As tariffs are set to increase prices on practically everything and major corporations roll back DEI initiatives, there’s no better time than the present, especially on Labor Day, to support Black-owned businesses. Although the road from idea to market is not always easy, there are lots of amazing success stories that we can learn from.
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From size-inclusive swimwear to deliciously healthy vegan snacks, this Labor Day, we’re looking at the stories behind how some Black entrepreneurs launched the businesses we know and love.
Topicals
After living with chronic skin care conditions for years, Olamide Olowe founded Topicals skin care company to help others with issues like hyperpigmentation and eczema love the skin they’re in. She enlisted the help of doctors, nutritionists and scientists to formulate a safe and effective line of products that are available online and in Sephora stores.
Riot Swim
Driven by a desire for inclusivity, Monti Landers launched Riot Swim in 2016 to create swimwear that embraces diverse body types and skin tones. Landers maintains close relationships with her customers and credits their feedback as vital to the brand’s success.
“We are a community-based brand, so I just make sure that I include them on every single part of the process. When it comes to the samples, I’m posting like, ‘Hey, what do you guys think about this?’ Or, ‘What do you want to see next?’” she told Bazaar.com in an interview. “And it makes them feel like it’s also their brand.”
Jungalow
Justina Blakeney is the creative force behind Jungalow, a line of colorful and creative items for the home. Her business blossomed out of a design blog to become a completely unique line of home textiles available in major retail locations, including Target. The company is on a mission to “help people tap into their creativity, connect to nature, and unleash their wild side—one joyful project at a time.”
Partake Foods
Partake Foods CEO Denise Woodard founded her company in 2016 to provide healthy, delicious snack options for her daughter, who lives with food allergies. Unable to find what she was looking for on store shelves, she took her background in packaged goods, sold her engagement ring, emptied her 401K, and began formulating products in her own kitchen.
“I got into the kitchen with my nanny, and we failed horribly. I realized all of the products out there were full of nutritionally empty flour and a ton of sugar, because it was easy to formulate that way,” Woodard told The Root in an intervivew.
Today, her gluten-free vegan snacks made without nuts, artificial flavors, preservatives or GMOs can be found in major retail locations including Target, CVS and Whole Foods.
Danessa Myricks Beauty
Makeup lovers who swear by the award-winning products from Danessa Myricks Beauty will find it hard to believe that she started her business without formal training in the makeup industry. She educated herself on the science behind cosmetic formulations to develop a colorful and inclusive line of products for a variety of skin tones that leave customers with a gorgeous glow.
Harlem Candle Company
Travel and lifestyle expert Terry Johnson took inspiration from the sights and sounds of Harlem when she launched her luxury fragrance brand, Harlem Candle Company. Starting with $50,000 of her own savings, she began creating her candles in her kitchen in 2014, eventually growing her business into a $2 million brand. Harlem Candle Company products are now available in over 130 retail locations and were one of the brands that made the coveted Oprah’s Favorite Things list in 2023.
In an interview with The Root, Johnson said that one of the secrets to her success was creating a product that she is passionate about.
“I just created a product that I would want to buy if I’m going to Bloomingdale’s or Nordstrom. I created what I love, and I really wanted to feel like this brand has been around for a really long time,” she said.
BLK & Bold
Longtime friends Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson founded BLK & Bold as a way to create a community of diverse coffee and tea lovers. Without any experience, they started in Cezar’s garage learning all about the science behind the perfect cup. Now, their products are available for purchase in retail locations like Target, Walmart and Whole Foods.
Cezar and Johnson attribute their success to their commitment to quality, tasting every product before distributing it to the masses. They also do good, pledging 5 percent of their gross revenue to nonprofit organizations that support American children.
Coco and Breezy Eyewear
Coco and Breezy is an eyewear brand that makes stylish, unisex frames guaranteed to turn heads. Twin sisters and DJs Corianna and Brianna Dotson founded their brand in 2009 when they were only 19 years old. Their idea was to create a brand that made the user feel more confident, something that comes from their decision to wear sunglasses to cope with bullies they encountered while growing up in Minnesota.
“We wore sunglasses as a shield — they were our way to not make eye contact with people, and that helped us create our own identities. We wanted to bring that same level of confidence to other people,” Breezy told Forbes in an interview.
The sisters say being successful entrepreneurs starts with being unapologetically yourself.
“It’s so important to walk into a meeting and be yourself. If you feel like you have to put on a shield, you won’t perform as your best self,” Coco added.
McBride Sisters Wine Collection
Before McBride Sisters Wine Company became the largest Black-owned and all-women-founded wine company in the United States, it was a passion project for half-sisters Andréa and Robin McBride, who met for the first time at their father’s request in 1999. They started in 2005 as importers and distributors of wines from New Zealand, eventually launching eco.love Wines in 2009.
In an interview, the sisters say one of the best parts about entrepreneurship is having the opportunity to fulfill their passion. But they added that no matter what industry you’re in, it is a challenging road.
Nude Barre
Nude Barre is a line of comfortable intimate wear that comes in a variety of 12 shades to match nearly every complexion.
Founder and CEO Erin Carpenter, a former dancer, often struggled to find nude tights that matched her skin tone. She took $3,000 of her savings to start her own line of bras, underwear, and tights, which has since grown a massive following.
Be Rooted
Be Rooted is a line of journals, planners, and other desk accessories designed to celebrate Black culture. Founder and CEO Jasmin Foster leaned into her experience in corporate retail and her desire to create beautifully personal products that made people of color feel seen to launch her brand, which was the first Black-owned stationery brand to be sold in Target stores and was recognized as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential Companies.
Je T’aime Pastisserie
If you’re looking for the best in Paris-inspired baked goods in Brooklyn, look no further than Je T’aime Patisserie. Owner Jatee Kearsley has had a passion for baking since she was young and loves to share her creations with others. An advocate for ending food insecurity, Kearsley accepts EBT payments at her bakery and has turned her passion project into a valued part of her community.
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