Business of the Beat

Join us for an inspiring episode featuring Amanda E/J Morrison, Co-Founder & CEO of Julie Products Inc. Discover Amanda's transformative journey from a structured career in finance at Goldman Sachs to pioneering entrepreneurship in consumer-facing industries. Prior to Julie, Amanda co-founded Mented Cosmetics, a trailblazing brand addressing the beauty needs of people of color. Amanda shares deep...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Julee Wilson, the pioneering Beauty Editor-at-Large at Cosmopolitan and the first Black Beauty Director in the magazine's history. Julee shares her journey of breaking barriers, telling diverse stories, and supporting her community. Julee reflects on her career challenges, including overcoming self-doubt and embracing her power. Her career journey undersc...

Jemila Bwanhot, the visionary Founder and CEO of Alimaj Essentials, and winner of the 2024 Earth Day Beauty Award, shares her transformative journey from Nigeria to the U.S., overcoming postpartum hair shedding, and delving into the world of natural hair care. Drawing from her heritage and a passion for holistic beauty, Jemila founded Alimaj Essentials, emphasizing the science behind her award-win...

Dr. Shoná Burkes-Henderson, Manager, Product Research Organization and Product Experience Center at Mary Kay Global, shares her inspiring journey from an internship at Mary Kay to a distinguished career in environmental chemistry, and her eventual return to Mary Kay in various leadership roles. Shoná delves into the significance of mentorship, community, and maintaining a work-life balance in achi...

In part two, Ceata E. Lash, Founder of The PuffCuff LLC, discusses the intricate challenges of patent protection, particularly against international copycats and large corporations; ultimately sharing a playbook of when and how to diversify your product offering. To stay competitive, Ceata delves deep into her new diffusion collection, the Cuffet, ensuring the line did not alienate existing loyal...

In this two part series, Ceata E. Lash, Founder of The PuffCuff LLC, shares her inspiring journey, which began unintentionally when she stopped chemically straightening her hair and embraced her natural curls. Facing headaches from conventional styling accessories, she envisioned a new hair tool. Leveraging her engineering connections at her community college job, she developed a prototype. Ceata...

Join us as Rhonda Daniels, Co-Founder and CEO of Natural Radiant Life, shares her inspiring journey from selling pickles as a child to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Rhonda recounts meeting her long-time business partners at Florida A&M University, launching her first beauty business in 2001, and navigating a diverse career in the skincare industry, including roles at Avon and Rodan + Fields....

Kene Onuorah, founder and CEO of Comme Homme, opens up about his personal journey of hair loss, sharing the emotional toll it took and his eventual embrace of baldness. He discusses how Comme Homme empowers men through their hair loss journey and emphasizes the importance of instilling confidence. Drawing from his background in venture capital and entrepreneurship education, Kene shares valuable i...

Leona Dondi, Founder and CEO of Uzima, shares her inspiring journey from academia to entrepreneurship, fueled by a passion for solving problems and addressing the unique needs of textured hair. The discussion spans her background as a Kenyan immigrant, her academic research on implicit bias, and her unexpected entry into the cosmetics industry due to personal skincare needs. The unveiling of the s...

Cindy Tawaih, Chief Healing Officer of Diva By Cindy, shares her remarkable journey from nursing to entrepreneurship, revealing pivotal moments that shaped her path. From a teacher's encouragement to pursue beauty products to opening her own salon, Cindy's story is one of perseverance and passion. Cindy discusses her transition from salon owner to creator of Diva By Cindy, a beauty brand focused o...

Mimi Johnson, Founder and CEO of The Glamatory and Grind Pretty, shares her transition from a corporate IT job to a flourishing entrepreneur in the beauty industry. Reflecting on her upbringing and passion for makeup artistry, Mimi opens up about the challenges she faced, including financial setbacks and navigating the impact of COVID-19 on her business. Despite this, Mimi's story is one of resili...

Roger Dupé, the founder and CEO of Melyon, recounts his extraordinary journey from aspiring soccer player to accomplished model and entrepreneur. In this insightful conversation, Roger delves into his background as a Swedish-born individual of West African descent, shedding light on his experiences in the fashion industry. As a recipient of the Beauty Matter Next 2023 grant, Roger shares the chall...

Aja Frierson, Founder of Habit Cosmetic, shares her inspiring journey into the realm of clean beauty and the genesis of founding her brand in 2013. Aja's passion for sustainability shines through as she discusses her unwavering commitment to eco-friendly practices and her quest to discover innovative, sustainable materials like bamboo. Throughout the conversation, Aja delves into the intricacies o...

Part two of Orlena Nwokah Blanchard's empowering journey explores the link between gut health, skincare, and the powerful benefits of moringa, a superfood indigenous to Africa. Highlighting the benefits of each WonderTree Skin product, Orlena underscores the brand’s mission to provide effective skincare solutions rooted in natural resources like Moringa, while incorporating safe synthetics. Orlena...

Part two of Orlena Nwokah Blanchard's empowering journey explores the link between gut health, skincare, and the powerful benefits of moringa, a superfood indigenous to Africa. Highlighting the benefits of each WonderTree Skin product, Orlena underscores the brand’s mission to provide effective skincare solutions rooted in natural resources like Moringa, while incorporating safe synthetics. Orlena...

The two-part series delves into the story of visionary entrepreneur, Orlena Nwonkah Blanchard, founder and CEO of Wondertree Skin, who continues to shape the industry and make an impact as a disruptor in the skincare industry. Orlena reflects on her journey from engineering to marketing, sharing pivotal moments like her inspiration from a Gap ad and her experience in Black media, where she was abl...

Join Melissa Hibbert, President of BrainTrust Founders Studio, in a captivating episode as she reflects on the evolution of her entrepreneurial journey and being at the top of her game. Melissa first appeared in season one episode 12, "Power To Change Perception," which aired on February 27, 2021. Looking forward, Melissa shares compelling insights from her transition from the beauty and film indu...

In this special episode, “The Beauty of Success Books + Bubbles” book tour makes a stop at Kendra Scott in Alpharetta, Georgia, where Amanda Young, Marketing and Philanthropic Manager for Kendra Scott Southeast area, takes center stage. In a collaborative effort to champion entrepreneurship and foster community empowerment, Kendra Scott through their respective program - Kendra Gives Back - has te...

Dionne Phillips, Founder and CEO of D’Lashes by Dionne Phillips, returns to Business of the Beat for Part 2 of the Where Are They Now Series. Dionne first joined in Season One of Business of the Beat and is featured in Kendra’s new book, The Beauty of Success: Start, Grow and Accelerate Your Brand. Dionne shares her remarkable story of battling cancer while navigating the challenges of entrepreneu...

This week Arlan Hamilton, trailblazing investor, author, and founder at Backstage Capital and HireRunner.co joins Business of the Beat. Arlan reflects on her past struggles and triumphs while sharing the importance of self-care, particularly for black women navigating the demanding world of entrepreneurship. Both Kendra and Arlan candidly share their experiences, emphasizing the need for balance a...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Brianna Arps, the visionary founder and CEO of MOODEAUX, a fragrance label that's disrupting the industry with its authenticity and innovation. Made for the unapologetically outspoken rebel inside us all, MOODEAUX is grounded in the belief that self-expression is the best self-care. Ditching tradition and introducing a new standard of longer-lasting, skin...

Camille Bell, the visionary Co-Founder and CEO of Pound Cake, a multi-award-winning pro-Black, pro-fat, and pro-queer cosmetics company, takes us through the captivating journey of building this revolutionary beauty brand. Camille sheds light on the challenges she faced, addressing issues of representation and racism within the industry. Delving into Pound Cake's product development, she shares ex...

Amadou Doumbia, the visionary founder of Wuli Grooming, embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery, drawing inspiration from his rich multicultural background spanning West Africa, New York City, Asia, and Sydney, Australia. Confronted with the challenges of 2020 and furloughed from his hospitality job, he transcended the belief in individual success, opting for collaboration and seeki...

Kyera Keenne, Founder of KyeraBrand - Makers of Look, Don’t Touch shares her journey from an executive assistant to embracing her love for music, overcoming discouragement about her singing voice, and discovering her passion for composing and songwriting. The episode details Kyera's personal hair journey, from societal pressures to embracing her natural texture and creating the "Look, Don't Touch"...

Leslie Roberson, Founder and CEO of the Black Beauty Collective, a beauty retailer that features exclusively black-owned brands, shares her diverse journey, including experiences as a veteran, HR manager, and model. The episode highlights Leslie's resilience in transitioning from the military to modeling and explores her entrepreneurial spirit inherited from her father. Addressing the lack of repr...