As business founders raising money can sometimes feel like a complex mystery with lots of questions. What do investors want to see from a business owner? How do investors evaluate who to invest in? Should owners expect to give away equity when raising money? If yes, how much? Well I managed to book time with a venture capital (VC) investor who reviews and assesses deals for a living. Jason Mercer is a Principal at Cleveland Avenue, a Chicago based firm doing great work for local businesses. I si...
Jul 26, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 35
I love bold people! Winnie Awa is a bold Black woman doing amazing work in the beauty space as the founder of an AI driven platform that is serving curly haired women in the UK. She is also someone who understands what it is like to pivot your professional career to pursue her passion. She also is confident enough to speak her mind when something does not line up and gave her opinion when Brad Pitt launched a skin care brand. I have a full candid conversation with this entrepreneur to talk all o...
Jun 24, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Does the Silicon Valley Bank or SVB discussion completely confuse you? This is the podcast episode for you. Do you see the direct impact of how the tech community's turmoil is going to impact beauty and consumer product good investments? This is the podcast episode for you. Would have a simple explanation of what's happening in the financial world help you? This is the podcast episode for you. I snagged time for the very knowledgeable Justin Dawkins who lives inside the investment community as m...
Mar 24, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 33
Things rarely turn out exactly like how I think they should when planning big things in life. For me starting a business meant the promise of ultimate freedom, success and tons of money. Managing a whole damn beauty manufacturing company has given me insight and taught me lessons that have been eye opening and incredibly helpful. I'm sharing 8 key insights as a reflect back on the last 96 months. If you're someone thinking of starting a business lean in closely as these are tips that I wish some...
Feb 21, 2023•42 min•Ep. 32
Since 2020 I have leaned hard into having conversations about the impact of race in my personal life and business with my non-Black friends and associates. These conversations have been nuanced and complex yet extremely enlightening. I've recognized that my white friends/associates don't get many opportunities to discuss what its like to live as a minority in the US. On this latest episode of the podcast I have an intimate conversation with beauty editor, Claire McCormack, about how race has pla...
Sep 28, 2022•48 min•Ep. 31
I love talking with indie beauty brand start up founders and on this episode I sit and chat with a married couple who are taking a deliberate, disruptive approach to skin care with their line of omni sex products. Jayme and Nick Valo of Valoie Skin Care give an intriguing discussion about the origins of starting a beauty line targeted at the recently coined phrase omnisex. We talk about the meaning of the phrase and how it differs from unisex. Jayme is a serial entrepreneur who has had more than...
Sep 14, 2022•54 min•Ep. 30
Somebody hand me my soap box cause I need it right now. Going into formal retail chains without being prepared is the kiss of death or some very painful, expensive lessons! 20+ years of doing business with most every retail chain that sells beauty products and I have seen first hand how this game operates. One of the secret weapons that indie beauty founders may enlist are the services of a sales management firm. In today's episode of the podcast I sit down and chat with an industry heavy hitter...
Aug 30, 2022•54 min•Ep. 29
We are getting extra cozy and familiar for this episode. I've recognized in my own journey as a Black man living in America with abundant blessings all around me that everything is not ok. While things in my business have been thriving and we've been shattering ceilings with fundraising and hitting revenue targets, on the other side I have had to stand and face some issues that go back to my childhood. Enter daddy issues and the long impact that my connection with my own father has had on me. In...
Aug 17, 2022•57 min•Ep. 28
By far the biggest business challenge I hear from entrepreneurs entering the space or thinking of launching products is they don't have enough money to execute on their vision. After hearing this statement no less than 200x's a year I have given some thought on how to translate the concept of a minimal viable product (MVP) from the tech world into the beauty product space. Making it happen is totally doable and something I have seen crafty, resource strapped business owners do successfully. In t...
Aug 03, 2022•36 min•Ep. 27
I'M BACK! But I don't want to do things exactly like we were doing them before. This includes how I show up for one of my passions which is this podcast. The last 2 years have changed me. I just do not feel like "business as usual". It took some time to really identify what was different and how I wanted to show up in the world. For me it means still offering incredible value for those that are connected with the beauty industry or with product based entrepreneurship. I'm ready to celebrate the ...
Aug 02, 2022•20 min•Ep. 26
I admit at first I was admittedly against the idea of hiring a virtual assistant. I did not see how their could be value in having an assistant that I would never see. And then the great ponderosa hit aka COVID-19. In today's episode hear about how wrong I was in my initial assumption and how having a virtual assistant has been a game changer for me and my business. I do this in a direct conversation with my own VA, Paula Heitzman. If you are a start up entrepreneur, small business owner or fast...
Sep 17, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 25
As a beauty product manufacturer and brand consultant I have worked with more than 200 brand owners over the last 7 years the topic of pricing and I've come to a huge conclusion. Pricing products is an emotional process for brand owners that leads to all the questions. What if you over price your products and no one buys? What it you under price your products and miss out on additional dollars you could have made? There is a common thread amongst those brands who set their prices and win in the ...
Aug 27, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Calling all social media influencers & those who engage them. This is the content you need. The concept of brands paying content creators and social media influencers is a cumbersome, ambiguous process and both side need help. Influencers are trying to figure out how to attract and scale their reach so they attract brands to pay them. Beauty brands (particularly the indie brand owners) are trying to develop budgets and a structure that allows influencers to grow sales. In this latest episode...
Apr 13, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Working with a manufacturer can seem like an overwhelming, daunting project. But it does not have to be. After 6 1/2 years and literally more than 1000+ discussions with potential customers I have compiled a cheat sheet that will quickly move you to front of line with any private label or contract manufacturer you're considering. 6 questions that once answered will give you the confidence to engage not just me but ANY manufacturer. This is one of those episodes you may need to listen to more tha...
Mar 23, 2021•33 min•Ep. 22
We are coming up on the 1 year anniversary of COVID-19 shutting down the world and it's been almost a year since my last episode. We've got a lot to catch up on. I don't want to act like it's "business as usual" which is why I'm getting raw and vulnerable about the last year of my own life. It's been a hybrid of the CRAZY & AMAZING! We also talk about what a tremendous opportunity right now is for anyone in the beauty space or anyone thinking about launching a product or service. The tips of...
Mar 16, 2021•44 min•Ep. 21
Not everybody should become an entrepreneur today! Many are best served working inside a beauty company. Navigating your career can be tricky so I assembled two of my most favorite people to help bring you the kind of sage advice you need to thrive! I spent 14 years of my own career working for multiple companies and it was the BEST training guide I needed to prepare for my current place in life. Shawn Tollerson has been my boss in two of those companies. She brings 25 years of experience at all...
Apr 03, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Understanding the role of public relations as part of a beauty brand's marketing mix is a tough and sometimes confusing topic. What is PR? How is it different than other forms of advertising? What should I expect when I hire a PR agent or team? Well I've got a veteran in the space who is here to answer these questions and how beauty brands can successfully approach PR. Stephanie Scott-Bradshaw is an agency owner with more than a decade of experience supporting both large and indie beauty brands....
Mar 18, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 19
As part of every beauty brand experience you are going to receive customer complaints about your product. As an owner or someone who works in customer service you should get ahead of the issue by having a process for handling the issues as they come in. Don't let someone else's concern or anger set you up to be sued and manipulated out of money. I'm shelling out 8 quick tips that can be implemented today to save you $ and peace of mind. Enjoy!
Feb 28, 2020•21 min•Season 1Ep. 18
What would you do if Oprah Winfrey funded the start of your business? Well find out what one woman with an idea, passion and the guts to take multiple leaps of faith did in this new episode of Driving the Business. It's rare to find entrepreneurs that will get real and raw with you. But Kiley Russell did both during this candid interview sharing intimate details of her highest successes as founder of Big Girl Cosmetics who went from batching body butters in her kitchen, to winning a car in one o...
Oct 11, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 17
The REALITY is that Black women founders are getting a dismal 0.002% of all venture funding. Hear what beauty brand founder Kim Roxie decided to do when she found out this startling statistic while also working to pivot her own color cosmetics line - LAMIK Beauty. We get REAL and talk about what it was like for Kim to shut down her store in order to pivot. Her quest for education and participation in multiple accelerators has given Kim a new level of confidence and fire to not only fuel her own ...
Aug 20, 2019•44 min•Ep. 16
I sat down with Craig Brimm who has successfully managed a creative career spanning two decades in the advertising world. Craig has created content for many titans in the industry like McDonald's and Toyota while also curating TV and ad campaigns for many of the largest beauty brands. We talk how the role of the ad agency has shifted, how he has managed moving in and out of full-time entrepreneurship, what it’s like having his wife as a business partner and how he manages the chaos of life....
Jun 20, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 15
This is a new episode formatting I'm trying out. Life reflections that may or may not be directly related to the beauty business or entrepreneurship but are reflections that have proven immensely valuable for me in navigating this thing called adulting. In this episode I'm reflecting on how I have handled the big problems of life and embracing that there is no easy way out, no cheat sheet and no savior that's ever coming to "save" me. It’s a hard pill to swallow but there is complete magic in em...
Jun 20, 2019•21 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Get ready to have the FIRE brought to you in this one. I talked my way into an interview with one of the industry's busiest, most celebrated hair stylist and salon owners - Pekela Riley. She is teaching a MASTER CLASS in this discussion on her journey in the beauty industry. We get insight into the curvy road that's led to her success and how hard work combined with humility have been her secret weapon. Hearing the strategy she took from turning her salon Salon Pk from a booth rent environment t...
May 24, 2019•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 13
19 years of selling beauty products at live events and trade shows and I have the inside cheat sheet for you. This episode is filled with tangible tactics that you can execute and realize the kind of long term revenue that you should get from investing in a trade show. See how products sales, discounts and free giveaways play into your success. There is a real soap box moment here on why I HATE giving away free samples at trade shows. Hear why. Finally I lay out your email marketing strategy and...
May 10, 2019•49 min•Season 1Ep. 12
It's been way too long! But I'm back in the studio and ready to help you drive the business. First thing...let's catch up on life and what's been happening with me the last few months. In this catch up episode I talk about the insanity of running my own small, growing business; how celebrating small customer victories keeps me AMPED UP; and how the song Baby Shark saved my life last weekend. Plus, no matter where you are in your beauty journey I share why right now is the PERFECT time to start o...
Apr 25, 2019•35 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Surround yourself with smart, ambitious people. The team that helps me produce this show - the transient intellects - are a talented group of people that truly embody driving the business. While working through a technical challenge my audio engineer, Jason, and I get into a thoughtful conversation about the hustle and grind of entrepreneurship. It get REAL as we both share the experience of our journeys. You. Don't. Want. To. Miss. This. After you listen to this episode email me and share where...
Sep 06, 2018•36 min•Season 1Ep. 10
After watching a young man's response to a disappointing professional set back I'm reminded how important perspective is in life. I share a hard no I received in my career and what my response was after the initial shock and disappointment. Check out the video from Zakeel Gordon on LinkedIn - here - to see for yourself and prepare to be moved! Next up, I share my review on Cosmprof 2018 in Las Vegas and how beauty brand owners (small and large) can best navigate such a large show with 36,000+ at...
Aug 21, 2018•37 min•Season 1Ep. 9
I'm baaaack and excited to be back in front of the mic and sharing with you. In this episode I share whats been happening with me the last few weeks...and its happens to EVERY entrepreneur. I then highlight one of Instagram newest launches with IGTV and what it means for consumers and advertisers. Finally we dive deep into the details of how email marketing is your best, low cost tool for new customer acquisition and customer retention. We cover the 4 best email marketing platforms I recommend a...
Jul 16, 2018•38 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Y'all this episode is pure FIRE. I'm bringing you the inside track on what retail buyers are looking for when assessing new brands. Karonda Cook is the former Director of Merchandising for Sally Beauty who successfully grew her beauty categories double digit while sitting in the driver's seat. She is teaching a full Master Class for FREE here. We talk brand owner misconceptions about retail distribution and what you can do NOW to make sure you are ready to sit before a retail buyer. Get your not...
Jun 13, 2018•44 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Today's episode is more of a rant that the typical structure of other episodes. I tackle upcoming industry shows you should attend and why. Then I deep dive into why EVERY entrepreneur should have a tribe of advisers and how you can build yours without having Oprah on speed dial. Get ready because this episode could be a game changer for you.
Jun 07, 2018•40 min•Season 1Ep. 6
