics and nutritional support for dogs, dog shampoos, dental products and more. The Puppington Philosophy is a simple way to help dogs live healthier and happier lives by starting at the building block - with simple, real ingredients. Puppington is an ingredient-first company that uses the purest, safest, and most effective ingredients to deliver your dog’s daily dose of love - backed by science.

 

Follow @puppingto.co or visit https://puppington.co/. 

 

Quote “If we stay in one place, then we limit ourselves and we limit the potential of what we can be and what we can build.”

 

Tune in to learn more from Julie and Kendra! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Stephanie Bell, Founder, Step Up & Glo’ and Partner, Franklin Wellness Partners (PIPCBD) shares how her “glow” was inspired by her mother, her mantra around Movement Toward Improvement, and the experience she’s had over the last 15 years learning, creating and implementing effective and customized strategies that produce long-term growth. As a business development executive turned business partner and founder, Stephanie advises on relinquishing control, going with the flow, and the benefits of CBD for overall wellness. 

Bio:

My name is Stephanie Bell and I serve as a brand partner and business development consultant to Franklin Wellness Partners/ PIPCBD. I originally started using CBD products after the loss of my mother to manage the increased anxiety and stress I was feeling. I was a single mom working as a pharmaceutical representative which was very demanding. Long story short, I still had to handle my responsibilities through the pain and CBD gave me some relief. 

Once I became introduced to PIPCBD, I was extremely excited about this particular brand based on some unique features. The packaging was very eye-catching but most importantly the products were organic and extremely effective. The company was still in the start up phase with this new line of CBD products and we were selling online only. They brought me in as a PT sales rep to gather feedback and work the ATL territory. I quickly transitioned into a partner and over the last year, I have had a hand in every aspect of business expansion from product rebrand, to refreshing social media presence, to product placement in retail stores and more! 

Follow @PIPCBD or visit https://pipwellness.com/. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2009, after the passing of her aunt, 16 year old Saliyah Mustafa had a vision. That same year, she turned her vision into Sabreen Cosmetics and launched the brand with her two sisters, Najiyyah, and Kareemah Mustafa as business partners leveraging their parents as investors. 

@SabreenCosmetics is now a leader in the beauty industry that inspires women to lead lives of luxury, elegance, and wellness unapologetically — all backed by a “gold standard” of passion and ethics.

 

Tune in to listen on how the sisters adapted their skills, used data as differentiation points, launched with multiple skews early and committed to creating social impact. 

 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Natasha Edwards founded @thickleavein after heeding to an internal call to leave her career in medical ophthalmology and pursue a different journey leading her to peace, purpose and honoring community. She booked a spontaneous trip to Brazil and came to an epiphany while paragliding over the favelas.  Tune in to listen to her personal story and the road to founding her successful one SKU brand, thickleavein.com, for all hair types.

 

Thanks @sirjohn for handing me my first jar of THICK Leave-In! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leah Freeman-Haskin calls Blk Oceans (@blkoceans), her “Ode to to Black Founders and Black Creators.” It really is just that! What started as a creative hustle became her passion business and a platform focused on quality products in fashion, beauty, lifestyle and kids. The home page is a lovingly curated tableau of products and services that are all Black-owned. A life-long writer, Leah’s career journey has afforded her many roles with innovative media and technology companies including @maximag @bostonmagazine @enews @blavity @shazam. We talk about how these roles have served her as a founder, creating safe spaces, and amplifying black voices.

 

Tune in on Sunday to listen to her story including the events that led her to :

-Move to Costa Rica with her husband and children

-Keep her commitments to herself including her new venture

-Create pillars for her brand’s mission

You’ll also get insights on how to turn a side hustle into a main hustle; how you can partner or join the coveted directory; the exciting future outlook for @blkoceansSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are two main questions from Founders that tend to top the chart no matter where they are in their journey: How do I describe my unique value proposition? What funding source is best for me at my various stages of growth?  

You may uncover these and other answers in my conversation with Olivia Owens, the visionary Creator & General Manager of IFundWomen of Color, where Founders make authentic connections and raise capital through crowdfunding, grants, and coaching. Olivia talked about her intrapreneurial journey, the intentionality of a separate platform for women of color, and valuable tips for successful crowdfunding.

Some additional highlights:

Pursuing your passion with bravery 

Why @ifundwomen isn’t inherently @ifundwomenofcolor

Leveraging community support

Using the right tools to prep

Mindset shifts for entrepreneurs

 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Think back to a mentor in your life who was vested enough to coach you and create opportunities for you to shine. How did that relationship impact your trajectory? Helen Aboah @HelenAboah had many mentors but two women of color, in particular, stood out as early sponsors whom she credits with shifting her dynamic career. Helen is the Chief Executive Officer of @UrbanZen, a design vision and philosophy company founded by fashion icon Donna Karan @Donnakaranthewoman. Helen’s cross-industry career spans fashion, hospitality, health and wellness, and entertainment, with a deep foundation in the global luxury goods market across wholesale and retail (digital and physical channels).  

 

From the time that Helen joined the executive team at @LVMH, her journey through the creative side to merchandising product development strategies gave her the perspective and expertise to lead Urban Zen’s iconic expansion globally. Helen and I chat about her vantage point as a Black female executive, her timely decision about motherhood, and the relevance of Black excellence in white spaces. 

 

Tune in to hear her answers to these and other questions:

 

What’s the difference between mentorship and sponsorship?

What role can allies play in making a long-term impact?

How a global brand addresses conscious consumerism and economic sustainability?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.