Tell us about yourself and your brand.
I was born and raised in South Central LA. I graduated from UCLA in 2012 with a B.S. in Political Science, B.A. in African-American Studies/Sociology, and a minor in Labor & Workplace Studies. I'm the CEO and Co-Founder of Kyra’s Shea Medleys, an all-natural, multipurpose, and vegan hair and skincare line now based in ATL. My mission is to empower women of color to embrace their natural curls and love their skin. Our brand has been featured on Good Morning America, Essence Magazine, Buzzfeed, Refinery29, Mashable, 102.3 KJLH Radio, and so much more. Every purchase is a purpose through our KSM Gives Back program, which has now donated over 7,500 products to local nonprofits and community causes.
How would you describe the essence of your brand in three words?
Safe, Healthy, and Effective (SHE-approved)
What inspires the creative direction and vision of your brand?
From our ingredients to our packaging to our graphics, the Kyra's Shea Medleys brand invokes clean, simple, natural, and multipurpose characteristics/values. Our goal is to get customers to absorb our message as quickly as possible and begin to incorporate our products and values into their daily life routines.
In what ways does your brand empower individuals to express themselves through beauty?
Our slogan is "Take care of YOU today for a better YOU tomorrow." For us, how you treat your body, mind, and soul is the ultimate beauty care. We do our best to always emphasize that deeper level of beauty to any individuals that are introduced to our brand.
What are some key lessons you've learned along the way that you wish you knew when starting out?
I've learned so many lessons as a first-generation business owner, but here is my biggest one: I AM NOT AN ACCOUNTANT! By that I mean it is important to hire (if you can) for services that you do not know that are necessary for your business. Trying to be every position is exhausting, time-consuming, and very costly (especially when you make mistakes). It's just not worth it at the end of the day. I've spent thousands of dollars to the IRS (the government wants and will always get there money) and accounting firms getting my mistakes fixed. That's thousands of dollars I could have saved or invested elsewhere if my taxes were done right in the first place. Trust me, it's not worth it. Hire!
What are some of your best-selling products, and what makes them unique?
Our products are unique because they are truly multipurpose, meaning you can literally use them from hair to toe. Our most popular products include our Avocado + Vanilla Oil (featuring shea nut oil), our Original Butter Cream (with aloe vera and witch hazel, no water), and our pure, refreshing Rose Water. My skin is thriving and my locs grew from cheek length to waist length in 5 years. I'm a product of my products.
What upcoming products or initiatives can consumers look forward to?
We're so excited to have launched the CBD version of our products called Shea Med by KSM. Try our beauty-enhancing and pain-relieving CBD products at www.sheamed.com.
What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as a female entrepreneur, and how did you overcome them?
While there has been so many woman-owned brands coming out within these last 10 years I've been in business, it has really only recently been that the final decision-makers are also woman. I've been in many male-dominated rooms (Target, Export University, business networking events, etc.) where the people thought I was not the CEO of my brand. Now I am sure my double minority status being both Black and woman played a huge part in most of the challenges I faced, but I don't allow myself to be discouraged. One skill that I imagine most successful first-generation college students, graduates, and business-owners quickly learned is how to navigate any environment. That's how we overcame.
What advice would you give to other women who aspire to become entrepreneurs?
YOUR STORY MATTERS! While we were faced with many barriers in business, our story is what got us in many of those rooms I mentioned above. Not only am I a first-generation college student, graduate, and business-owner, but I am also from the hood. Find what you may be the first in and lead with that. I was the first Black business from South Central LA to create natural, vegan, cruelty-free products that were sold in Target stores while giving back to my community. How many people can say the same? Your story matters, so don't be afraid to tell it.