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A small apartment turned into more than living quarters for two homegrown entrepreneurs. It was the setting for a million-dollar enterprise that today is changing how Black men groom and view self-care. Evan Alexander Grooming is now an inspiring movement towards empowerment and confidence with the underlying message that dreams are attainable for Black entrepreneurs, but let’s rewind to the start.
Dr. Anika Goodwin, founder and CEO of OpulenceMD Beauty, a Black-owned line of magnetic lashes and other eye-focused beauty products, recently made an appearance on Shark Tank and secured a deal from fashion designer and retail mogul Kendra Scott for $100,000 for a 20% stake in the company.
Founded in 2014, Mielle Organics, the #1 fast-growing Black-owned and community-focused natural hair care company, has secured a $100 million investment from Berkshire Partners, a Boston-based firm. The financing will support Mielle's growth plans and help further its mission to educate, empower, and excite its customers and the broader hair care community.
In 2019, entrepreneurs Tim and Kim Lewis, the founders and owners of CurlMix, appeared on ABC's Shark Tank and turned down a $400K offer for a 20% equity in their company. Two years later, the couple launched an equity crowdfunding campaign and raised more than $1.7 million dollars within 24 hours.
Melichsia Boss is a successful entrepreneur who is the owner of BDI Enterprises & Brands, LLC. Her most popular brand, Potent Jamaican Black Castor Oil (PJBCO), is a hair care product that specializes in promoting, healthy hair growth. PJBCO has been on the market since 2011, but the hair oil recipes have been passed down in her family for over ten decades. Celebrating over 10 years in the hair care industry, BDI Enterprises & Brands has decided to rebrand and reintroduce PJBCO to the market with a new logo, an updated website, the same improved products, and an expansion of their wholesale private label program.
Skin Champagne, launched by Honey Pierre, a licensed esthetician, is a Black woman-owned cosmetics brand that produces unique and efficacious skincare products using the most coveted natural ingredients in the industry. Her company is a new glamorously clean beauty brand that aims to do things differently.
In 2019, Shaun Corbett made history as an ex-felon turned entrepreneur from North Carolina who opened Lucky Spot Barbershop, the first Black-owned barbershop inside a Walmart store. Now, he is making history again with the opening of two additional barbershops in two other Walmart locations. He is the first African American to accomplish this.
Camille Janae, the founder and owner of Mahogany and Rose Hair Studio, a Black-owned salon based in Sacramento, California, says that she caters exclusively to those seeking services for their natural hair. Unlike other salons, she only specializes in textured hair care services such as curly haircuts and loc maintenance.
Despite the pandemic, Katrina Wilson, founder of Crême Brûlée has been proclaimed as "recession-proof" and is moving forward to develop her multicultural salon in downtown Detroit.
Meet Zhanyia McCullough, founder and CEO of Islande Beauty, a Black-owned, plant-based company committed to the empowerment of girls through education and healthy hair care. Despite being only 14-years old and still in high school, Zhanyia has managed to launch the first product from her company's Pracaxi Oil and Kalahari Melon Collection, a hair growth oil for girls with kinky, curly hair.
8-year old Zoe Oli is on a mission to inspire self-love and confidence in young girls of color with her company Beautiful Curly Me. She has created a line of black dolls with curls and braids, hair care products, and has authored two books - all within the past two years. Her company gives 10% back to girl empowerment organizations and recently launched a Gift-A-Doll charity initiative.
At a time when nearly half of the nation’s Black owned businesses have shut their doors due to the economic setback caused by the pandemic, The Black Directory is proud to showcase four Black-owned businesses within its vast membership program that are standing strong and forging ahead through such times. These businesses include Symphony Chips, Pedilicious, Diva By Cindy and Bamenda Coffee. Like the many 100,000 Black businesses within the Black Directory, the doors to these four companies are wide open for business.
Confidence by GaBBY Goodwin has been selected for Qurate Retail Group’s Small Business Spotlight, a collaboration with the NRF Foundation to help small businesses navigate today’s challenging retail environment. This phase of the program is highlighting 20 Black-owned businesses as part of Qurate Retail Group’s commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within its company and in society at large.
Lydia Gibson, creator of Eva Jenae Naturals, is driven by the belief that nature provides all we need to achieve our healthiest skin and hair. Every ingredient she uses has a purpose and delivers results. Her brand is proof that skin and hair care can be simple, yet effective.
