Habits and Hustle - Episode 37: Sharon Chuter – Founder of UOMA Beauty – Running One of The Fastest Beauty Brands

Episode Date: November 12, 2019

Sharon Chuter is the founder, CEO, and creative director of UOMA Beauty, an inclusive cosmetics line inspired by and infused with Afro heritage. Sharon grew up in a poor part of Nigeria and worked her way up the corporate latter (at L’Oreal) until taking the leap with her own venture. In this episode, she talks bout the importance of messaging in a brand, seeing the big picture vs. caring about “getting the bag”, and how she blasts music and dances every morning.  Youtube Video to This Episode Sharon’s Instagram UOMA Beauty ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Did you learn something from tuning in today? Please pay it forward and write us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 📧If you have feedback for the show, please email [e-mail]  📙Get yourself a copy of Jennifer Cohen’s newest book from Habit Nest, Badass Body Goals Journal. ℹ️Habits & Hustle Website 📚Habit Nest Website 📱Follow Jennifer – Instagram – Facebook – Twitter – Jennifer’s Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Vitamin water is a registered trademark of glass O. Welcome to the Habits and Hustle Podcast. A podcast that uncovers the rituals, unspoken habits and mindsets of extraordinary people. A podcast powered by habit nest. Now here's your host, Jennifer Cohen. All right, so welcome to Habits and Hustle. We have, not only do we have Sharon Shooter, right?

Yes, please. Shooter. Shooter. Exactly. She's founder of O. O. Mabutius. I don't want wanna say it raw. It's like, okay.

And we have her guest dog with us as well, what's his name? Leo the CEO. Oh, all right. So he's the boss around here. So, wow, I've got a behavior. I love that. I've never done like a podcast on a treadmill

with a dog. With a dog? With a dog. There you go. There you go. That's life. That's life with Sharon and I'm a beauty. Anything can happen. We're, turn up with a dog. With a dog? With a dog. There you go. There you go. That's life. That's life with Sharon. And I'm a beauty. Anything can happen.

We're turn up with a dog. Crump on your treadmill. You never know where this is going to go. Absolutely not. There's a first time for everything. Exactly right? Exactly. So we could have a treadmill potty here.

You never know how this is going to go. We are having a treadmill party. You mean the dog. And Leo, exactly. And Leo. All right, so hopefully this isn't fall off the treadmill. I don't want to be liable All right, so hopefully it isn't far off the treadmill. I don't want to be liable for anything, you know.

But well, let's start. So basically, you have a beauty line that has a lot of skews, 100. 108. That's a lot of skews. That's a lot. But I think for me it was really important, because the reason I set up on my beauty

was to mention that everybody felt included. And it was so important to me to go out with an assortment where everybody could find something for them. Right. It was besides, you know, foundation 51 shades. I wanted to make sure that 51 shades. If you want shades of foundation, how do you even like, that's that's a knowledge that's kind of work to even do

that to basically figure out those the palettes of that. But that's a lot for production. It is a lot, and a lot of inventory too. A lot of inventory. A lot of inventory. A lot of that part. But it was so important to me. That's why I came up to do what I'm doing

because brands always seem to put profit or ease before what's right. And what's right is every woman and man, regardless of who you are, regardless of your race, should be able to walk into any beauty hole and find something for yourself. I think beauty is such a basic want. It's not even a need.

You know, we don't need lipsticks. We get lipsticks because we want to wear lipsticks. Right. Imagine walking to a store. And this is the experience of most women of color. You walk into a store and you go, actually the first question we ask is, do you have anything for people with my skin?

And you think that's a crazy question, but the crazy part is, most times is, oh, not really. And so for me, it was really important to get out there with a brand that told about everybody. And even from our foundation, you just don't want to be about shade.

Hey, I'm doing a 51 shade. It was the first time anybody actually thought that maybe the things that light skin needs are completely different to the needs of deeper skin. And even as the color profile changes, the way the skin reacts completely changes. So for the first time, we actually created six custom formulas. So each skin color group has a dedicated formula for them. So it was really rebellious, but it's so much common sense. Like at the end of the day, you know, our skin type and the skin color really impacts, you know, the way our skin behaves, the way it reacts to the sun, and the problems

we either try and conceal or fix. So it was so interesting, but it's been, wasn't easy getting now there, but it's been so beautiful. Well, you don't, okay, so you don't cater for one particular skin type. Everybody. It could be for people who are African-American, for white people, for the skin. And everybody.

So that's what I find interesting. Because you were saying, I think a lot of times people are catering for a niche market not over across the board. Yes, yes. I think it's just a silly, right? I think that's not my mission. My mission is, you know, because my experience as a woman

was that where I would go to different stores and everybody didn't have something. You know, like, even as a two years ago, I would walk into the apartment store. I was working for brands. I couldn't use 95% of their products. Can you even like, talk about that? No, I believe that. I believe that.

It would be crazy for me to then go, OK, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to quit my own brand, but I'm only going to cater for people who look like me. I'm doing the exact same thing. I'm continuing the problem as opposed to being part of the solution. And I will here to be part of the solution.

First of all, give it my unique insight on people of color that brands seem to not understand, because apparently we appeared. we didn't exist before. They just came to a point in time where we just came to planet Earth and everyone was like, what do we do with this skin? Right? But also addressing, so when we're talking about beauty

and lack of inclusivity, we're not just talking about people of color, we're talking about even people who are very fair skinned. The industry is like, blah, blah, nothing for here. Try again later. Or they give you threened, the industry is like, blah, blah, nothing for here, try again later. Or they give you three different, they say, medium, light, super dark. Exactly, and then there's nothing in between.

Nothing in between, right? And then you will have this huge population of women who are fair skinned, but warm undertone. You know, latinas, arubs, a lot of mixed race kids, right? They in this bucket, they're the skin's fair, but the quite, the undertone quite apricot is quite warm. Bap-bap, no, the industry apparently, if you're fair, you have to be pink.

So everything, also, it's like not just catering for one spectrum is for everybody, and that was what was important to me. So then how do you like, that's a lot of funding, right? Because it's easier to write it. Yes, please. Right? It's not easy on a good day to even get one stew out in the work in place.

But when you started, OK, so you had to, we'll talk a little touch upon the fact that your background came from your head of operations for benefit, health benefits. But I think it's a big cosmetic line for people who don't know. Al, you're a L, youreal, you're at Revlon. You have a lot of background in that world.

A lot of background in beauty. A lot of in beauty. Yes, but when you start your own brand, like it's very, very difficult to like tell me anything, talk about the journey. How did you go from working for a big brand to then starting your own brand? Yes, so I was working for a big brand

and you know, it was great, it was amazing, amazing people. But I think when you're in a point where you're more frustrated about what you do, then happy, he tells you you need a change. And at that point in time, I had to pinpoint. For me, I turned 30 and the world just changed for me. Before 30, my life was all about the next big job. You know, I was conscious that,

hey, I'm a woman of color. I wanted to prove myself. I wanted to, you know, like, oh my God, I have to be here, I have to be in that room. Almost like validation. That's how my validation came through to feel like I was worthy to be a global citizen or participate in a conversation was,

I had to get the executive job. I had to do this and I had to do that. For a well-known brand. For a well-known brand, that's what I wanted to do. So that was all that mattered to me. So even when I was within this brand, and then when I was being diverse, you know, it was, whatever reason,

I can't change the world. There's somebody else's problem. I'm just getting my bag honey. You know what I mean? Like that, that's what I was here, don't like that. I'm like, I'm getting that bag. You fix the world, but, you know, and priorities, all the priorities, my brain.

It was priorities. At the end of the day, like you look at it, I'm a girl from Nigeria. You know, I've been joking with people. I'm like, I'm not even a girl from the posh part of Nigeria. People know about Legos. I'm from Worry. Like, in like, on the other side of the country, like, and I have friends who knew me from when I was younger.

From time to time, though, just ping me all this pitch and English or slang words on Instagram. And I will burst out laughing. So it's really good. Everybody keeps you grounded. I'm like, don't forget. You're from Worry. You're going to like represent.

And... Well, you brought your whole, you Everybody keeps you grounded. I'm like, don't forget. You're from where you go to represent. And when you brought your whole, you're tried with you here. I'm from my tribe. But it's a dog. I was like, no, it's nothing. First of all, you walk in. There's like 11 people with you.

They're, of course, and dogs and kids on top of it. Everything, like, all the welcome to our tribe. And like, you know, being Nigeria with their rooted and community and family, you know, we say it takes a village to raise a child. If you have a baby in Nigeria, you know, being Nigeria with their rooted in community and family, you know, we say it takes a village to raise a child. If you have a baby in Nigeria, you don't even touch your own child for about three, four months.

It's not like, you don't know, no, no, because your mom comes through your aunties, like your house is like a whole village of itself. And they put you in a pamper room, which means they like make sure that you recover from the trauma. So you can't do that whilst breastfeeding. So they only bring the child to you recover from the trauma. So you can't be doing that whilst breastfeeding. So they only bring the childhood for breast milk.

And after that, your life is sorted. So we have a different approach as a tribe and as a community. And it's the joke there that you know how a lot of Western neighborhoods want to keep you super Caucasian. And then you know, you got this junior who just bowed a house. And then they'll And then, you know, you got this like, gym and who just bow to house. And then they'll, next thing, you know, grandma's turned up.

Everybody's turned up for the weekend and doesn't leave for five years. And then the neighborhood is overrun. And I love it. And it's like this beauty of being like, like, I'm about to go through that. I just got to place in LA. And like, everybody's like, oh, who's leading there?

I'm like me and Rio. And then just laughing, giggling back up my head, doing like an old tribe of people. Right, exactly. What should I find out pretty soon? You're not gonna find out. So for me, you know, the early part of my career was all about the next big job.

You know, I was conscious I had to work harder than everybody else, you know. And also bearing that weight, knowing that, for most jobs I did, I was the first one of color to do it, right? And you sort of understand that if I screw this up, they sort of somehow will go like, oh, we hired a woman of color before it didn't work out. So it reflects on your entire race, whereas another person can do that job and not do well and another girl or boy would be in the job being next day.

It's just like in certain next person. It's a nice person, but when you're a person of color or your female, because I mean, there's a part of the email right in a corporation which is first you have to prove yourself that you're not gonna cry when things go bad you have your emotions in control your husband or boyfriend doesn't control your movements or whatever so you have that pressure and then you have the added pressure of being a woman of color and so for me in the early part of my life he was just about breaking those boundaries,

doing this and doing that. And then I turned 30 in my life just sort of, it was different. I started questioning, why do I do what I do? Why am I with a brand that doesn't really care about me? People like me. Like you may say you care about me, but you can't care about me.

If you don't care about my mother, if you don't care about my sister, I'm seeing this room having the nicest, oh, push conversations. What is the other person of color? You know, they don't exist here and it was almost like the attitude of a lot of like book coverage and society at high level is almost like, oh, you're the others are not cool, but you're cool, you know, somehow you've managed to assimilate enough to be cool. Right. You broke through the list of all the things.

You went through and now you go almost and this is also what used to hinder a lot of people's color, because they would start fighting each other to make sure they're the only one in that room, because it's almost that pressure that they spot falling one person. Right. You know what I mean? I understand, yes.

The power of life, Naomi situation, where it's like, that's true. I see that because it's like, they feel like, subconsciously, they feel that there's only that token spot for one person Exactly and you've occupied it you've worked so hard to be the cool one enough to take that spot And so I got to that point in life where I was just like instead seen that why am I the only person in this room? Okay, there was something fundamentally wrong if I'm the only person in this room and then more than that thinking I am cautious now

about the air that I breathe. And actually, almost being worth breathing the air that I breathe. What, you know, if I leave this earth and all the other girls behind me have the same experience as I did, I have filled my ancestors who worked so hard to even get to the point where I can be like even here with you guys in this treadmill. Remember, there was a time like on the, we couldn't even do that stuff, you know, we even must not forget.

And so they worked and they sacrificed and they didn't care about money to make sure that I have the freedoms that I have today. And I wanna make sure that I am part of a solution that by the next generation and the generation after, this would just be, you know, as Sidious it sounds to me when people are like, oh, I go to South Africa and they show you, oh, there was a time there was a time that colors are allowed and you're like really?

It's so foreign to me and I wanted to be foreign to any other person to go you know I'm that grumpy grandma going huh well in my time I couldn't find foundations you know I used to walk around looking green you know and and and and all these young girls are like I didn't even know what you're talking about. You should stop being grumpy. That's like my dreams and retirement and know that I've done something in my life. So I got to that point in time and I decided, okay, it's time to stop, you know,

winging about problems. I'll come back home and I'll upload and I'll love, I'll love, I'll love, I'll love. And then I encountered the thing that every female encounters, and then even more a woman of color, where you go, okay, I encountered the thing that every female encounters and then even more a woman of color where you go, okay, I want to do something about it, I'm going to leave corporate instead of my brand.

And then the nagging voice that says, you can't, who are you? How dare you, you know, beauty is an industry dominated by French male. Like it's not even like, it's a French boys club. And it's like, what do you think you know that will allow you compete with La Rue de la Loda? You don't within these companies. You know how much they spend. You're never gonna have the amount of money

to go shell out on the brands. And then, Marce, why do I let me say, you're also selling or you're trying to get money from people who don't even wear your product. But I don't understand it. You don't understand it. Right. So there's adventure meeting is only boys.

I know. And so, what a lot of times, you're right. But I don't understand it. It is. You're going to venture meeting is only boys. I know. And so what a lot of times you're right. But wait, are you sesame else? I just, I didn't want to gloss over it. So I think a very interesting point, which was that people who are minorities are very, can be very competitive with each other. Yes.

Because of that one spot. Because of the one spot. I think that that's what I, that's interesting that you say that, like that's very authentic thing to say. But say I don't think most people would ever say that. No. And it's probably true, right? It's not probably true.

It's 100%. That's true. Because that's true. Look at women are. Women are very, people don't want to say it now, but can women are very competitive with each other? We fight each other, right? I've had more support from Caucasian males.

Right. Which is the irony. But you say you're having problems in some ways. Exactly. But also, it's sometimes easier. To navigate through, because women, first of all, once again, is the same mindset where, you know,

one, I think women also, we're organically raised to compete with each other. Because your organically raised to be so focused on getting married, finding a guy, being proposed to you, your pre-programmed to be chosen. And you don't choose, you get chose. Everything we do, we get chosen. And it's even why it works.

We don't rise up very quickly because we wait to be offered. We always want to be chosen. We're afraid of rejection. So we always need to sort of stand out to be chosen, right? So to be chosen, you have to compete with each other. So then you start out highiring off and somebody can go, I want that one.

And I think it's so programmed in us and it's so hard for us to shake. Even when we're conscious about, I wanna be supportive and you see you start doing well and you start seeing them side-eye and you're going, like, I'm not happy for you. Oh, you know what? That's why I think that's brilliant

that you actually put some light on that because I think that's 100% true. And people gloss over it, or they don't want to talk about it because it's not PC. It's uncomfortable. And then also you have to be someone who does it. You have to be a someone who champions women. And not even put that out there in the universe.

When the quite irony is like you're saying, I think it's basically part of sometimes our human nature. It is. And we have to fight against that human nature. We have to be conscious of it. And it's part part of sometimes our human nature. It is. And with the fight against that human nature. We have to be conscious of it. And it's part of our upbringing and the narrative, you know, like the chosen thing is so. Exactly. It's really how we raise.

So we are literally raised to compete with each other, you know, and so that's what we do is same thing as men are raised to be aggressive at working, you know, do whatever to get the money. So they can get the girls, they can choose the girl. Whereas we are trained to do enough, so you can stand on enough so the girl's chosen. Right?

So it's the power kind of movement that comes out of there, which then makes us super like sometimes we can be cady or fight each other. And we bring that to the corporate life too. Like, you know, you have women who make it to the top and make it their point to make sure no woman gets there. Because it somehow validates them.

The fact that they can say, I'm the only woman to have done that. And that was my fundamental shift in mentality. I used to think that was prestige. I used to think that was something you're proud of. I am the only woman, or I'm the only woman of color. Okay, that's not a pride. That is a reflection on how bad the world is right now.

So what am I gonna do do about it to make sure we not have it only? I still see, as a last year, the statistics was there was only 16 women of color in America that have raised over $1.5 million. You think about $1.5 million? $1.5 million to fund their business. And I read that I'm hoping that is a wrong data,

and it's fake news or something but it was appalling but we do know that this is fact like only 0.01% of every dollar or sent in every dollar that goes out and funding goes out to women of color. Yet women of color are the fastest great set of entrepreneurs in America and it's just mental so firstly you have a bubble where not enough money goes to women, full stop, and then you then add the color onto it and then now you're in our super niche spot. You know, for many reasons, one of the reasons, we talked about early on where, you know, you walk into a venture meaning to present and you're usually confronted with, you know,

very Caucasian men who are right there. Very Caucasian, very Caucasian men. And usually middle-aged. So you're sitting there now telling them about, oh, you know, liberation. You know, a cool number tata. And you know, all this, we got cool number tata. And we're going to be singing Kumbaya as a free world. And this there, and you're going to like do a lipsticks.

Okay. You know, it's like, it's really crazy. And you know, a lot of, I mean, there was a bunch of kids who just came out of college and just raised $100 million. And they were this posh kids from Beverly Hills, but people would throw that money at you. What's for which company are you talking in general? For a fund. They were starting a fund for themselves. And they blew everybody's money within like two years. That happens more than people like to think. Oh yeah, no, no. And nobody, like I'm sure there'll be out there raising more money and everybody will still give it to them.

Meanwhile, and it's helpful so much because especially when you're early stage, people are believing in you. Right, it's your first setup. Like, literally your product hasn't launched. So what are you selling to me? There's no numbers, there's no data. So it's literally, that's why it could

be rounds for friends, fools, and family. For friends, fools, and family. For friends, fools, and family. For a family, fools, and family. For a family, because neither your family who are like, I've heard friends and family. But if a friend's fools, there's a family. Because, that's great. I want to reiterate that out to like go like, I would give somebody money that I would know,

just because they spoke to me for an hour or two when I believe in them. Now guys have it easy, especially when you're of a certain race, because you probably played a cross together. You guys, when your dad's went to the same school together, you guys played golf together. So there's that kind of shit interest.

You're probably a patient, I did it all around technology. And the guys have, I understand that problem. OK, enter a goal. We did not play a cross together, definitely. We have no shared interest. Absolutely not. I come from a completely different culture and background for me.

So now the conversation is a super functional level. There is no emotion in there. And then on top of that, I'm saying lipsticks. It's like, what is so different about lipsticks? Like, and foundations. Walking to Sephora, like beauty is saturated. And right now, beauty is a market for influencers. All the biggest brands are influencer back,

from Pat McGraw to Fenty Beauty with Rihanna, with Kylie Cosmetics to hood of beauty. It's like, now people get, you mustn't make house of Gaga, Lady Gaga just launched. So now, beauty is just trading off thing. You know? How do you even compete with that? That's exactly a great point.

Yeah, because you're right. They've come to all the brands that I'm even compete with that. That's exactly a great point. Yes. Because you're right. All the brands that I'm even familiar with the new ones are all backed by massive influencers who are going to be beautiful. Exactly. So what do you do? But that's why, for me, it was like, all this is about one person, all this about fame, all this about this, almost like superficiality, right?

I wanted to start a movement. I wanted to start a movement that was real. A movement for everybody who's felt left out, left myself, for whatever reason. I felt left out because I'm female and I'm black. For other people, it's probably because of who they choose to love. The size of them, like beauty doesn't just discriminate

against people based on race. It has a long, glistening things that he goes like, mmm, not allowed. And I wanted to create a community that was real, that the core of it wasn't because this was trendy or because somebody was famous, is bringing people together on issues that we all feel deeply. Um, like that.

Sorry to interrupt you, but how do you do that when you're competing with, you know, like it's Kylie has 140 million people on Instagram. Brianna, who's the biggest pop star in the world. Yes. People like that who, unfortunately, like, it's a numbers thing, right? It's a number thing. Those people who are buying the company. And that's where you're buying the products.

Exactly. But at the same time, like, the good thing with beauty is nobody's lower to one brand. Everybody moves around to different brands for how you make them feel. Right. They buy fancy because they want to be part of Brianna's army and part of Brianna's navy. And they come to be part of Johannes Armee and part of Johannes Navy.

And they come to us because we talk about authenticity and self-love. When you come into our tribe, we challenge you to look at yourself and be real and love yourself for who you are. So people who come to us and are attracted to us and are attracted to our tribe actually come first for our message.

And it's not just preaching about inclusivity. And I told people there's a difference between tolerance and inclusivity. And even beauty brands, you know, all 100 shades of foundation, that's tolerance. You're cognizant now that I exist, and then if you release 12 shades, you're going to get trolled on the internet because I love beauty community again in five seconds. I say, did you pick the 51 shades to be kind of like cheeky with the movie 51 shades? I don't like how it happened? Like you can go 50 shades, you can go 52.

Because I was accounting numbers. That was the truth. I was creating shades that we needed. And so when I started, I had over 60 shades, and then started really calling back in to go, okay, this two are so similar. Like, you know, I think that's a great, a brilliant marketing strategy if that's what you did.

Yes. Oh no, like literally I just created shades and then when you got to the point where we could not call any further, this is it. It's on 51 because I remember going to all 10, they were like, when is 50? Just delete one shade, I'm like, cause it's needed. You know, who am I gonna cut out?

Exactly, does that person now not matter? But for them, it was just an even number. It was just like just making it even 50. Like, why 51? I was like, because 51. Because now you always have to have one random bottle of foundation on its own. Like, you're actually not in two rows. So it was like, oh, you might make it even. I was like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, not only you coming in, finding like, you know, incredible, like, I mean, our foundation had never been done before.

It was truly revolutionary. You know, the pigments in our palette are unbelievable. When I develop products and I test products, if he doesn't work on any woman, regardless of her skin type or her skin color, it doesn't make the cut. So the range is that people are confident that they can find their home in. And I think, you know, the attraction to our beauty

is in two parts. One, the products of phenomenal, but the biggest thing that draws people in is the relatability, because it's real. And I think in the world with so much fake and you have like with faith, you get so much masses and everything, people are a bit fatigued with that at the moment.

People are a lot of authenticity, really. Exactly. People are coming back to basics. And now what we forget is that it's sometimes the same person. This episode is brought to you by Vonage. Is your business ready to integrate live video chats into your app?

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Get the taste of raspberry and dark chocolate for the all warm. All fuzzy, all self-care, zero self-doubt you. Grab a with love today. Vitamin water zero sugar, nourish every you. Vitamin water is a registered trademark of glass O. Well, I would think that people have brand loyalty to some of the exempt, but they have like the foundation they always love. Exactly. So lipstick that they love, and they could they can cross pollinate with brands.

Exactly. But in the day, what would you say the ones, I mean, I would think that people are going to buy a makeup not just on the messaging, but at price points, right? If the color, if it looks good on them. Yes. At the end of the day, don't those two things trump everything?

Do you know in beauty, actually, like if you're a functional brand, so let me take an example, Mac is a functional brand. Right, okay. When you say functional brands, or make a- Functional connection with them.

You go to Mac because I want to get a foundation and I want to get a lipstick. There is no big story behind it. People don't even know the origin of Mac or there is a big brand or there is nothing to it. It's this big brand that we provide you great quality products and that's what we can buy into. And then you have a second set of brands

where people come to you first because of who you are. And I'll give you an example of that benefit cosmetics to a great job like that. Who is that benefit cosmetics I work for? job like that. Who is that benefit? Because many times I work for it. I mean, the actual products themselves, I mean, we had three shades of concealer for the longest time, but we were at $1.4 billion business.

Because people loved how benefit made them feel. It was pink, it was girly, it was fun, it was sassy. The commercials for it, they had girls with the tits out. They really rebelled against all the rules. sassy, you know, the commercials for the head girls with the tits out, you know, they really rebelled against all the rules. So people came to benefit first for the pink and the messaging and this duality of bold and girly. Brandy was on point. For the identity. And that's why, you know, for me, when you build a brand, it is more powerful to build a brand that people come to because of the emotional connection. Because of functional connection,

when a better product comes out, they were going to buy it. When people are emotionally invested and connected to you, there's a saying that I love that people buy brands not because of what the brand says, but what the brand says about them. That's why we spend money on the birkin. There is no, like it's a great quality buy, but I'm sure you can buy it for a lot cheaper.

But people want to carry that crop or that can be laying birkin because it's a great quality bag, but I'm sure you can buy it for a lot cheaper. Right. But people want to carry that crop or that came a lay in birkin because it's a, huh, girl. Especially about you. You said something like you can try me like don't even come my way because I'm super fabulous, right? Right. It's a statement. And that's where the price and compensation comes in.

Right. What statement? Why people buy in Tom Ford? Why people buy in Tom Ford lipstick? This is a fashion designer. What does you know about making lipsticks, right? But it's about how it makes them feel. It's that gold packaging. It's the pop ma grá. I shot a pilot to $125. But people want that because you flick it out and you say, you dope, you know, you know, what you're doing, you know, the nobis makeup by

Maybelline, you know, that's for the teeny girls. Right. You know, it's a message. So that's why it's, but that's why the teenage girls. Right, right. So it's a message, so that's why. But that's why the Fenty brand. That's why the Kylie brand does so well. It's like multi-billion dollar, you know, each one of them. Exactly. Because people buy into the celebrity aspiration. That's why influencer brands are doing well.

Because it's for the first time they can get a piece of a person. Absolutely. You know, they want to believe that Reana is actually in the lab creates in this logistics for herself. Yes. That's what the first and buying, they want to believe that Rihanna is actually in the lab creates in this logistics for self, you know. That's when the first and buying fencing wants to believe like they you can tell them from now to never that is some random chick who's actually making this product and she bases a licensing deal of her name and she's making a ton of money based on using, you know, the likeness of her name. Exactly. People don't care. They don't care.

Exactly. They don't even want to know that. And you know with Rihanna, she's actually even more involved than a lot of people are. I mean't care. I didn't even want to know that. And you know, with Mianna, she's actually even more involved than a lot of people are. I mean, credit to that girl. She gets on those phone calls. She sees the product. Oh, that's good. No, she got credit to her.

She's very, very involved in the brand. But still, she's not the one sitting down, formulating, doing it. So people want to be listening down for a night. I do, actually. I do, like, credit. Oh, my, I do all my product. Don't you have to have like a, like some of, like, background in, like, chemistry to understand

that stuff? Well, beauty, there's two sides to beauty, right? Okay. And that's why beauty is a very complicated industry, right? It's not like fashion where you can just get frat breaking, you can still wait and put a piece by all by yourself, right? Beauty is a marriage between science and art, hardcore science and art. And those two things don't come together in that the chemist

who's actually mixing the things in a lab does not care about lipsticks. Absolutely, like they just turned on by the fact that, oh my god, that red is spot on. You know, like, oh, I could remove this chemical. So where you work is you work with great scientists, you guide them into what you want because for you, you have the vision, you know,

I want this texture, I want this efficacy. So you have to have the capacity to understand and understand chemicals because you're directing someone in the lab. They're chemists. They don't care about the outcome of what's going on. So you have to go, for instance, to know, OK, titanium dioxide is a white sheet.

If I put it in this makeup, this will be the outcome because you have to guide them to go, how about you drop titanium dioxide by 2%, right? So you have to have a basic understanding of not necessarily chemistry, but what the key ingredients doing what? It's the same thing. Like if you're trying to create clean beauty, you have to guide them.

And then don't guide you back to actually go, OK, these are the substitutions that we can use. So they're smarter than you. And they can tell it was possible. But you have to have the head to grasp it back. And that's why I go like, it's this marriage between arts, because you don't wanna create a beautiful color palette that is stunning,

but at the same time to create a really good red, you have to put lake. Lake is not allowed by the FDA. These are the kind of stuff you need to know before you start doing it, because the person in campus is not gonna tell you. It's just gonna mix the palette and get it back to you. So you have to be knowledgeable.

You have to be knowledgeable. Which was the benefit I had. Right, coming from a background. Coming from a background. It's also why when people set up new beauty brands, they don't launch 108 products because simply they just can't do that. So how did you get, let's go back to how?

Did you do it? OK, we're like, what's your how to do it? And how much money do you initially raise? Yeah, so first of all, how I did it was a lot of craziness. So firstly, to craziness, too. Finally, go come down, I put my job. Right.

And have that final just leap of faith. That was two years ago. It was two years ago. I knew I wasn't going to be one of the people who was working and doing, I'm eating in or after. And so I had to draw line in the side. I should move to countries. So I was in the whole new location,

and whole new environment. Right, right. London. And then I said, you developed this in London I said it's pretty my time at the time between London and New York I will come to New York to do my American business and then go back to London And so that was amazing for the longest time. I only took investment in February So I self-funded it until at the time that my best is came and I had purchased orders from the retailers

I had fully finished product, I had pretty much, I was like six, seven weeks too long, was when I finally got invested into the business. So you did it by yourself? Yeah, exactly, and I was, How? Well, one sitting on my, in my self-forward pajamas, but two, before doing this, I knew I had to save.

It was sort of my thing, I knew that I would have to, it's a crazy idea. It's not an idea that is easily adaptable to actually go to somebody and say, I wanna launch a brand, I'm gonna launch, you know, a big assortment. And then also, at the time I knew I wanted to go into retail, I didn't know they would take me straight away

because you never know. But I thought it will be, it's something that, it's a heart of sell, it's beauty, it's why you different, you know, and a lot of my elements are things that are sort of you have to feel it to understand. It's hard to just, especially when you talk to numbers people, to quantify what is the, you know, you can quantify the value of this category, you can quantify the spend of people of color that's been underserved, you can quantify the shift in the global population, what you can't quantify is why should they believe you

versus every other person who's trying to get their money, right? And for me, it was complex because it was all these different elements. It was the brine story, it was the mood and the fuel and the vibe. So when I was finally ready to present it, it was almost in a fully finished form. They could see the campaign, they could see the visuals. You know, when you tell somebody at the start, I'm going to go to Lagos to shoot. They're like, she's just trying to get a trip

back home on our dime. You know what I'm saying? She's just trying to take her model friends down to Lagos. But now they could see this powerful visuals. And they got it. Like, even when we launched, we only had to send one picture out to the market and people were like, got you. I know exactly what you're talking about.

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like me guys and suffer from Awful allergies that I got the solution for you. It's the molecule air purifier It has been a serious game changer for my life because I can actually breathe again and sleep again I got mine maybe three and a half weeks ago and it's been the easiest thing to use by the way It's basically take out of the box and plug it in super easy and it's been the easiest thing to use by the way. It's basically take out of the box and plug it in. Super easy and it's actually quite cute. I have the mini and it really works to clean and detoxify all the air. It destroys the pollutants at a molecular level, which is something that I don't think anything else on the marketplace does. So if you really want to like help with your asthma, air quality allergies,

definitely try this. So for 10% off your first air purifier, you can visit molecule.com and enter hustle at checkout. So if you want to try this and change your life, go tol.com mo L E K U L E dot com and enter hustle at checkout for 10% off your first air purifier. So how much money of your own did you put into it? Yes, so I put about almost 800,000. Wow, you saved that much money. Well, you know, a girl can like sprint and I got wasn't like chicken soup for a while. That's amazing. But literally, the truth was that I put,

and I had underestimated, because when you work with corporate, you sort of like, you know how to do a lot of things raising money is not one of them. Right. Because you have a fancy budget meeting once a year, you present, and you like all, you have arguments. And then money magically appears in the account. So you don't actually learn.

What is the difference between seed, CVC, CVC, CVC? What's a convertible note? We don't know what you don't know. It's not your background. It's not your background, right? And so I underestimated it. I was like, I'm going to like get the retailers and all of this

and then people are going to throw money at me. Right. People always overestimate how they miss it. Not always, but a lot of times they ease of how hard it is to actually get money. You're talking to finance people. They don't risk and people who rather invest in an early-stage business, 50,000. I was asking at the time for $2.5 million.

So, another pointless video call where nothing gets done. I think you're on mute, David. Uh, sorry. What did I miss? IT just approved Miro for the whole company. Miro? That's the... Online whiteboard.

For team collaboration, we can make these long video meetings so much shorter with Miro boards. We can share ideas, feedback, and updates on them whenever. Actually see what we're talking about. It's all online. Miro will make her flexible work set up so much easier. ideas, feedback, and updates on them whenever. Actually, see what we're talking about. It's all online. Mirror will make our flexible work set up so much easier, with one virtual space for our brainstorms, projects, presentations. Oh, that sounds kind of amazing.

So I don't need to wake up for 6am calls with the London Office anymore. Now you're getting it. Don't let time zones get in the way of your team working well together. See why 99% of the Fortune 100 trust Mirro to get good work done from anywhere. Get your first three boards free at miro.com. That's m-i-r-o-dot-com. So you put 800,000 of your own money in. Yes. And that was seven weeks before launch. At that point in time. Right, at that time. And then you said, OK, I need more money.

What was the money for? I wanted two and a half million. So I was like to actually then launch. Oh, inventory for inventory. It's two, what's about almost $2.3 million of stock. I mean, which I'm 108 SKUs, right? A minimum order quantities from factories is 5,000 per piece.

And you should talk, you should touch upon the fact that like that kind of quantity and inventory can also bankrupt you. It is terrible, right? Like I would not advise anybody, like you know, my case is such a unique case study. Like it's not something that people should use as a benchmark to go like, I want to start big

because you know, what they have to remember, it took me over a decade of playing with other people's money to be able to do what I'm doing right now, because sometimes people are like, oh, and you don't need to be like, you're in a half to make it, and then look at the traction, it's like, no, no, no, and overnight success takes sometimes over a decade

to practice. That's something that's almost always. Exactly, with like other people's money and get increasingly better at it and make mistakes with other people's money, you know Um, so it was very it's a very going into retail straightaway. It's crazy And that's what investors don't like because here's the truth if I launch the brand online only Mm-hmm and it cost me a hundred thousand to do that right even six several months the brand was going really well

They will be very happy to give you money because it's tried its test and they can see the traction. Same thing, if you want to alter and they put you just in there.com, which means that it's not a lot of capital from your end required because it's just the online. If you're doing well online, guess what? After a year, you're gonna get rolled out into stores. So investors prefer you to do this because they're very slow. And then you can actually test your model properly, learn all the kings, and then launch big. For me, I knew timing was of the essence. I knew that what I had and what was unique about mine was a messaging, which means that if you do it small,

somebody's gonna come and copy it. That's why I have work enough with big brands. They got their hands on the poles. They will copy that, they have the money, they have the resources, and you've just given them the answer. This girl that you are tiny little person on e-commerce trying to sell this unique custom foundation formulation, oh, clinic will launch it like that in six months because this is perfect to the clinic brand. They're just about, you're not saying they are doing it by the way, I'm just

saying you are right. Exactly, they are brand that's all about skincare and then they have beauty, so it makes sense for them to to be the ones who came up with this hybrid idea of a foundation that is skincare, it's makeup, it's custom made for you. I mean, they just did the clinic ID, which is like, skincare that for the first time you could actually choose what was relevant to your skin type. So I knew if I just was starting this

on my laptop at home, a big brand will take that copy, do it big, and then I have no business because it's dead. And so I decided that how do you start a movement? How do you start a rebellion? You don't whisper. You take a big gram of phone. You stand on the highest podium that you can, and you scream on the tongue of your lungs. And that was exactly my business strategy that I am going to start a movement. I am going to create a movement of, you know, that is so welcoming of all the weirdos. Everybody, the beauty said, you're not enough.

And that's what I needed to do. I needed the platform to stand without my grandma for her and scream under the tongue of my lungs and go, if you're the satisfied, if you're unhappy, if you've ever felt left out, if you felt not enough, come here, you're not here, and you're not in my world. And to do that requires a lot of money. Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, people, hey, give me, so everybody at the start, it was like great concept we loved it.

We would come after six months once you launched. Okay, so how am I going to launch it? Right. If everybody wants to compose launch, because it's like the chicken that you can't go anywhere without the, you know, like one or the other. Exactly. Because you don't want to invest until you have someone else to invest. Exactly.

Exactly. So when I first started this journey, I didn't think I would spend that much of my own money to be honest. So just letting everybody who's listening to this know there is no life of a trepidureship is just happens. Whatever happens happens and you just got to keep the wheel going. So I did not expect to spend that much of my money. We were just, you know, every day something comes up and you just keep and you have to believe in it enough. You know, I go to the point where I maxed out everything.

I had everything. Like, everything. What I mean, everything, everything was like, you know, like it was tight. I was at point now where I was trying to sell real estate, you know, just to, you know, trade back and salvage some more cash and just, you know, and sometimes that's a trap, right?

Because if it's a bad business model, you've wrecked your whole life on this. But for me, I could continue because this was beyond money. This was, I had a message and I had sort of this. It was almost, it's a purpose-driven mission. And for that, even when I left, my big thing was, I have to be prepared to sleep in my car for this. And if I'm not prepared to sleep in my car for this purpose,

if I'm just doing this because I want to get rich, then I shouldn't be doing that. I should just continue working, get a bigger job and a bigger paycheck, right? If I'm doing this, it's because I truly care. And I care about being part of a solution. And to do that, somebody has to risk getting poor. Somebody has to risk it all.

Somebody has to risk all the superficial things that we think are important, like my ancestors had to do to make sure I could get here. So, I think that always was my compass and my north, whenever you were at the point where you go like, okay, sharia, you probably should stop now. You know, and people around you are like, we're very worried.

But it's infectious. I guys, just by you saying this to me right now, I feel your passion. I feel like the energy and like the authenticity of it where I'm like, I'll give you some money. No, because like, you know, like you can't fake that. Yeah, no, no. And I feel like when people really know it's coming from like a really, like really real

place, authentic place, it's hard not to feel like you, like not to wanna jump on that, that, I get. And that's true, and I think even now that we're out there in the marketplace is one of the things that the brands is scratching their hand for. You know, I mean, they buy my formula to go and replicate it. I'm like, yes, that's fine, you know,

fly, you know, and I'm flattered about that. Well, what they can't get the hand on is, how do you find, how do you replicate a person who really cares? You can't, that's why you have to, it has to be guttural, it has to be, actually, like your obsession. Exactly.

Because that you can't replicate. You can't replicate it. And that was the source that was always missing in the industry when in the fight for inclusivity and diversity, when beauty brands even go to the point where they were like, how do we be diverse? That was the source that we're missing. Yeah.

A person that cared enough or a group of people who cared enough. Because that's why they're not connecting. They're making all the shades for darker skin and people are not buying it because they're going, like, you're just trying to get my money. You know, they don't believe it. But what people get to see when they come into the

armor world and the armor beauty world, they get to not only discover this amazing brand where they can have fun, they can be themselves, they discover a person in this brand who, you know, they can feel it that I genuinely care. And I know this abstract person, I'm not a celebrity, I'm a real person, and not saying so much is not real, but it's like, I get what you're saying.

It's like you're just like one of the people who truly, like when you kind of relate to the brand, because you are the brand. Exactly. You are the people who would use the brand. Exactly, and I have a lot of, there are different ways to become to our tribe. With women of color and particular that I meet on the street

and this has been really weird for me. Like, I've come from just, I just wanted to get a brand out there. And then now I go to places and you know, especially if room with people of color. And then like, oh my god, you're sharing them. But the comments that keeps coming through is, I'm happy you are where you are because that's inspiring me to do this or that. I'm on text with so many young women of color who are trucking ears now who just, you know, I'm going to text them a girl this morning going like, I just went to my first VC meeting. They said, no, but I'm so excited because it's making me want to go harder. Right. And I said to her, that's the spirit girl, you know. So just even building this tribe where

you're relatable, you're going through the same issues, you're inspiring them that you can be more. You don't have to, you know, every, I'm the only woman of color who has a prestige brand and it's not a celebrity operating like in that prestige beauty. So, wow. Everyone a woman of color, mass, and that's what advice everyone gave me too. Why are you pricing your product prestigious and little bit off, isn't it? I'm like, say the words, just tell me to my face that, ah, anyone of your target market people of color, they haven't got money.

You know, like just say it. And I'm like, say, oh, that's amazing. And that's what you think they're thinking. And they won't say it. So they'll give you all the other nonsense reasons behind it. Oh, they're even some investors. I think there's a bit of a mismatch between your demographics and the position of your brand.

Okay, bye, Blue. I don't need your money. Oh, it's like. So basically, did you get the $2.5 million from... I got more. I ended up raising three, almost $3.7, and turning down the $2.5 million from... I got more, right? I ended up raising three, almost 3.7, and turning down about $7 million. No. Yeah. So what heck, so why did you turn it down?

Who gave you that 3.7? Well, okay, my lead investor, I like keeping a little bit hush, but I got one strategic VC in there, and then the rest are family offices. Like, who, I would advise anybody, take money from family offices. To take money?

Take money from the offices. It helps explain, tell people why. And explain what a family office is. Yes, so people don't know some of what a family office is. Yes, so in terms of the world of venture, I mean, you can like back yourself, you can get money from private equity, which is completely different to venture capital,

a traditional venture. Tell people what a family office is. A family office is pretty much, so let's assume you're a billionaire, like Jeff Bezos. So he has a ton of money. What he does is he employs a group of people to manage his investments for him and decides what he invest in

because he can't make those calls himself. So sometimes family offices is for one person or multiple people but it's just where wealthy people sort of pull their money together and it's like a one person private equity company. Exactly. And then decide where they're going to put it or not. Now the good thing about family offices, they don't have the same requirements. You know when it's like a venture fund, all the people who put money in that fund, they actually even write like a charter in terms of, it must be this, you must have certain exits.

So even like the company, they want to know that you're gonna sell like a certain point in time. So they have this really strict rules, you know, they want to take a seat in your board, they want you to do this, and they want you to say, there's a lot of I want in there.

You can lose a lot of control of your business that way. And aggressive people as well, because they're also obligation is to make, not just one person happy, how a lot of people happy. Because of private, I mean, it's a lot of people's money pool together. Cool together, exactly.

A one person who's just looking for really good investments a lot. Waiting for investment and it's more lenient with the world. They're super lenient and they usually have what I find with a lot of family offices. They usually just have things they focus on. And usually because this is people who are very wealthy,

their money, they sort of go like even for social causes. They're like, I just want to fund women of color for instance. Or they're not asked, you know, like on your neck about like. Because they don't need the money. Not like that. I know. But they don't. There's more doing it because they need to put a, they need to find a place to talk to for their money, because

it's a possible place to put all that money. And so they find causes that usually are close to them that they care about. Exactly. And they usually have a source that is just feeding their wealth. And so all of this is just like diversifying and spreading out there. You may invest in a company that ends up blowing up and it increases your wealth. You may not. So it's very manageable. They usually break their money up so that they're not giving one person $10 million. And that's where at a different stage of your businesses, the family office is fall out because they cannot cope with the size. If you were

doing what Huda Beauty did, where she got $200 million, putting to her business by CSG, Huda Beauty. Huda Beauty? Yes. So she's an influencer, right? She's an influencer, created a beauty brand. T.S.G. came in, I think two years ago, valid the company at a billion dollars and gave her $200 million cash to buy some equity, some stake off her. Those kind of deals, family offices can't do that, right? That is like pure VC, pure private equity kind of.

And usually even at that point, most private equity fold through, except solid P's like El Cato Tom, which is like the Louis Vuitton arm and a few of the other ones. So sorry for the jagans, but no, no. I think it's super important, relevant, because I think that at different levels of your funding,

other certain people are in a different place. It's different people, and that's why when you're super early stage, you're so much better on your family offices. Right. Because you were first a fool's family and friends at your home. early stage you're so much better working family offices right because you are the first to fool family and friends exactly and then maybe family offices because what you want to make sure is that people somebody give me advice once going like when you're looking for money take money from the person who doesn't care if they lose that money absolutely because it's not because you don't want to care about that money

it just allows you the ability to learn which which you have to do in a business. When you birth a business, it's out there. It's like a baby. You're learning it, it's learning you, you got to figure out things out. And the worst thing you want to have on top of that is this pressure coming down on you going, oh wow, you know, my monthly report needs to read this.

This is the level of traction I need to see. Oh, last month you didn't grow by 50%. And now we have to have an emergency meeting. You don't need to see that you have to be patient. Hold your nerve. Sometimes it takes time for true traction to kick in. And for some people it happens immediately. For some people it's only year four.

Then they finally blow up. And it just becomes beautiful. So you need people who are right or die with you. And you might make a mistake or two, but they go, you know what, I'm I'm gonna throw your bone and give you an extra 500k. You know, because I like you. Yeah, that's the full part of the whole situation.

Exactly. Like, does I like you? How did you find these family offices? Yes, so I literally had an angel. So when I started my journey trying to raise money, right? Like I said, I was most focused on product and all the other sides of the business. And I went to the big funds that I sort of knew

because you know, you come from big companies and you know, like all these big funds, right? That makes sense. What they don't tell you is we don't do early stage. Like your business is not attractive to them, but then they were so fascinated about the ideas that they keep talking. Now I've learned venture world and honestly,

when I talked to investors, I'm like, can you close the deal in three weeks? No, buy, you know, kind of, I'm not exactly. They are professionals wasting your time. They will keep you and they will string on. Because they assume you know. They assume you know that we don't invest in this kind of area.

But the truth is you don't know. So I have a lot of those kind of conversations for months, right? And then got to about December, only to find out that, yeah, no, no, no, it's not going to happen. And everybody's gone December. Nobody, you can't raise money December, right, the lights are turned off.

Exactly. And then I let this incredible lady, I got introduced by one of the funds that said, no, too early, we wanna come in later. And one of the things, and I wanna advise everybody to do if you don't do this, even when a person tells you, no, just ask them, can you introduce me to somebody who was more in my, you know,

you don't have to. Exactly, at my more in my, you know, your house? Exactly. At my stage, because, you know, a lot of times they say, no, because it's not the right time, it doesn't necessarily believe they don't believe in your vision. And so that was it. And so she introduced me to this lady who was, and that's why I even moved to California. Yeah, because I was raising money in New York. New York is a big business kind of like space.

And then I met her. She was in California. She said to me, oh darling, you've been fishing in the wrong pond. Let me show you. That was literally, yeah, you sure you are. You had a guardian angel. Exactly. And she introduced me to all these early stage funds, all this early stage private investors who were just investing their cash and oh my god, I did my first race in 72 hours. I had gone months without nothing.

That's what I called fishing in the wrong pond. And then I was in the right pond. In 72 hours, I had money in my account. I don't know what it was. I was in 72 hours. So in 72 hours, I did like a flash sale. That's what I called it. Race 500K.

And then two weeks later, was when I closed on all the other deals. And I was at the point now, I was turning out money. I turned out money to the tune of 7 million. Like literally, it was like, I'm over subscribed. So I was at the point now, I was turning out money. I turned out money to the $7 million. Like literally, it was like, I'm over subscribed. So I ended up taking way more than I wanted to take. But it ended up being a good thing because it gives you a buffer.

It means you're not strapped for cash. It also makes me go launch bigger. When we launched, we went out with a bank because we had more money to play with marketing, play with having a big launch event, inviting all the people who were taste makers in our space to at least come witness it. And that was how the brands have exploded

because we had this one moment where all this taste makers, all this cultural influencers were in the one room and they saw the birth of this. And they were like, we love this. I had people like at least at this party, right? And it was just incredible, right? They just turned up to support an unknown woman. They didn't really know much about.

And it's amazing. At this event, you could just see people connect and post that the rest of the history. People were just like talking about this, with an viral on Instagram, on Twitter. Really? Who is this brand? Where did they come from?

They just appeared from nowhere overnight. Our foundations just had a flying of the shelves. Like, it became the Instagram famous foundation. Like, it was just crazy. So you're really known, if would you say it's like, the foundation is your core product. Yeah, the foundation is like our claim to fame. It was the thing that we did a no brand

had ever done before. And then, you know, if you talk to people around us, you have words like inclusivity, I feel at home. This is real as the top comment. Foundation is number two. And then our eyeshadow palette are so popular. And this was actually an interesting thing. I developed three palettes.

Send them out for people's feedback. And when I create products, I always say true. I tell stories, you know, we say we're an Afro-Politan brand. One of the ideas that I brought it to beauty that was new was the fact that you can be yourself whilst being a part of the globe. It's why I identify my brand as an Afro-Politan brand because my roots, I'm Afro.

So I love talking about Afro-Politan brand. Afro-Politan brand. Afro-Politan because when you use the word African, people think about a geographical location, right? They just think you're talking about Wakanda, right? You can't help it. Like you just cannot help it. So we had to send this idea.

The word Afro-Politan is a fusion between Afro and Cosmopolitan, because even our history as a people, like the people from Africa through colonization, through slavery, through a lot, we got split up around the world. And so there's this idea, and and for me that I've always proposed, just the fact that your African-American, right? It doesn't make you less African because that's who you are,

just because you're Afro-British. So is this term that we unite all of Africa and Hada Espera and celebrates the culture, not just as it was, but as is, because a lot of our culture has been mixed. Which is a beautiful thing, The fact that I love about people from Afro origin wherever we go, no matter the conditions, no matter what's going on, we still manage to mix and remix and create something here. You know, I always talk about it and you have the slaves who came here and even

in incredibly horrible positions, they were sitting there picking cotton and they created soul music. Brom picking cotton, you know? Because there's that part of you, there's a part that's so deep in rhythm that just doesn't go away regardless of the location. And look at the evolution of that that turned into jazz, James Brown coming in, turning jazz into funk, you know, Jack Master J, you know,

all of them, a run DMC, turning funk into hip-hop, which is now the biggest genre of music in the world. In the world, yeah. Not, you know, all of them, uh, uh, a run DMC turning funk into hip-hop, which is now the biggest genre of music in the world. In the world, yeah. Not rock and roll, right? And so this was a banner for which we were, it allowed me to be proud of my heritage, and I hope that as, just by me doing that, other people who come into this tribe,

feel that they have the right to be proud of who they are, and they don't have to change it. It's a reason why almost they names all my because that's my language Yeah, is that what it means? It's beautiful. I was gonna ask you. What does it mean? Oh my beautiful it's from the Ebo language, which is my mom's tribe in Lingerie We've got 153 tribes and languages 150 tribes Han and there is a lot so I talk about trying guess and like don't know, there is a lot. So I talk about when people try and guess, I'm like, don't worry, see, it's a lot. And so, you know, it was very important to me

through this brand. I'm like, I can't be telling people be yourself, you know, be authentic. Where are we trying to be a generic brand? We're not a generic brand. We're very, very, very affable to brand. So when you come in there, you see this colors, this stories, this fun.

We sell an affable to fantasy, the same way Doe, Shegabana sells an Italian fantasy. So then how are you, this fun, we sell an Afro-Politan fantasy, the same way Do Shigabana sells an Italian fantasy. So then how are you, I mean, amazing story. How are you building a community? Besides having a great message, just having a really good, like, really solid philosophy behind you, and having people who talk about it all the time, I'm just stopping for seconds.

But, who, how else are you building it? Are you finding tribesmen? Are you finding people, like, are you finding influencers? Are you doing what everyone else seems to be doing to kind of build your tribe otherwise? Yes, so I think we're doing that in two ways. I mean, influencers are very, very necessary.

And what we do is we align with influencers who believe in what we believe in, right? Whilst accepting every influencer who comes into our tribe, but usually the influencers you see us do partnerships with are very targeted because they people, you know, when we came out, we partnered with people like Jackie Arnau, but Jackie has always been. She built Jackie Arnau in beauty.

She was, you know, how much I know about the beauty. Oh, there you go. She built an entire and her platform by screaming about inclusivity and the lack of. So we're finding people who are authentic. Even the models I work with, everybody knows me. You don't get, I don't work with you if I don't know you. Like people, Halima, who was our face,

I met Halima ages before our campaign. We talked, we spoke, we vibe. Like I wanna make sure that you're not faking. Everybody fakes anything for the ground. So my focus is not on following. On the ground. Oh, I'm, oh, let me start it for the ground. Like, I'm like, thank you. That's so funny. It's so true. I don't focus on following. I don't focus on how many followers if you go or whatever. It's about who are you. And are you a person that I believe should be a role model? Because when we're paying

you to do something, I find that I feel like we're elevating to almost be part of the leadership of this tribe, right? That's who my influences are today, like helping us recruit more people who are similar. So we have to make sure that we're very deliberate. We're not just selling out that, oh, 20 million followers, you know, there is money and there's money to be made. But why this is going to be a long-term business is we're bringing people who believe in what we believe in. So, you know what, even if I launch a mascara and it's money to be made, but why this is gonna be a long-term business, is we're bringing people who believe in what we believe in. So, you know what, even if I launch a mascara and it's a dud, I can survive it. Because they're not just here for the mascara,

they're here and they're part of this journey. So we do that through the influences we partner with, most things that happen with us are organic. Most times people post about us, do videos, celebrities wear our products, they're usually organic. Like they are things that happen, they make up artists, we're make up artists favorites. I remember my long-cheek bench,

so John was running in, really late, right? Really late in the game, that was the first time I met him. And he was like, girl, I am so proud of you. I've been hearing about you. I wasn't gonna come today. I was sitting at home, when somebody was texting me, saying,

you must come, and I run out. And he was like, anything you want from me, you let me know. And I would like, I would never charge you for work. I would like, whatever you need, right? And he's been truly, he just did fashion week for us, right? Our first outing to New York Fashion Week was a blast. You know, Sajon had leave all the tribe word there

and he was so amazing. And that's what's organic about our tribe That everybody who comes in is emotionally invested. It's not just another paycheck If they want to paycheck to go to the big brands and grab the paycheck right right really like where people genuinely want to be And I think that's what's powerful and that's also powerful when we recruit Our our tribe members That they they're because they have connected to us through somebody who's authentic as well. So they're authentic. So it's a really like...

I understand that. It's kind of like... It's also coming from the... It trickles down from the top, right? Exactly. So if you're that way, everything falls underneath. Oh, exactly. Under you. Because if you like a lot of the bigger brands, what they do, they just recruit anybody. If you got cash, you're gonna come in, right? Yeah. What we say is, if you don a lot of the bigger brands, what they do, they just recruit anybody. If you got cash, you're going to come in, right?

Yeah. What we say is, if you don't believe in our purpose, why are you here? Right. You know, but then it just means that the people who are here, so if you look at the business of it, our average transaction value is high, very high because even though we're talking to less people, they buy a lot from us. And what happens to people, they come to us. And because they, there are a lot of them,

just to support, right? Right, right. And right this brand, I believe in the founder, I love what they do. And so they come in and go, I come to buy lipstick. I'm gonna buy foundation. And then they try the product and they go,

all my holy, like, this is crazy. And they come back and they buy three, four, five. I'm having people buy lipsticks and almost every shade and collecting them. It's crazy. Okay, where do I buy that? Besides, yes, all tough, you said. So you can buy them on alltankembideonr.com so we have a beautiful website where people

can come and shop and get an authentic Brian experience. I want to get a foundation now that you've talked about. Oh, so great you know. Now I have to do a whole session of me shade matching you. Please do. By the way, I don't know how to put any makeup. I'm like, I'm a bit embarrassing at this point. Like I'm an adult and my four year old put on makeup

way better than I do. But you know what, that's why your makeup shouldn't be like, even with us, everything to redo. My eye shadow is a boots for you to use and with your fingers. Because you know what, we are women who look things to do. We'll look at you, though. You put, I mean, your cheekbones are so accentuated.

I think you look like a super model from like I'm gonna cover up my head. I'm gonna go, dude. Oh, no, no, no, no, you hear this? Your mama's a super model. You're so cute. I'm a short super model. I love it.

No one knows, you're on a wood way treadmill here. You look at your six feet tall. I know, right? And adds a foot and a half of it. I haven't even got my heels on today. She did like done this treadmill, like, you know, like, done a Mariah Carey style. I mean, you come on.

I mean, what are those? What shoes are those? Are those Gucci? Yeah. I'm obsessed with Espadrilles. So I'm either in, like, crazy high heels shoes or menespa drills. I don't have an in between.

Wow. Well, you have great, great, like, really good style. Oh, that's true. Now, I'm not just like, well, you're just gonna put your ass on your treadmill, yeah? I have one question for you. Yeah, like, you're Now you make people look up your ass when you're trying to. Now I have one question for you and then you're you're free to get out of here. We know you've got the hustle, that's for sure. What are some of your habits that you do daily?

And what kind of stuff do you look after in the company now? Yes, well I'm a CEO, I'm creative director, I wear a lot of hats around here and I do have the two countries that are on opposite time zones. So I don't do a lot of hats around here. And I do have the two countries that are on opposite time zones. So I don't do a lot of sleeping at the moment, but it's fine. And we will sleep at some stage in life. That's okay.

Because when I talk about that, especially when you hear people talk so much about, oh, South, care, whatever. And I talk with my brand is five months old. And I'm sitting here zenning out. I'm like, there are stages in life. At some point, you actually have the privilege to look after yourself. I always say that. I say that you can do everything. Yeah, you can do everything but you can't do everything at once Exactly not at all right, and now you're you're you're in the building mode

Exactly, like you have to like you've got to be very very nobody's gonna want to do what you do I've taken a lot of people's money then you know, I don't want to let them down I don't want to take people's children's you know College fund and then blow it because I was doing yoga kind of thing. So, it puts a lot of pressure on you. So, what do you do? What kind of, what time do you wake up in the morning? So, I usually wake up 1am because I have to do UK.

Which I do there. 11. So, you sleep for two hours. Yeah, but I've also done that for the longest time, but here's how I recover. My body sort of tells me what he wants to do. That's the interesting thing about me and my body, we have a great relationship.

So he goes, okay, I'm gonna do this, try what's, and I wake up, my head is completely clear. I'm not tired, I'm not gruggied. As you can see, I've been awake since 1 a.m. and I'm here at four, almost five o'clock, like still bouncing, I'll be bouncing to 11. And then we're early, and you have ton of energy, right, and you're so you're so I'm an

I'm an energizer bunny. I'm like that's what I'm easy. Um and then energy drinks and then Celsius once in a while. Except oh yes of course it's so serious. Um and then on the flip side I'm gonna have like a Saturday where I sleep like a vampire. Like a day when I need old day I mean like full on old day like my eyes are sort of open slightly and then it closes right back. So but the things I do every single day that is sort of my like pointy time, right? My self-care moment is actually my makeup moment. I do not play with my skincare routine and my makeup routine. Would you would you watch your face with? So I actually am a huge fan of the tools. I'm watching face. Yeah, I use super mouth products. I'm all about super mouth products.

I'm crazy about hydration. I go happy pigmentation. So retinoids are my friend and I've got acne prone skin. Right now is not your friend. It is my friend. It is. Yeah. Okay. It's not as anybody can put up with the ugly face where you have six weeks of your face peeling off. Then you're fine. Right. And after that you come up there the side face where you have six weeks of your face peeling off, then you're fine. And after that, you come up there to start really sweet. You can help me ask line about this stuff. Oh, you know, I'm your girl.

And then my makeup, I take about 30 minutes every day, I apply my makeup. And for me, that's your meditation. This is my time. I'm staring back up myself in a mirror for 30 minutes. The good thing with makeup is the thing where you kind of multitask because it's your hands that are working, right?

So it forces you to be about you. And that's usually when I'm talking to myself. Like my shower is therapy. I'm talking to myself. I'm processing my day. I'm doing my makeup. I'm looking myself. And I always tell people, what do you say to yourself

in that moment? Are you saying, oh, look at my double chin? Look, I have a whole dance party. I have my speaker. I am like, yeah,. I am like, oh yeah, you go girl. I'm a hot mess in the morning. It's crazy to witness. I'm like dancing. Sometimes I'll put on YouTube

because my endurance people would have unique dance moves for different tracks. And I start learning it right there, do my makeup, and like, you know, eh. And it's crazy. So my family know that when Sharon's getting ready, everybody's like, oh my god, close the doors. It's one of this.

We're gonna have a dance party this morning. But that's your, that's your, that's your form of meditation. That's my grounding moment. Yeah, and then I leave home. I'm in a good mood. So I can, like, I'm not living in the house. And if I don't do that, it just feels like I've missed something.

So even if I'm in a hotel, my trouble with a small JBL speaker, I'm vibing, whenever I'm not working or doing something, I have music in my ear. So music is my therapy, it's how I get lost. And then Leo, of course, is my other grounding moment, making sure that he makes me stop during the day to go, are you okay? Have you eaten?

Women, we're not good at looking after ourselves, but we're good at looking after other people. So you nurture your dog. Exactly. And through that love and that kind of like, did you keep the child? No, this is my baby. I think of the old What's Your Baby.

It's my baby. And when he's in my handbag or wherever, he really grounds me. I travel with him everywhere. I go with him everywhere. So he's always my, I hear it when he's on the treadmill with the brain out. He's on my treadmill right now.

He's on almost every interview that I do. So he's like my come comeback and this is normal. But I think for me, those are the things. And of course, I'm like, I'm a gym junkie. You are? Mm-hmm. So you work every day? Five days a week.

And that's also a moment for me. So I don't do crazy. I'm not going to do a two hour session. 45 minutes. Yeah. I tell you, the 45 is plenty. 45 and I love high intensity training because otherwise I fall asleep. I do yoga once in you were 45 is plenty. 45 and I love high intensity training because otherwise I fall asleep.

I do yoga once in a while but I've been known to fall asleep in a yoga class. So I only do V-ass or power yoga. Oh my god. I did literally, there was, where you do only three moves in the entire one hour class. I was not only sleeping, I was snoring. Oh yeah, believe me, you're preaching to the convertitor over here. My sister had to keep going like, pssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, pss, I don't need the makeup I'm applying. And I love the creativity. Exactly. And I love the creativity. It's like, I turn up to them. I'm like, I'm going to do color. And sometimes I do a look and I'm like, oh, it's a look.

Okay, here girl. So even though we want to widen my stories, I will do a look and I have to go to my stories and go like, I'm going to follow you now. And I'm like, why do you all this stuff? I'm a little bit, my sister says, you should share them on social media. You're quite entertaining. And I'm like, no, I keep condensing sister raised this. You should share more on social media. You're quite entertaining.

And I'm like, nah, I keep it condensed to the people around me. You are super entertaining, honestly. Well, how do I find, how do people find you and your company? Yes, you know, follow us on Instagram. I'm a beauty. It's my name, you OMA, beauty. And then I'm Hey Sharon C, you know, drop me a line, drop me a DM.

I try to respond as much as I can. Anybody who's feeling insecure or anything, just drop me a line, drop me a DM. I tried to respond as much as I can. Anybody who's feeling insecure or anything, just drop me a line and I'm usually on the other side to go like, oh, you got this girl or you got this guy. So anytime, find us, hey, Sharon, see, or you, and a beauty, or my beauty, you can get us there or on our website as well. Well, you've been beyond a delight.

I mean, it's super entertaining. This is the first time I've ever done an interview on a treadmill. So I'm like, yay! It is the first time I've ever done an interview on a treadmill. So, like, yay. This is the first time for everybody. Next time we go to get music in here, we have to have a down session on this treadmill. We would, how would you hear?

No, okay, no, we have to have a separate sailing. Okay, so afterwards, we do the chat. And then we're like, oh, twerkin' time, twerkin' twerkin' twerkin' twerkin' thing. Okay, let's do it. Let's do it. I would like to do that. I'd have you back any day of the week

because you are so entertaining. Thank you. You're welcome. Let's do it. I would have you, I would like to do that. I'd have you back any day of the week because you are so entertaining. Thank you. You're welcome. Press the white button. Tell me, how many calories you burn while you're in the same thing. Okay, which one? The Pacemites calorie? Yeah.

112 calories. Good. So it's 112? For doing, basically, as you are just chatting, right? It's really good. Right, rather than just sitting down and just staring at each other and shivering. I've got a treadmill in my office and just be doing my emails literally under travel

100% this is why I thought so I mean instead of just sitting around yeah, so bye guys Sharon she's awesome Thank you so much Hope you enjoyed this episode. I'm Heather Monahan, host of Creating Confidence, a part of the YAP Media Network, the number one business and self-improvement podcast network. Okay, so I want to tell you a little bit about my show. We are all about elevating your confidence to its highest level ever and taking your business right there with you. Don't believe me, I'm gonna go ahead and share some of the reviews of the show,

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