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Accented Glory's visionary Tonya Cross (TC) had an opportunity to chat with Kimberly Watson (KW) of Kimmie Jean. During the conversation she shares about her entrepreneurial journey and gives advice on launching an online boutique. Read below to learn more!  Kimberly Watson TC: Please introduce yourself and tell us who you are. KW: My name is Kimberly Watson. I am a wife and mom of two and I own a childcare center and an online boutique. Fashion is my first true love! It took a lot of planning before I launched Kimmie Jean boutique. Now my focus is getting the word out about my boutique and becoming known. TC: Thanks Kimberly for agreeing to share with our audience! So, tell us more about your boutique Kimmie Jean and how it came to be? KW: My philosophy behind Kimmie Jean comes from the fact that everyone has been into a store and felt rejected somehow. Whether from race or sex, to the store just didn’t have your style, to items being too expensive or cheap. I wanted to create a space that everyone could shop at.  Kimmie Jean Boutique TC: Yes, I'm sure we have all had at least one of those experiences while shopping. Now, what advice would you give to a fellow entrepreneur who's interested in launching an online boutique? KW: My advice for fellow entrepreneurs is like Nike “Just Do It”. I had the business plan for my boutique done in 2014 and didn’t actually launch until November 2019 because of fear. Now I look back at the time wasted. Also, don’t expect friends and family to be your first customers. They may support you, but if you expect it you’ll have your feelings hurt. TC: Great advice and tips! What do you foresee for your brand in the next five years? KW: In five years I hope to have my brand known and maybe expand to a store front. TC: Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience? KW: Entrepreneurship is a lot of work, but don’t be scared to work towards your dreams. Invest in you and yours!  Kimmie Jean TC: Thank you so much for sharing with us! Where can our audience find out more about your business and services?
KW: You can find more information on my boutique's website at www.shopkimmiejean.com! We're also on social media at https://www.facebook.com/shopkimmiejean and https://www.instagram.com/shopkimmiejean. Thank you for an opportunity to share! Tonya Cross - Accessory Designer Are you an entrepreneur? What advice would you offer someone who's launching a business? Accented Glory's accessory designer Tonya Cross (TC) got a chance to meet and chat with fellow woman entrepreneur Camille Brown (CB) of Hazel's Soapery. Check out their conversation below to learn more about Camille, her brand story, and natural products she create.  Camille Brown - Hazel's Soapery TC: Thank you for agreeing to share your brand story with our Accented Glory Family! I love meeting and engaging with other creative women in business. Please introduce yourself and tell us who you are. CB: Hello Everyone. My name is Camille Brown and I am the Artisan and Proprietor of Hazel's Soapery. I am also a Mother, a Sister, a Friend, a member of Zeta Phi Beta, Sorority, Inc. and currently a South Carolinian (not sure how much longer that is going to last). TC: Accented Glory's target audience is black women with natural hair. I know how life changing returning to natural hair has been for me personally. Tell us about your natural hair journey and how it has impacted you. CB: I began my natural hair journey after researching the use of "relaxers" and its effects on uterine fibroids. I was curious why it seemed as though so many young African American women had them. Understanding I needed (Still do) to change my diet, I never considered how what I was putting on my hair could affect my internal health. It was an eye-opener for me. One that ultimately led me to create Hazel's Soapery. TC: WOW...My natural hair journey inspired me to launch my brand Accented Glory as well! Tell us more about your brand Hazel's Soapery and how it came to be. CB: Hazel's Soapery was created from a lot of major pieces that came together over the span of about 10 years. I'll give you the abridged version :). On my 34th Birthday, I was getting dressed to go out with a group of friends. As I was getting ready I noticed a pain in my left breast. I didn't pay it much attention at the time and continued on with my evening. Well as time went on I ended up with a mass in my breast the size of an egg. After several treatments and scans, too many pain relievers and antibiotics. I had to have a partial mastectomy to have it removed. I was blessed to have a wonderful Dr. who was a world-renowned researcher in Breast Care. After removing the mass she was so curious about its make up that she studied it. She called me in to tell me that the mass was a build-up of toxins that my body was not able to secrete due to a blockage caused by using Clinical Strength deodorant. You can read the entire story here. The second piece was my Grandmother, Hazel Whitman. I had the Grandmother that people put in movies. She was kind, prayerful, wise and for a little girl who would never be quiet, she let me talk as much as I wanted :). She was the person that people would call and say, "I have an earache and I don't know what to do." My grandmother would go into the kitchen, mix some stuff up in a bowl, put it in an old medicine bottle, and say, "Come on Baby, pick this up". So I got my beginnings by staying attached to her hip, watching her, and not even realizing what it was I was watching. In addition to listening to my mother talk and read about different roots and vitamins. It laid dormant until about two years after her passing. The third piece was my transition to natural hair. My grandmother was also a Cosmetologist, her and my Great-Grandmother owned their own shop back in the 1930s. One of their early lessons was to "take care of your scalp and your hair will grow healthy without all that junk". So I have never been a fan of using a lot of products (Minus my Jerri Curl phase). When I decided to go natural, I couldn't find products that worked on my hair. So, I began to research and mix my own. I made itchy scalp sprays and all sorts of concoctions. Then one day, I came across an article that said; Whatever you put on your skin takes 26 seconds to get into your bloodstream. That was it, I needed to know what was in my soap, my lotion, my lip balm, of course, deodorant and here we are today. I found that I could create and therefore control the ingredients that I used on my skin. More importantly on my children's skin. We have seen such a change over time and its amazing.  Hazel Soapery Natural Products - Click photo to shop! TC: I'm a huge advocate of using products made with all-natural ingredients. Tell us why you chose to avoid using chemicals and harmful ingredients in your products. CB: I avoid using chemicals and harmful ingredients mainly for the reason stated above. However, I will add this. My belief is that God created this world with everything we need to survive on it. So when you think back to our grandparents, for me I was blessed to even know my great-grandparents. I was able to watch them garden, cook, make home remedies, can food, hunt and cut up meat. All these things that we got away from because it was more convenient to buy it pre-made or packaged. So what many companies did was find a way to mass-produce the simple God-given ingredients to make a profit. The trade-off has been our health. So when I looked back and see, my Grandmother lived to be 80 yrs old, with clear skin, no real health problems, in her right mind and compare it to me who at before 40 had breast surgery, fibroids, Dry-skin. It was obvious, I needed to go back to what they were doing. Convenient or not. My main goal is to not have my children be dependent on the easy way. Or the junk food, the bad habits that I have, and am trying to break. I want to raise them without having the need to create new habits. But have healthy ones from the start. I want the same for my customers. I want us to understand those big companies are in the business of making our skin dependent on their product so that if we stop using it for an hour, we need to get more. I want us to reset our skin, so that it functions as it should on its own, with products that work for it. TC: Love your mindset; everything we need can be found in nature! I also noticed that you have a blog on your website. Why do you feel it's important to educate your customers? CB: I love teaching. I was a pre-school teacher and Parent Educator at another time. It is so little we understand about ourselves. About how to love and nurture our skin and our hair. I happen to also love doing research. So as I learn and grow, I feel I would be remiss to keep that knowledge to myself. We suffer in many ways because we know not. We don't know why our skin is so dry. Also, Hazel's Soapery didn't start out to be a business. It started out because I wanted to change the way I was taking care of myself and my family. I want to share what I learn so that if there are others out there who are doing the same we can help each other. For every piece of information I share, someone has poured more information out into me. Everything can't be about a profit or I wouldn't be holding true to the name of my company. Plus my Grandma will visit me in my dreams and set me straight :). TC: I'm a forever learner and enjoy sharing what I have learned as well. Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience? CB: Absolutely. If you ever have any questions about an ingredient or thinking of starting your own business feel free to reach out to me. I will help as best as I can. Also, a huge Thank You to you for inviting me to share a little bit about Hazel's Soapery with your community.  Hemp Is Hair Food - Click photo to shop! TC: You're very welcome! I'm so glad we got an opportunity to connect. I definitely feel like we have kindred spirits! Where can our audience find out more about your business and services? CB: They can shop for my products at www.HazelsSoapery.com and send me questions at Camille@HazelsSoapery.com. They can also like/follow Hazel's Soapery on social media at links/handles below: FB: https://www.facebook.com/HazelsSoapery/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/hazelssoapery/ Twitter: @HazelsSoapery Accented Glory Family, I hope you enjoyed my chat with Camille of Hazel's Soapery! What was your take away from her natural hair or entrepreneur journey? Share your response in comments below. Tonya Cross - Accessory Designer Accented Glory (AG) has built an amazing network within the natural hair community! We have many curlfriends that manage brands, businesses, and organizations that are members of our Facebook Group Accented Glory Naturals. Liz Girolamo (LG) of Tee-Owels and Ethnic Hair Forum is a part of our natural hair brand support system. We collaborated with her on a recent Instagram Giveaway she hosted. Check out our Naturals In Business feature on Liz below. **This blog post contains affiliate links. Click here for Accented Glory's Affiliate's Disclosure.**  Liz Girolamo of Tee-Owels
AG: Please introduce yourself and tell Accented Glory readers who you are.
LG: Hi! My name is Liz Girolamo, I’m an entrepreneur, marketer, content creator, esthetician and natural hair care enthusiast from New York. I’m of afro-latina descent with type 4C hair, and the owner of Tee-Owels – The Ideal T-shirt Hair Towel for Curlies. AG: For many naturals, their hair journey has been a catalyst for so many things! Tell us about your natural hair journey.ll us about your natural hair journey. LG: I began my healthy hair journey at 22 years old. It was 2011, I was in college, and I had just started exploring and applying my knowledge of SKIN care to my hair care routine. But first, a little background -- Growing up I was adopted, and I never knew a thing about how to take care of my hair. My parents had straight hair, and although they tried relentlessly to help me & take me to people who could help me, I really struggled with my hair and spent a lot of time crying over the damage. It didn’t help that back then ethnic hair options were extremely limited and the internet was virtually non-existent. Everything I did to my hair seemed to ruin it: Brushing it, washing it, drying it, dying it - and I just couldn’t figure out how to manage it! So, like many curly & afro women I turned to relaxers, extensions, wigs, hoods, anything to cover it up for years. Thankfully, in 2010, the early years of the natural hair movement, I started to explore and apply my schooling and knowledge of skin care (esthetics) to my hair care routine. Only then I realized the link between skin and hair health. One big thing about skin is that it needs moisture to stay JUICY. It sounds funny, but moisture is really a KEY component to having healthy and lively skin and hair, and this little piece of knowledge was a game-changer for me. So, I started experimenting with essential oils and water based moisturizing products. This coupled with taking protective measures were key for my natural hair journey and helped me grow my hair down my back. As a skin specialist, being able to characterize my hair as a dry hair type (like a dry skin type) made me realize the science of texture and find solutions to breakage and dryness. My hair wasn’t “bad” it was misunderstood! I wished someone had explained to me that my hair was breaking because the nature of its texture makes it difficult for natural oils to slide down the strand to the tips.  Tee-Owels - Natural Hair Brand
AG: You have a unique natural hair product! Tell us more about your brand Tee-Owels and how it came to be. LG: Tee-Owels, like so many products, came to be out of necessity and need for innovation. I was using t-shirts to dry my hair until I had a lightbulb moment and realized that I shouldn’t have to. There should be a nice hair towel product designed just for women of color’s unique hair needs. Now there is an awesome hair towel for them – the Tee-Owel. It falls under the category of protective hair care. The soft t-shirt material reduces breakage and frizz, and is 100% curl-conscious so we can achieve our hair goals with ease. I see future generations of curly and kinky haired women having this accommodation. To me, if everyone understood the need for a Tee-Owel than that means they understand their own hair type and what works and what doesn’t. I’d be thrilled knowing that less young women felt lost as I did growing up about their hair, so a huge part of our company and what we do is dedicated to education. Our logo is an adorable curly haired owl wearing her own hair t-shirt hair towel. I thought of this when I was combining the words t-shirt and towel into “Tee-Owel”. Each towel is called an “Owel” in our world. And each Owel helps protect your hair! AG: We're a huge fan of sharing knowledge among the natural hair community. Tell me more about Ethnic Hair Forum. LG: Ethnic Hair Forum (EHF) was my first social media experiment. I was in college studying women and gender studies, and I was full of relief to learn that others thought and felt the way I did & I was empowered and very passionate about building a community centered around information – again helping those who like myself felt lost with their hair. What really set us apart at first was how information, and education oriented it was – not another “hair inspo” page. There’s so much to share on the topic, and the response to it was great. AG: We see a connection between Tee-Owels and Ethnic Hair Forum. Why is it important for you to provide a product that educates and resolve a natural hair concerns? LG: There is absolutely a connection. EHF, at first, was to morph into EHCO (Ethnic Hair Care Options), where I wanted to have a full line of protective hair care products/ publications. Tee-Owels was created to be the first product in the line, but it had a such a great response from the start that I decided to keep my products under the name Tee-Owels for now. Since opening, we added Satin Hair Scrunchie Sets, and there are more really cool and unique protective accommodations to come! It’s so important to me to do this because it’s what I wish I had when I was younger. Options and information. They say be the person you wish you had growing up & I certainly aim for that. AG: Is there anything else you would like to share with Accented Glory's audience? LG: Yes, I’d like to share that Tee-Owels at the core is about bringing people together through fun hair care products. It’s what the ethnic hair industry has always lacked in – fun, innovative, diverse hair care solutions. Thanks for tuning in today! AG: Where can our audience find out more about your business and services? LG: You can learn more about Tee-Owels at our website www.teeowels.com, on Instagram @teeowels, and Tee-Owels on Facebook. Our products are available on Amazon, Etsy and www.teeowels.com.
Cierra - AKA Accessory Diva
What have your natural hair journey been a catalyst for? Click "Shop Now" below to purchase Tee-Owels on Amazon. Accented Glory's visionary had the pleasure of connecting with high end fashion designer Avnah Long, back in 2013. Our sister organization The Vine Events featured her for a "Black History In The Making" article. Our visionary and Avnah are from the same home town in North Carolina! Avnah now resides in Atlanta, Georgia where she launched her crochet swimwear and clothing line brand AVNAH Collection. Her designs have been worn by various celebrities, such as Kelly Rowland and Cynthia Bailey. She has also been a featured designer during New York Fashion Week (NYFW)! We're thankful that she granted us an interview where she shares about her experience as a natural in fashion. Check out her interview below!  Avnah Long - High End Fashion Designer Photo Source: AVNAH.com What inspired you to pursue a career in fashion? I began my career in fashion as a crochet designer creating swimwear and clothing pieces, but I was inspired to expand my fashion line actually from my great grandmother Ida Davis that use to sew herself. I use to watch her as a child sew little thing around the house. Starting as a crochet designer was good for me, but it took a long time to make certain pieces as my visions grew. So, I started teaching myself how to sew. As I began designing pieces by using a sewing machine, it opened up a whole world for me as a designer. I was able to put pieces together faster than it would take me to crochet by hand and I was able to incorporate structure, play with fabrics and use other elements that allowed me to create a line that was diverse. Being a featured designer during NYFW is an amazing accomplishment! What impact has it had on your career? Being a featured designer during NYFW is always an awesome experience in itself, because the platform is so great. I was able to present my collection on a platform where many people in the audience is of some influence in the fashion industry. I meet a lot of people who connected me with textile suppliers, buyers, and gave me great feedback on the line in general. All of that is important when you're building a brand. Share with us about your natural hair journey. What kind of experience has it been? My natural hair journey started in 2003, when I decided to do my big chop. It was also around the same time that I opened my first salon in Atlanta. Many people don't know that I am a Master Cosmetologist and hair was my first passion. As my hair grew out some, I went through the twa (teeny weeny afro) phase until I could maintain my twist outs. Then I decided to loc my hair. I had locs for five year and I've big chopped three times since then. Now I'm just letting it grow out. I shampoo and sometimes co-wash, I use a shea butter mixture and I keep it braided up for protective styling. If I do wear it out, it's usually pulled back into a puff or I'm wearing it out in an afro. With celebrities like Taraji P Henson embracing their natural hair, do you think it'll have an influence on the fashion world? Will we see more naturals on the runway? I think a lot of celebrities and people in general are finally starting to embrace their hair. I am seeing more people on the runways wearing their natural hair and I actually tell many of my models not to straighten their hair for my shows. For the longest time people thought you had to have straight hair to look presentable, tamed, or well put together. Now we are loving and embracing the hair we were born with. Our hair is beautiful! There are so many textures and to have healthy hair that is thick, soft, curly, and can be styled beautifully is more important to a lot of people than being over processed with chemicals. What's next for AVNAH Collection? I have so many projects that I am working on including an accessories line. The accessory line includes neck pieces and I'm currently creating the beauty bangles. I'm also revamping the online store to make it easier for customers to purchase. I'm just having fun creatively right now. Whatever God puts in my spirit to create is what I'm working on. It's so much better for me right now to do it this way. I'm just in a really good spot right now with my brand and I'm excited to share the accessory line with my customers. Avnah Long of AVNAH Collection Follow AVNAH at... www.avnah.com Social Media: IG: @avnah Twitter: @AVNAH FB: facebook.com/avnahcollection Accented Glory interviewed Terral of I Am RallyGirl, LLC! She is a natural hair influencer that also has a passion for art/culture and positive lifestyle. Check out her brand's story below! I Am RallyGirl - Brand Feature What inspired you to create your brand? My inspiration came from my YouTube viewers & subscribers. Initially, my channel was meant to be a "consumer reporting" hub, where I would try out & demonstrate various household, home & garden, and beauty products to see if they really work. However, when I launched a natural hair video, I received several messages from naturalistas who were struggling with caring for their hair. They were also concerned with retaining length, and having an easy regimen. This made me want to help other naturals see how low maintenance, and versatile their hair is, and that's what fueled I Am RallyGirl™, LLC; "Versatile. Simple. Afro. Hair Care.". The entrepreneur life can be like a roller coaster ride; ups, downs, and loops! What keeps you motivated? My primary motivation is knowing that I've already asked God for what I need, so I can focus on doing the work: Being of service to others, remaining grateful for what I have, and staying positive (this one can be challenging). I enjoy it, so I look forward to doing it daily. Then, exercising my patience: Taking it one day at a time, knowing that one step forward, whether big or small, is a step in the right direction. The journey can be difficult, but it's all a test. So, when the obstacle shows itself, my task is to determine ways to get around it, over it, or through it. There may be tears along the way, but that's cool; I dig a good cry. LOL!! Growth is intrinsic in brand building. What do you foresee as the next level for your brand? Ironically, my brand now also includes my other niches (art & culture, and positive lifestyle), and is constantly developing. I look forward to more collaborations with other great brands. I Am RallyGirl™, LLC is branching out and is organically evolving into a digital content creating & marketing company, that has helped a few other small businesses, start-ups, and non-profits with their brand strategy, and digital marketing needs. What advice would you give someone who's considering becoming an entrepreneur? Brainstorm ways you can monetize what you are passionate about. Invest time. Be consistent. Have faith in you. Compare yourself to no one. Study your craft. Research ways to get started for FREE (or at least at minimal cost) until you get your footing, then invest in your business. Have fun. Evolve. Terral - Visionary of I Am RallyGirl, LLC  Accented Glory interviewed Marie Davis of Ria's Beauty Collection, LLC! Ria's Beauty Collection is the home of their world famous "Whipped Shea Butter". Their collection also includes scented candles, soaps, and crochet garments.  What inspired you to create your brand? My youngest daughter inspired me. She always has her mom's back. On numerous occasions, I would search for Shea Butter products at various locations. During my search, I was constantly unsuccessful locating products that were beneficial and healthy for me. One day my daughter asked, “why can't you make your own products?” I stated, “you're absolutely right.” That was the best advice ever. From that day forward, Ria's Beauty Collection, LLC was created. The entrepreneur life can be like a roller coaster ride; ups, downs, and loops. What keeps you motivated? In my opinion, the entrepreneur life is like an addition to the family (a newborn). I want the very best for it, and I'm going to take care of it despite the challenges. This is a part of me. It's something that I created and I'm very proud of it. Always remember to put your best foot forward regardless of what life throws your way. It's up to you to make it happen. Growth is intrinsic in brand building. What do you see as the next level for your brand? The next level for the brand is expansion (additional stores, office space, employees, new products, etc.). What advice would you give someone who's becoming an entrepreneur? a. Believe. b. Be Unique. c. Be the best. d. Have a plan. e. Set goals. f. Be patient. g. Stay focused. h. Accept criticism. i. Don't make it all about the money. j. Never Give Up.  In celebration of Accented Glory's Anniversary this month, we will be hosting a contest on Facebook to win a product from Rias Beauty Collection! Visit Accented Glory's Facebook page here to enter. We will choose a winner on Tuesday, June 20th! Accented Glory interviewed Kim Richard of Natural Roots LLC! Kim is a natural hair advocate and influencer. She has found her happy in all things beauty!  What inspired you to create your brand? What and who inspired me to create my brand was my husband. After he encouraged me to go natural, I wanted to learn everything I could about my hair in its natural state. This inspired me to share my love and knowledge with other naturals. The entrepreneur life can be like a roller coaster ride; ups, downs, and loops! What keeps you motivated? What keeps me motivated is just that, I'm an entrepreneur to my heart and no matter what comes my way in life that tries to distract me from my course I always find myself back in business for myself. I'm a serial entrepreneur...LOL Growth is intrinsic in brand building. What do you foresee as the next level for your brand? I foresee Natural Roots LLC collaborating with major brands that I believe in; to give them more exposure to my community. What advice would you give someone who's considering becoming an entrepreneur? If you have thin skin it's not for you, stay consistent, believe in yourself and stay prayed up.  Accented Glory interviewed Marsha of Sassy Critic! Marsha is a beauty blogger and influencer. She is truly building a brand around her passion!  1. What inspired you to create your brand? - I have always been into beauty products and somewhat of a product junkie. When I buy things or am thinking about buying new products, I always check the reviews first. At one point, I started making it a point to leave reviews on things that I've bought and saw how helpful it was to others in influencing their buying decisions. So, I decided to pair my love for beauty products with reviews and started my blog, Sassy Critic (SassyCritic.com). On my blog, you will find reviews of and discussions about products from makeup, curly hair products, skincare products, and nail polish! All of my favorite things lol! I have a lot of fun blogging. 2. The entrepreneur life can be like a roller coaster ride; ups, downs, and loops! What keeps you motivated? - That is so true! I have experienced that with previous business endeavors and even with my blog. It's a struggle to be seen in a sea of other fish in the same niche or industry as you. What keeps me motivated is focusing more on why I started in the first place and less on my website's stats. I wanted to get to a place where I stopped checking my views and likes every 5 minutes and just focus on consistently putting out good content. I'm happy to say that I've gotten to that place. Another motivator has been joining groups of other bloggers. I've learned so much from them and they have given me the support and encouragement I need to keep going and improving. 3. Growth is intrinsic in brand building. What do you foresee as the next level for your brand?- Last year, I was encouraged to start a YouTube channel as an extension of my blog. I wasn't posting videos that often initially, but now my goal is to grow Sassy Critic even more by growing my YouTube channel (Sassy Critic Beauty). On my channel, you will see more product reveals, reviews, demonstrations, and I'd like to also collaborate with other beauty bloggers and vloggers. I would also love to become a brand ambassador for a curly hair or makeup company! I think that would be so exciting! 4. What advice would you give someone who's considering becoming an entrepreneur? - My advice would be to only start a business that you really genuinely believe in and have a strong interest in doing and not something you're doing just for money. Money is great but when you truly believe in the service or product you are providing, you are more likely to stick with it and push forward when you hit those bumps in the road. Plus, people can tell when you're more focused on making money and that's a huge turn-off.  Follow Sassy Critic at... Facebook: facebook.com/sassycriticblog Twitter: twitter.com/sassycritic Instagram: instagram.com/sassycritic YouTube: youtube.com/sassycriticbeauty Follow Sassy Critic on Instagram to enter her giveaway of Accented Glory's NEW Paisley Adjustable Headband design! Winner will be chosen on April 1st and US residents ONLY.
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Cierra CrossCierra has been a part of Accented Glory since its launch in June 2013. Outside of being an "Accessory Diva", she's a millennial who's currently navigating adulthood. Click Not One Of Your Little Friends to check out her podcast! Archives
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