Business of the Beat

I talk to Radha Kapoor (@radhakapoor9) who leads venture partnerships for @getclearco. Built by Founders for Founders, Clearco is the world’s largest e-commerce investor and offers the most Founder-friendly capital solutions for e-commerce, a trusted network, and multiple other tools and resources including data-driven insights. Radha anchors partnerships of Clearco.  She has been a true collabora...

Kendra talks to entrepreneur, investor and business partner, Moj Mahdara (@moj) about her COVID pivot, personal value proposition and the future of the industry. Moj is recognized as an expert in beauty, wellness and CPG (specifically consumerism and culture), and she is the  Co-Founder of Beautycon--a globally-recognized one-of-a-kind festival for content creators, celebrities, fans, and brands....

Kendra talks with Kitiya King @kitiyamking of Mischo Beauty @mischobeauty about the winding road that led Kitiya to her title as a “Nail Polish Mogul” as coined in @essence. Mischo Beauty was born when Kitiya was pregnant with her son and could not find richly-hued, non-harmful polish.  Her determination to create the alternative that she sought led her to build the brand while pregnant and parent...

Kendra talks with Alisia Ford (@alisiamford ) about Glory Skincare (@gloryskincare_). Glory’s mantra “We see the Beauty in Hue” is their acknowledgment of the skincare education and needs of women of every skin color. Alisia talks about her background in law and how frequent migraines resulting from chemicals in her skincare routine led her to search for alternative clean beauty products. She shar...

Kendra talks with Kameko Grant, Founder of @sogoodgeneralstore, about Kameko’s winding road spanning east to west coasts as a purpose-driven intrapreneur and entrepreneur.  Growing up in rural Virginia as one of five girls in a multicultural, deeply religious household, Kameko was homeschooled and encouraged to explore nature as a pastime. While babysitting, she discovered and became enamored with...

Kendra talks with Dionne Phillips (@dlashes) about her journey as a model, product innovator, and luxury lash spa owner in Beverly Hills! Dionne shares her fascination with fashion and modeling as a girl growing up in Ohio and the opportunities that guided her to NYC at 19. One day as she did her makeup on set she cut a pair of lashes and added them to the edge of her own; this bold move created a...

Kendra talks with Marcia Cole, media maven, philanthropist, life coach and co-Founder of the Fourth Phase (@fourthphasebox). “Passion meets Purpose” is the name of the nonprofit that Marcia started to offer mind-shifting coaching and access to homeless individuals transitioning their lives. Passion meets Purpose is also a phrase that defines Marcia’s impactful career that spans transformational Fo...

Kendra talks with Chinonye Akunne (@chinonyeakunne) about growing ILERA Apothecary (@ileraapothecary) the African-centered, clean beauty brand she launched in 2015, expanding to 40 stores across the US and building ILERA Labs, an FDA approved manufacturing facility that offers services to other brands.  ILERA is an example of a brand built on family inspiration and driven, in its early stages, by...

Kendra talks with Kelle Jacob (@kellejacob) about the journey to ASRI Wellness.  Kelle made the bold decision to delay college and explore other opportunities before circling back to obtain her degree while making remarkable contributions to her alma mater. Kelle’s zeal for learning and innovative solutions led her to establish an online art gallery business, clinch a contestant spot on America’s...

Kendra talks with Kim Lewis (@kimandtimlewis) about CurlMix’s (@curlmix) humble beginnings as a DIY subscription box to becoming a sophisticated community-centered operation and fastest-growing privately owned company in the world.  Kim shares background stories about her early flaxseed gel experiment that supercharged sales to a million; clenching rounds of investments through networking and; off...

Kendra talks with Chaz Giles (@chaz. Giles) about his personal and professional journey and how those moments drove him to be a problem solver and entrepreneur. From leading innovation at the Estee Lauder (@esteelauder) to co-founding his groundbreaking skincare company @myrevea, Chaz shares his process for bringing together scientists, technologist and skincare gurus to curate highly personalized...

Kendra talks with Amber Makupson (@AmberMakupson) about growing up in a small suburban town in Cleveland, OH with her dad and aunt. It was her aunt’s teachings about the importance of proper hair care as part of a wellness ritual that inspired Amber’s passion and formal education in aesthetics. After spending years making and selling her own botanical treatments and getting re-inspired by the lack...

Kendra talks with Jewel Bush (@jewelmariebush) about the trajectory of her love for storytelling; her beginnings as a writer in daily newspapers where she learned the importance of unions; building up to leading the charge as Chief of External Affairs at GirlTrek  (@girltrek)--a movement that encourages Black women to use walking as a practical first step to inspire healthy living, families, and c...

Kendra talks to Kenya Eldridge (@kenyaeldridge) about her educational and professional journey that placed her among the list of remarkable Black women impacting the beauty industry. Kenya shares the steps to developing her passion for Global Product Marketing and identifying opportunities to innovate. Kenya's trajectory includes setting specific intentions to make moves within the beauty industry...

Kendra talks with Brittany Scott (@brittbrow) about how Brittany's education in architecture influenced her skillset as a brow and makeup artist while her tenacity, consistent practice, and stellar customer service propelled her ahead in the industry. Brittany shares how she found herself following in her parent’s footsteps as educators and she shares the journey to her current role as Director of...

Kendra talks with Lucien Aymerick (@lucienaymerick) about developing Charbon Plus (@charbonplus) with his sister, building his factory in Cameroon, and the importance of having his consumers feel part of a community.  Lucien also shares his dual mission of bridging the Skincare Race Gap and repping as a conduit for conversation on identity, discovery, empowerment and social justice.  Gems dropped...

Kendra talks with Tai Beauchamp (@taibeau) about her storied career as an award winning media personality, magazine deputy editor, TV Host, Founder of Tai Life Media and her latest venture, Brown Girl Jane (@itsbrowngirljane) with co-founders Malaika and Nia!  “My focus is on changing the face of what wellness means especially for black and brown women.” - Tai See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

This week on @businessofthebeat I chatted with Dorian Morris (@dmo22) about her storied journey from retail buying (and getting to meet the one and only @Beyonce 

Kendra talks with beauty expert, educator, and artist Michela Wariebi, (@michelawariebi) about pivoting from the IT world to beauty, how a lung collapse in 2016 led to a new unexpected opportunity and her mantra to ""Unapologetically Be Yourself."" Michela also shared a bit about color theory, philosophy and dropped jewels on the origins of make up from our African ancestors including her new Club...

Kendra talks with Yve-Car Momperousse (@yvecar), CEO and Co-Founder of Kreyol Essence (@kreyolessence) about building a beauty based agribusiness, being featured on Shark Tank and walking away as one of few female founders to negotiate a $400K investment that propelled her business forward. As part of its mission, Kreyol Essence has provided jobs to over 300 farmers in Haiti and along with her hus...

Kendra talks with Dr Nigma Talib, Founder of HealthyDoc clinics about becoming a naturopathic doctor, the importance of supplemental vitamins in our diet, and the impact race can play on your path to understanding your own health and wellness journey. “You don’t know how good you can feel until you do it.” - Dr NigmaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kendra talks with Angela Stevens (@angelacstyles) about her journey as a master stylist on VH1, BET, FOX, NBC and WE TV, winning her first Emmy for styling singer Eve (@therealeve) on CBS’ The Talk (@thetalkcbs), to writing a children’s book called HAIR (@prettycurlsclub) and ultimately developing Conscious Curls Hair (@consciouscurlshair)! What’s next? - Staying the course … opening up her salon...

Kendra talks with Yannize Joshua (@yiddy5pt0) about growing up in Queens and the power of saying YES! From her dream of being a lawyer, to starting a beauty blog and saying YES to Erica Dotson to being her first Marketing Assistant and YES to Tekoa (@tekoak) on being her partner in The Teknique Agency (@tekniqueagency), Yannize shares how YES has led her to a successful career and how she is chang...

Kendra talks with Daria Burke (@dariaburke), CMO of JustFab (@justfabonline) about being one of very few Black female C-suite executives leading a major company, her journey from L’Oreal to Estée Lauder to RentTheRunway to Facebook, and the importance of generational wealth - learning how to make your money make money for you. Daria believes that everyone deserves to have a sense of belonging.  “S...

Kendra talks with Emeka Anyanwu (@emekalanyanwu) about following her father’s footsteps as an attorney, getting her MBA and the pitch competition in 2018 that forever changed her path leading her to launch A’me-ke (@amekellc) in April 2019.  “Entrepreneurship is not for everyone, but I think it's important that everyone explores options to direct their own legacy and build generational wealth.” -...