Start Right Here! Podcast

The children of Trinidadian immigrants growing up in Montreal, Jamella Bailey, President, and Founder of Crüe Cosmetics, dreaded the hair maintenance process. It led her to spend many years hiding her hair under braids and protective styles. But her quest for a Beyoncé-like lace front cost her more than the expensive price tag for the wig. The stylist she visited glued the wig directly to her hairline, with traumatic results in hair loss, scalp irritation, and traction alopecia.

Jamella couldn't use most of the products she found in her pharmacy without additional irritation. This life-changing experience led her to research natural ingredients and start blending products in her kitchen, and she used friends and family as testers. She knew that she had found the right formula for her first product, a Growth Serum, when her testers started buying the product and asking for more. As a result, Crüe officially launched in 2016 with four hand-made formulas housed in amber glass jars.

Jamella initially thought her target audience would be other Black Canadian women with hair damage but quickly found that those issues attracted a much wider audience than she ever imagined. She shares the challenges Black beauty founders face in being pigeonholed in specific categories.

Jamella has honed her craft along the way, taking photochemistry courses to become a better formulator and recently being a certified trichologist. She also shares why she must consider regulatory rules if she expands her business beyond Canada.

However, in the meantime, she is expanding the Crüe Cosmetics line in the coming months to add shampoos and conditioners to complement her existing treatment line. And she plans to expand beyond her e-commerce model to include salons that can retail her products and use them in treatments.

And Jamella has plans to put her trichology certification to good use in the future.

Follow Crüe Cosmetics on Instagram and Facebook.

Briggitta Hardin, the Co-founder of NFZD, a whole plant beauty brand, always knew entrepreneurship would be in her future but never thought that beauty would be part of the equation. Growing up in a rough section of Chicago, Briggitta couldn't go outside to play, so she devoured books instead.

Her thirst for knowledge led her to attend Howard University, and when she found herself squeamish around blood, she evolved her career aspirations from plastic surgery to public relations.

However, graduating as a new mother led her on another path, AV equipment sales at a hotel.

While on vacation in Los Angeles, Briggitta and her fiancé discovered the benefits of CBD. Briggitta wanted d to share it with her community, particularly Black women.

After the first line she developed failed to live up to her expectations, Briggitta went back to the drawing board, spending two years learning about other plant-based ingredients that worked well with CBD and how to create efficacious formulas. Finally, the pair, along with her cousin, Britton Hardin, launched the brand in 2020.

However, feedback from her early consumers led to a packaging rebrand, resulting in the brand being recognized at LMCC last year.

In addition to the Illuminate + Hydrate Facial Oil, the brand's hero product, the other standout includes their Wellness Blends, powders that include adaptogens, mushrooms, and superfoods that can be incorporated into smoothies and other beverages to aid in energy, sleep, and focus.

Briggitta shares the challenges that some with running a CBD brand and her commitment to making it work because she always remembers her 'why.'

Follow NFZD Beauty on Instagram

Shop NFZD Beauty face and body collections on their website

In-person at Etain Health.

Rahama Wright, CEO of Shea Yeleen, volunteering for the Peace Corp was a no-brainer, it was how her parents met. But it was during her time volunteering for a health clinic in West Africa that she had a desire to create an ecosystem that provided economic support for women. And she saw shea butter as a vehicle for her end goal. Eventually, that led to the launch of Shea Yellen, through which she partners with 14 different women's cooperatives in Ghana.

While other companies work on a buy one give one model, or tout their fair trade status, Rahama is on a mission to make sure that her work has a real social impact. Her Ghanian partners benefit from the business--making five times the local minimum wage. And she's invited the growers to see the finished products in Whole Foods too.

Rahama shares the challenges she faced getting her products into Whole Foods and how she was able to expand the brand's footprint as a result. And the other retail avenues she created before the pandemic included MGM hotels and retail space at the airport.

Covid-19 presented many obstacles for Shea Yeleen, Rahama shares them as well as some new opportunities that came her way, including being approached by Macy's.

But Rahama is not solely focused on her brand but defines real success by equipping other beauty entrepreneurs with the tools to find success too, she has partnered with her local government as well as some partners (to be named soon) on a new venture.

She also shares how she became the youngest Black woman to serve on a Presidential Advisory Council on doing business in Africa.

And she shares five great tips for anyone interested in creating a social impact business of their own.

Follow Shea Yeleen on

IG,

Facebook

Twitter

Shop for Shea Yeleen:

Whole Food Markets

Macys.com

SheaYeleen.com

Check out The Last Word Newsletter from Start Right Here!

This week, I am excited to bring you my chat with Amanda Flores, the Editorial Director of Prose, a customized haircare company. Amanda has loved beauty since she began playing around in her mother's Mary Kay stash when her mom sold the brand. But it would be years before she considered a career in the industry, and for her, writing was the key. Amanda wanted to be Judy Blume and pen novels (who knows, she still may fulfill that dream).

But while studying journalism and French in college, she landed an internship at Redbook and saw the possibility of combining two things that she loved. So following graduation, she did a reverse commute to work at the weekly Women's World and later worked in a combined fashion/beauty department at Family Circle.

Amanda called on her network for a few of her early career moves, ranging from connections she made during her internship or those she nurtured since college.

But it was her move to LATINA as beauty director that gave her a different kind of joy, having begun reading the magazine before she was in the industry. While the position was fulfilling, Amanda was interested in expanding beyond print magazines into digital. So she opened up a whole new category of career possibilities by joining L'Oréal as the Site Director of Makeup.com (and launching Skincare.com).

While there were many technical skills she had to learn, Amanda stressed that her editorial ability was her strength. And she believes anyone with editorial chops can be an asset to a brand and that majoring in journalism is still important.

After working at the largest beauty company in the world, Amanda was ready for a new challenge, joining Prose while it was still a startup and using her storytelling skills in new ways.

Hear all of this and more in this episode of Start Right Here! And check out our newsletter, The Last Word.

In the latest episode, I chat with natural hair pioneer Taliah Waajid, who talks about her career journey in the world of textured tresses that inspired her to create the World Natural Hair Show in the late 1990s.

Taliah shares how her first braiding in a salon taught her that the customer's hair health has to be the priority, even if it means turning down a style request. When she first moved there, the perception of natural hair differed between New York City and Atlanta. She shares how "Poetic Justice" helped turn the tide. And how working at a big salon in Atlanta drove home the importance of retailing products as a revenue stream and why she created her first three products.

Her lines include Uncle Jimmy's (her men's line), her children's line, Black Earth (her original collection), Curls, Waves, Naturals, Protective Styles, Green Apple, and Aloe. (While she also has a scalp care collection in the works.)Taliah explains the steps she took to get her products in local beauty supply stores, find distributors and eventually land her products in big box stores like Walmart and Target.

She shares why running a salon and a brand didn't work for her. But what you will want to hear is why and how she came to start The World Natural Hair Show, now in its 23rd year. After not mounting the show for two years, she is excited to return. Hear how she built the show from its humble beginnings to the point where there were 30,000 attendees over the two-day event with more than 300 vendors. And why it was vital for her to include competitors in the mix.

(Correction: The Show is on 4/23 and 4/24!!)

To get tickets go to the worldnaturalhairshow.org

Follow Taliah Waajid on Instagram and Facebook.

Check out The Last Word Newsletter here!

This week we're back with new episodes. We're coming out the gate strong with my chat with Patricia Reynoso, Executive Director, Cultural Relevancy Engagement—North America, at The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc.

Patricia has been an editor, author, publicist, editor-in-chief, copy director, essay writer, and more throughout her career. In this episode, she walks us through the career she never knew existed as a child but reflected her lifelong love of beauty and her culture.

She shares how her early career was nurtured by many women at Fairchild Publications, from her start at Children's Business to WWD and W. And how relationships formed there have served her throughout her career.

Patricia shares what she learned about covering beauty at a luxury magazine and a huge service publication.How she co-authored a book while her twins were toddlers, and why she took her first foray into the side of beauty with a public relations position at Lancôme. And the dream job that called her back to editorial.

Patricia explains how authenticity and culture were present throughout her career. They are what I call her superpower, setting her apart and have factored into the position she holds today.

Check out some of Patricia's writing:

https://www.elle.com/beauty/a28640193/hair-pelo-malo/

Read her essay included in: AOC: The Fearless Rise of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

We're digging the crates to bring another episode rebroadcast. This week we're featuring Dr. Edward E. Dickerson IV, a double board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon (originally ep 37). Did you know that there are only about 25 Black specialists like Dr. Dickerson?

He shares his education and medical training at two HBCUs, West Virginia State College and Morehouse School of Medicine. And his surgical training while rising through Lt. Col. in the United States Army. Then, Dr. Dickerson breaks down some key facts about aesthetic procedures. Everything from how the Fitzpatrick scale factors into outcomes to the differences between wrinkle relaxers and fillers. Plus why some hair removal procedures can be tricky. Check out this information and more in this rebroadcast!

This month, we're back in the crates, offering remixes of some of our old episodes. This episode features Jazmin Alvarez, founder of the clean beauty & wellness site Pretty Well Beauty (initially. interviewed. in episode 3!)

Since I chatted with Jazmin last, a few things have happened:

• The website redesign and brand refresh
• She's added seven new lines
• 50% of the brands on the site are from BIPOC creators
• She's co-founding a leadership academy for emerging beauty entrepreneurs (with access to funding).
• She is the recipient of a Reimagine Main Street grant

Note: EleVen is Venus Williams' line, not Serena's.

The original show notes are below:

With $300 and two suitcases, she came to New York City with her eye on being a model agent. From there, Alvarez transitioned to casting and photo production before leaping entrepreneurship. Jazmin Alvarez talks to host Corynne L. Corbett about her winding path to becoming a beauty entrepreneur. After graduating from college, she came to NYC with two suitcases and $300, determined to be a model agent. Her first opportunity came from Ford Model Management on the men's board, and she turned it down in favor of an internship at another agency. When that opportunity didn't pan out as hoped, Alvarez went back to Ford and asked if they would consider her for the men's board again. I actually turned that job down and went to One model management for an unpaid internship that I thought would turn into a full-time position. They had Naomi Campbell at the time. So, you know, they were like the hot new boutique agency of the moment. So after about two or three months, it did not turn into a full-time position. So I ended up going back to Ford and asking them about the job they had previously offered me was still available, and they hired me, and it ended up being one of the most fun experiences of my life. This is just one example of how Alvarez took on the challenges in front of her without fear. She shares how she transitioned to casting and later photo production. She points out how her time at Art + Commerce set a standard of excellence that she still refers to today. And what it was like to produce ads for Rolex, cast NY Fashion Week shows, and cast the models for the social campaign for the Fenty Beauty digital launch. She shares how her interest in clean beauty was strictly personal at first. And how Pretty Well Beauty went from an Instagram account to an e-commerce business showcasing a carefully curated collection of beauty and wellness brands that she spends a minimum of 4 weeks and a maximum of a year vetting. She and Corbett discuss why clean beauty should not be strictly reserved for white women (aka the Goop effect) and how Black and Brown women have created clean products for eons. You know, when we hear people from Goop or any of these other companies raving about Ashwangandha and Turmeric all these herbs and stuff that are in these skin care products that have been around for centuries, as if they're talking about as if they just discovered it. It feels a little bit like cultural appropriation. And I think it's an extremely inappropriate and disrespectful because you're you are taking something from people who you are not acknowledging in any way. She shares some clean beauty and wellness products that have her attention right now. They include Ilera Apothecary, Element Apothecary, and Taza Ayurvedic. And Alvarez also reveals how she plans to expand the Pretty Well Beauty footprint in the future. I look at the ingredients first and everything that's in it. If there's nothing in there that's toxic or unsafe, then I request samples of the products. So they'll send me the products. And I need at least four weeks to be able to use everything, because that's usually how long it takes for you to start to see results. I'll use the products for a minimum of four weeks. [I will take it to the next step] If I like the products, if I feel like they are beneficial and they're effective and I'm not experiencing any sort of reactions that are negative or if they are just they if they just feel good. I pay attention to like all the details of what my experience is, not only from a consumer point of view, but also as a beauty buyer. Guest Bio: Jazmin Alvarez is the founder and chief curator of Pretty Well Beauty, an Afro-Latina-owned clean beauty and wellness website launched in 2019. Alvarez, a 14 year veteran of the fashion and beauty industry, is an alum of Calvin Klein Condé Nast. In 2017, she led the production and casting for the digital launch of Fenty Beauty, having experienced first-hand the direct relationship between the products that you put on your skin-your body's largest organ- and your vital organs. Alvarez curates a diverse product offering that adheres to the strictest standards of clean and sustainable practice. Diversity is at the heart of Pretty Well Beauty's mission which seeks to reclaim wellness and clean beauty to be accessible and approachable Alvarez'sunique curation prioritizes a product selection that addresses a wide variety of needs, fits various price points and highlights the founders from a variety of backgrounds.

We dug in the crates again to give you another fantastic episode. First, I wanted to rebroadcast my chat with Eunice Cofie-Obeng, Founder and Chief Cosmetic Chemist of Nuekie, a skincare company, because products created for melanin-rich skin are increasingly popular. But Eunice has been working on her products for more than a decade (the first time I met her was in 2009). And since we last chatted, Eunice introduced a number of new products and was chosen as a 2021 Glossier grantee.

But the other thing that is crucial in Eunice's work is her dedication to training aestheticians about skin of color through her Skin of Color Academy.

Our discussion about funding for Black founders is still relevant, as are her thoughts about collaborating with other Black beauty founders during the pandemic.

And we have a bonus added: Towards the end of the episode, we got five new tips from Eunice to find an aesthetician who knows how to work with skin of color. One good resource: the Black Estheticians and Skin Therapists Association.

This is a rebroadcast of my interview with Kim Roxie, founder of Lamik Beauty, early in the pandemic.

Since we've chatted, Kim has won 10 pitch competitions. Ulta.com is selling the Lamik Revelation Brow Duo, Clear Brow Gel, Mascara, and Powder Brow Duo Brush. And Kim has embraced live shopping by regularly appearing on Talk Shop Live and has just begun her own show Kickin It With Kim! At her heart, Kim calls herself a cheerleader, and through this channel, she is doing just that.

As you listen to Kim's interview, from over a year ago, and see how crazy has played into her progress.

Here are the show notes from our first broadcast:

Kim Roxie spent hours studying the piano, but although she didn't make music her career, she has called on that discipline in her work as a beauty entrepreneur. Kim founded Lamik Beauty, a clean beauty brand for women of color, and opened her first store in Houston, TX, shortly after graduating from college.

"It must have been destiny that landed me in this role. I think that's a great thought. Do you think the discipline of being a pianist has helped you to apply to be an entrepreneur? Yeah. I think the same type of attitude and skillset. You have the same type of discipline and mindset because when you play an instrument and anybody listening knows if you ever played an instrument or either, you know, your voice, it might be, but you practice all the time. When I played the piano growing up, I mean, I practiced every day for a certain amount of time. There's a huge amount of discipline and work that you've put into a piece just to play it for recital or just to play it, you know? And so not getting tired of doing the same thing over and over just to get better. I think, is a discipline that I'm definitely using an entrepreneur.

With the odds stacked against her, Kim relied on her ability to connect with women, her belief in a new category of beauty, and her faith to succeed.

I had someone say to me, Kim, you just got crazy faith. And I said, okay, that's what it is. I remember being in my senior year and we had to have our senior project. And if you didn't pass the senior project, they would hold you for another semester. And I remember being in my senior project and finishing up and then saying to my professors now I hope this was a great project. I did. I said, but if you need any convincing, let me let you know. I've already taken a lease out on a space in the mall in Houston. And I have this company that I want to launch in two months. And I was like, so if the project isn't worth passing, just from what I did, can you at least look at my future goals and pass me because of that? When I opened up my store, I had no money left in the bank. I had figured out my budget, but I didn't understand budgets back then and financial models. So I only had the money saved up that it would take me to open up the store. I didn't have any money for next month's rent or for inventory. I didn't have that money when I opened up, that was it my bank account with zero. So when I opened up my store, nobody came in when I opened up the gate, I'm in a mall and nobody came in and I was like, that was like the first 30 minutes. I was like, Oh, so people don't just walking in when you say open. Okay. And so I went down to the food court to go get customers. And that's how I built my clientele was walking down to the food court, walking a person, talking to the woman all the way to my store and started in the business.

But then her dream expanded and decided that reaching more women required her to change her business model from brick and mortar to e-commerce, incorporate technology, and learn a new way of business. So she decided to close her store.

I wrote a letter to my customer base and I agonized over that letter, just being able to explain, but I was so convinced. I was so convinced that this was the right thing to do. Because I felt this huge calling the same calling I felt to open up that store, the same calling. I felt to do it at a time where it wasn't even popular. Like I felt that same calling towards who are more tech and doing the things that way. So I've actually just taken our customers from our store on the ride, with us and I've explained to them and when things have taken longer, you know, I told them I'm going almost like back to school in a way where some people would go to like business school.

Find out how Kim has incorporated tech into her new business model and more when you listen to the entire episode.