Black Women Entrepreneurs. What happens when black women become successful entrepreneurs, especially in the world of beauty?
Beauty is a loaded term because the industry as a whole, until recently, didn’t deem black women as beautiful.
We’ve been maligned about our complexion. Made to feel that the darker it is, our complexion that is, the uglier we are. Girl Please! The sad thing though, is that we believed it for generations.
There are those of us in the world of beauty that love, love, love to shout from the roof top how beautiful we are as black women.
Yet more importantly, we like to especially encourage young black girls to strive to do what we do. That being, Become an Entrepreneur. Start your own business.
Black Women Entrepreneurs As Role Models
There are plenty of Black women to look up to when it comes to entrepreneurship in the beauty world. So many of you have heard of Madam C.J. Walker. Did you know she had a teacher and mentor?
Her name was Annie Turnbo Malone. She was the founder of Poro College. Poro College was the training ground for thousands of women learning not only how to style hair, but how to be elegantly stylish women.
They learned selling skills, how to sit and carry themselves, scalp culture, manicuring, pedicuring, facial and body massage. She refused to sell hair straighteners and bleaching creams. You could say that she was teaching natural beauty before natural beauty became the “In Thing” to have.
Annie Malone built the first center in the country to train black cosmetologist in 1918. Mind you, she was traveling throughout the southern states in the late 1800’s building her force of saleswomen. Imagine what she encountered as a black woman moving about the south, alone most of the time.
Other black women entrepreneurs are, Madame C.J. Walker, Sarah Spencer Washington founder of Apex News and Hair Company, Emma Bronner, sister of Nathaniel and Arthur founders of Bronner Bros., Eunice Johnson – Fashion Fair Cosmetics/Ebony Fashion Show and Vera More – Vera More Cosmetics.
These women laid the foundation for Carol’s Daughter, Jane Carter, Pooka Pure and Simple, Nyraju Skin Care and a host of other Black Women owned businesses in today’s world.
Recently in the World of Beauty …
A Beautiful black woman, Beatrice Dixon, Founder of the Honey Pot, who happens to be a successful entrepreneur, made a statement in her commercial. The statement said: “The reason why it’s so important for Honey Pot to do well, is so the next black girl that comes up with a great idea, she could have a better opportunity. That means a lot to me.”
Now as black women, we understand the concept of, each one teach one. God knows it’s not easy when you’re trying to make your dream a reality. Sometimes it’s not even your dream. You stumble upon a concept or idea and follow your gut. Next thing you know you’re making money with it and trying to figure out how to keep it going.
The fact that Beatrice wanted black girls to get a better opportunity caused a fire storm from a lot of Caucasian women. For the life of me, I can’t understand it. If you’ve been on this planet any length of time, you know that every beauty product on a shelf, for decades, did not include your image on it, as a black woman.
Yet we purchased them and kept it moving. The minute a statement is made to encourage young black girls to strive for more, it’s a problem.
The Honey Pot sells feminine hygiene products. Something “All” women can use. Her products have taken the attention of beauty into another direction. Typically we see hair and skin care products coming to market. She’s ventured into a completely different arena of the beauty world.
Support Your Black Women Entrepreneurs
Don’t wait until one of us ends up in the news being called “racist” before you dash off to the store to support what we offer. We’ll do a better job of letting you know who we are and you can decide how many of us you’re going to spend your money with.
Congratulations to Beatrice and the Honey Pot Team. Congratulations to all Black Women business owners. Keep letting your light shine.
That’s it for this week. As always …
Dedicated to Your Beauty,
Juliette Samuel,
Esthetician/Author/Publisher
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