1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: M Hey y'all, this is Dr Joy from the Therapy 2 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: for Black Girls podcasts, and this is a booster session. 3 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: As a reminder, the information included is meant to be 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: educational and entertaining, but is not a substitute for relationship 5 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: with a licensed mental health professional. Hey y'all, I'm back 6 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: with part two of our series about Black women in business. 7 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: This series is being brought to you with the support 8 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: of Visor. At Visor, they apply science and their global 9 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly 10 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: improve their lives. For more than one hundred and fifty years, 11 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 1: they have worked to make a difference for all who 12 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: rely on them. They're committed to providing breakthroughs that change 13 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: patients lives. Find out more at Visor dot com. That's 14 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: p f I z Or dot com. I'm partnering with 15 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 1: Fiser on this series. As we count down to this 16 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: year's Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit, which will be 17 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: held in March fifth through the eighth in Las Vegas. 18 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 1: I'll be speaking in the Visor booth during the summit 19 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: about how our mental health is impacted by our experiences 20 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: in the workplace and entrepreneurship. In leadership roles and in 21 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: relationships with others, and I wanted to kick things off 22 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: by having some of the conversations here on the podcast. Today, 23 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: you'll hear my conversation with Melissa Butler. Melissa is a 24 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: Detroit native who has skillfully and strategically launched a start 25 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:42,960 Speaker 1: up beauty brand, the lip Boar, into a nationwide phenomenon. 26 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: Melissa obtained her bachelor's degree in business finance from Florida 27 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: A and M University before going on to work on 28 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: Wall Street as a licensed stockbroker. Her journey from stocks 29 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 1: and bonds to beauty is one that she describes as natural, 30 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: not because she loved makeup, but because she was frustrated 31 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: with the industry and therefore created a solution. More than 32 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: four hundred and fifty targets stores later, and a flagship 33 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 1: store in Detroit, Melissa continues to innovate in the beauty space. 34 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: Melissa and I chatted about her journey and starting the 35 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: Little Bore, the grief that comes with scaling a business, 36 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:27,239 Speaker 1: what she has learned from disappointments and rejections, and how 37 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,079 Speaker 1: she takes care of her mental health while also taking 38 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: care of her business. If you hear something while listening 39 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 1: that resonates with you. Please be sure to share it 40 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 1: with us on social media using the hashtag tv G 41 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: in session. Here's our conversation. So I'm very excited to 42 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,959 Speaker 1: have you with us today, Melissa. So I knew that 43 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: I wanted to do a series, and I knew that 44 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,839 Speaker 1: I wanted to talk about developing resilience and overcoming obstacles 45 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: in business, and you were the first person I thought of. 46 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: So I'm really happy, really happy for you to be 47 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: with us today. So I do want to get a 48 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 1: little background for people who might not be familiar with 49 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: Melissa and the lip Boy. Can you just tell us 50 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: a little bit about how um the idea of developing 51 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: a cosmetics company came to you. So I started the 52 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 1: lit Bar in two thousand and twelves and I had 53 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: been working on it for a good fifteen eighteen months 54 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: something like that, And it really just came from my 55 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: frustration with the beauty industry, its successive amounts of chemicals, 56 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: it's lack of diversity, just this idea that beauty looks 57 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: like one thing. And I was like, you know what, 58 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: we don't have to sit into this this box, like 59 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: we don't have to follow the rules that we didn't create. 60 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: So I'm going to create a cosmetic company that that's 61 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: all about increasing diversity and challenging the beauty standard and 62 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 1: ultimately letting our customers know that they are enough. And 63 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: like that frustration is what led me to making lipstick 64 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: in my kitchen, and of the first three years, every 65 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: single product was made by my bare hands, and and 66 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: and it's just in an incredible journey our and target 67 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: stores across the country. We've expanded heavily beyond lip because 68 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: for a long time, it was only live and now 69 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: we have, you know, a makeup system that makes sure 70 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 1: makeup routine as easy as possible. So it's fun. It's hard. 71 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: Oh it's so hard. Oh god, it's so hard. But 72 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: also it's like super fulfilling. Yeah. So when you say 73 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: it's really hard, what are the hardest points for you? 74 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 1: Oh god, I mean so many things are hard. Every 75 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 1: day is different, right, And so that's that's the biggest 76 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 1: thing about entrepreneurship, just knowing that the only thing that's 77 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: constant is changed. So today I might be having an 78 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: issue with my supplier, Tomorrow I might be having an 79 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: issue with one of my staff members. The next day, 80 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 1: it could be like, oh, wait, we need money to 81 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: do X, Y and Z, or you know, maybe we 82 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: have an angry customer. Every day is different in the 83 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 1: priorities shift every day, um and and as a CEO, 84 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,919 Speaker 1: as a lead eater, I have to focus on what's 85 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: most important, like what's going to be the biggest thing 86 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: that moves the needle. And that's that's where it gets 87 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 1: tough because when it's your babies, you like being in 88 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 1: the in the in the mix of it. You like 89 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: being like at the ground for you want to make 90 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 1: sure everything is okay. And sometimes as a CEO and 91 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: as a leader, you can't do that because if you're 92 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: always focusing on today, who's going to focus on tomorrow. 93 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 1: I love that you shared that because you know, you 94 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: mentioned that all of the products started being handmade by 95 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: you in your kitchen and now you are in Target 96 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 1: stores across the country, right, And so I would imagine 97 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: that even though you're excited about the growth, there is 98 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: still some loss related to it not being such a 99 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 1: small operation anymore. Oh, there's there's always you know that 100 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: loss like some of the creatives when you when you're 101 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 1: thinking about like CEO and leadership level, like maybe you're 102 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:57,279 Speaker 1: not as um in tune with all of the creative 103 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: pieces or what the customer sees or you, or even 104 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,160 Speaker 1: how people respond to your customers as it released the 105 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: customer service. Like you know, I'm not I'm not as 106 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: much in the weeds, but like the weeds can be fun. 107 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 1: Like I really love the creative process. We have an 108 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,919 Speaker 1: amazing creative director. Her name is Roscoe. She's the person 109 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 1: who brings every visual that you see to life essentially, 110 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 1: and I'm still heavily involved, like we're going over pictures together. 111 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 1: Sometimes sometimes I'm creating the concept, but you know, she's 112 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 1: the person that brings it to life. And and sometimes 113 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: I missed I missed some of that knitt equity. Yeah, 114 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,479 Speaker 1: that's the point that you enjoy, right, the point that 115 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: really made you good at beginning the business in the 116 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 1: first place. Well exactly, because I mean at one point 117 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: I did everything, uh shift all the orders, I responded 118 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 1: to all the customer service emails, I made all of 119 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 1: the product. I you know, it was it was very 120 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,479 Speaker 1: much so like I was building this thing, which is 121 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: really cool because it allowed me to learn so many 122 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: areas of the business. And and I'm a very fast 123 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: learner and I'm a risk taker, so I'm able to 124 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: process information very quickly, and you know, with some things 125 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 1: that are happening within the team or within the company, 126 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh, let's just do that. It's like very 127 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 1: simple for me. But it's because I understand how everything 128 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: impacts everything. And really that's that's the biggest thing for 129 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: a small business. Everyone's job is important. What everyone does 130 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: impacts the customer in some in some way, shape or form. 131 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: Everything um impacts like our ability to convert a newer 132 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: potential customer. So it's just like understanding how those dots 133 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: connect and really being able to guide your team to 134 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: give them purpose and what they're doing. M Yeah. And 135 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: do you remember if there was a point at which 136 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: you realize that you were going to have to kind 137 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: of get out of the weeds and kind of transition 138 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: yourself more into the leadership CEO rule. I mean, yeah, 139 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: I think from the from the beginning, like I had 140 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 1: no business making LISTI you know, certainly wasn't the best, 141 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: all right, I mean I wasn't the best person to 142 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 1: make LISTI there were people who had skill fit better 143 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 1: than me, that there were people who could do it faster, 144 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: than me, and more efficiently than me, and and even 145 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: at a cheaper cost than me. But for some reason, 146 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: for several years I made the products. But honestly, I 147 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: think that was my that was my learning ground, Like 148 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: I needed to do all those things to learn And honestly, 149 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: we weren't a real business until I stopped making it. 150 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: So when I stopped making all the products in my kitchen, 151 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: then I was able to start focusing on leadership type stuff. 152 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: And so even now today, I tell my team, like, 153 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:32,719 Speaker 1: if I have to worry about a discount code, or 154 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 1: if I have to worry about social media, then we 155 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: might as well stop, because it's like if I can't, 156 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 1: if I can't think about the big things, then who's 157 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: going to think about it. So that was a realization 158 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: that that I made a couple of years in, you know, 159 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: because the liper absolutely started as a lifestyle business. It 160 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: was it was yeah, it was, it was a lifestyle 161 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: business and and we've morphed into into a real business 162 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: that's in retail stores with you know, I think we 163 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 1: have over a hundred excuse now. It's crazy because we 164 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: started with twelve and yeah, it's fun and it's exciting, 165 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: but like I said, it's it's difficult, especially when you're 166 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: so emotionally connected to it. How have you dealt with 167 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:16,199 Speaker 1: disappointments and rejections and growing your business as a business 168 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: owner and and entrepreneurship. You get told no every single day, 169 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: things go wrong every single day, like literally every single day. 170 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 1: And I think that that's that's really what what differentiates 171 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 1: a business owner. It's really having that understanding like that 172 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: things aren't always going to go right and and being 173 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: okay with it and just being like, oh, yeah, that's 174 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: normal because everything isn't for everyone and that's totally fine, right. 175 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 1: And what do you think helped you to develop that residience? 176 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: I mean, especially it sounds like you know you, like 177 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: you mentioned, you started as a lifestyle business, so you 178 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: weren't expecting to have the hundreds of excuse that you 179 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: have now. And so I would imagine that going into 180 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:00,560 Speaker 1: a business that you're not expecting to a scale in 181 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: the way that it has, you maybe didn't have the 182 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 1: resilience skills. So what kinds of things have allowed you 183 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 1: to develop the resilience to kind of bounce back from 184 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: the nose? Well, honestly, I always expected the list are 185 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: to be big. I just didn't know how to get there. 186 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: I didn't know anything about business until I started a business, 187 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: and throughout this journey, I've basically been building my plane 188 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: in the sky. So but I've always started the company 189 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: thinking that we would be big, like thinking that we 190 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: would be bigger than we are now. So I actually 191 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: fight that more often. I'm like, you know, stop stop 192 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 1: thinking that you should be like the word of the 193 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 1: idea of ship, like just allowing things to be. So 194 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: I think that resilience just comes from like the fact 195 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: that I'm a super determined person. Um, I don't take 196 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: no for an answer, and I think that everything has 197 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: a solution, Like I truly believe that there's a solution 198 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 1: to everything. So earlier when I mentioned, you know, me 199 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: learning every part of the business allows me to be 200 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: able to make a asion very quickly and just look 201 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 1: and really identify the true problem or the true root. 202 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 1: Cause I think those are the things that allowed me 203 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: to be resilient because it's like I have an understanding 204 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: of the knowledge now and it's like, oh, it's fine, 205 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: it's fine. Things go wrong all the time. It's fine. Yeah, 206 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 1: that's kind of how I'm like, Yeah, and it sounds 207 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: like you have a pretty involved team that you trust 208 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: to kind of help with that decision making as well. Yeah, 209 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 1: I mean I I puished my team so hard man, 210 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 1: um a lot of times they hate me, and I 211 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 1: think that's what what a small business is oftentimes. Like 212 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 1: I read a lot of business bios on everyone from 213 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: Steve Jobs to just face those and you know, these 214 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 1: these leaders from these very admired companies that we have, 215 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: and it's kind of like looking at their story and 216 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:56,199 Speaker 1: understanding that sometimes just that passion and it's that relentlessness 217 00:11:56,280 --> 00:12:01,679 Speaker 1: that allows them to become these sue first our companies essentially. 218 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: And so I pushed my team the way I push myself, 219 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: but as a business owner, like I'm fine with pushing 220 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 1: myself because it's again, it's so emotionally attached to me, 221 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 1: and I'm trying to figure out how to create a 222 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: balance there with with my team because I worked them 223 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: and they're they're really, really awesome, and I'm always pushing 224 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 1: for more. I'm never satisfied, um, and I don't give 225 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: myself a lot of paths on the deck. But that's 226 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: not that's not the behavior of a really good leader. 227 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,439 Speaker 1: And so that's something that I'm actually working on. Mmmm. 228 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: I love that you are so insightful as you're talking about, Like, Okay, yes, 229 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: these are the things that I do really well, but 230 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 1: these are also some things that I'm struggling with that 231 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,720 Speaker 1: I know I want to grow in this area. Yeah, 232 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:47,960 Speaker 1: you just gotta be honest with yourself in life, like 233 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: that is what life is about. Like know who the 234 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: hell you are, and like be comfortable in that, be 235 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:55,560 Speaker 1: comfortable with it, and make the changes that you want 236 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 1: to see or don't, but at least acknowledge that you 237 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:01,679 Speaker 1: know it is what it is like. Don't don't be 238 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: blind to to how you show up in the world. 239 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: I'm certainly not a person that's lit and I'm very Um. 240 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:10,959 Speaker 1: We're reflective, and I understand who I am and how 241 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 1: I show up and and that honestly, like the way 242 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: I show up is my superpower. Mm hmm. And how 243 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: would you describe the way you show up? Um? I 244 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 1: can be very aggressive, I can be direct. I'm also 245 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:27,199 Speaker 1: fun and playful. I am a person who gets things 246 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: done like I am an executor. I move very fast, 247 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: and I'm okay with that. That's not a work environment. 248 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 1: That's okay with everyone and that's fine, you know. So 249 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: now when we interview people, I asked them like, how 250 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: do you how do you feel with like in fast 251 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: paced environments? How do you feel about direct feedback? Like 252 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 1: are these things that's gonna bother you? If like im, 253 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 1: I say, hey, what happens to this the first thing 254 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:55,319 Speaker 1: in the morning? Is that gonna like is that gonna 255 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: really like sit in a in a negative space with you? 256 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 1: Because if it does, and this is probably not the 257 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 1: right work environment, like never disrespectful, but always just like 258 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 1: very honest. So I am a very honest person. More 259 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 1: than anything, I'm gonna tell you if it was right. 260 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell you if it was wrong. You know 261 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: a lot of people are like the sandwich method. I'm 262 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:18,439 Speaker 1: not good at the sandwich method. I understand it. I 263 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: think it's a I think it's a brilliant concept. But 264 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 1: typically I'm just like, hey, this is awf or hey 265 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: that was great, Like it's just there's there's no in between. 266 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: I hate gray areas. I hate them all. I hate them, 267 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: especially in any relationship, whether it's personal, professional, intimate. Like 268 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: I hate gray areas like I just I just want 269 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 1: to know. I want us to be very honest about 270 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 1: where it is and what it is, because it always 271 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: is going to be whatever it is, so there's no 272 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: there's no need to tiptoe around it. So I did 273 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: an episode of the podcast a couple of weeks ago 274 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: about protecting your dream and talking about how sometimes when 275 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 1: our dream is in its infancy, you have to be 276 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: very careful not to share it with like a whole 277 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: bunch of people who might not be able to be 278 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: as excited about your dream as you are. How have 279 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: you been able to protect your dream? Oh, this is 280 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: a great question. You know, I kind of talked too 281 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: much to be honest. So, UM, I think it's just 282 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: about knowing who to share it with, because I think 283 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: that there's always value in in putting this idea out 284 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 1: there and getting perspective from people who you think are 285 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: going to be like your target audience, or who you 286 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 1: respect with it, business or whatever it is. You know, 287 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 1: whether it's business or personal, it doesn't even matter, but 288 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 1: you know you putting it out there with someone who's 289 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: either done what you want to do. Um. And that 290 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 1: can be as simple as like, oh, I want to 291 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: get married, let me talk to a married couple about 292 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 1: what this looks like or I want to start a 293 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: beauty business. Let me talk to Melissa about Layer from 294 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: lit Bar on what that looks like. There's there's so 295 00:15:56,960 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 1: much value in connecting with people who have already done 296 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: what you want to do, just because you learn so 297 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 1: much and you prevent yourself from making unnecessary mistakes and 298 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: in a wasting time. So I am on the fence 299 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: with that. I think that you just have to know 300 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: your audience. Like, I'm not gonna tell you know, I'm 301 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: not gonna ask my friend who isn't married about what 302 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 1: it's like to be married. That doesn't make sense. But 303 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: maybe I'll ask someone who's been married for fifteen years, like, Okay, well, 304 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 1: you know, how did how did you work in this 305 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: in this scenario? How did you guys not kill each other? 306 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: What was that first your look like when you guys 307 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: moved in, you know whatever, it looks like, business, personal, anything. 308 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: I think that there's a ton of value and reaching 309 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: out to people who have already done what you want 310 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: to do. Yeah, so really kind of making sure that 311 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: you are checking in with people who have advantage point 312 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 1: and maybe some experience that can help you. Yeah, and 313 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: you don't want to get into analysis paralysis. I'm definitely 314 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: not suggesting that you go and talk to about knowing people, 315 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:02,360 Speaker 1: talk to a couple of people, and then make your decision, Like, 316 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 1: make sure that your decision is your decision and don't 317 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 1: base it on um anyone else because I, ultimately and 318 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:10,879 Speaker 1: honestly you're the person who has to live with it. 319 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: So you know, I'll talk to a couple of people 320 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,400 Speaker 1: and make your decision. But a lot of times what 321 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:19,160 Speaker 1: we want is already inside, Like we already know the answers, 322 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: We already know how we feel, We already know we 323 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: just we literally already know, and you just gotta follow 324 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 1: that gut. You gotta follow the intuition. You gotta dig 325 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: deep into into your your core, into your belly and 326 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 1: listen to yourself. So you mentioned already that you feel 327 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: like a lot of your business has been kind of 328 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: building your plane while it's in the sky. Um, which 329 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:44,199 Speaker 1: has been a common theme in in these interviews that 330 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,120 Speaker 1: I've been doing, is that so many of us are 331 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: just trying to figure it out like as we go, Um, 332 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: what tips would you have for people who are doing 333 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 1: the same kind of thing, Like how do you keep 334 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: it all together while you're trying to run the machine 335 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 1: and build it at the same time, you gotta learn 336 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:01,400 Speaker 1: from it. That's to I guess saying, my biggest piece 337 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: of feedback for anything that you want to do, and 338 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: I don't care if it's something as simple as like, oh, 339 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 1: I want to start an Instagram page, Like, you've got 340 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:11,199 Speaker 1: to learn from it, Listen to your audience and know 341 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 1: what works and what doesn't work. You know, if if 342 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:16,680 Speaker 1: this is not working, stop doing it. If this is working, 343 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 1: to do more of that, and then always be willing 344 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:21,360 Speaker 1: to try some new things and test it because if 345 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:23,640 Speaker 1: you're not, if you're doing the exact same thing, then 346 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:26,920 Speaker 1: you're not growing. So always be willing to introduce something new, 347 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,160 Speaker 1: always be willing to to trick the data and understand 348 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 1: like what's working, what's not working, And then ultimately, you know, 349 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 1: you gotta you gotta make sure that you're pivoting and 350 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: the direction that's going to give you the growth that 351 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: you want. So I am curious what excites you about 352 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 1: having a business that really is kind of the centered 353 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: around people of color. I guess I don't think about 354 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 1: it in a way where it's like exciting. I think 355 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 1: it's necessary. So It's like I've always so beholden to 356 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: tell the stories of people whose stories don't get told, 357 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 1: and so that's essentially what we do at the lips 358 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:11,520 Speaker 1: Are Like, yes we have amazing products. Yes, our red 359 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:13,920 Speaker 1: lipstick boss Idea is the best rid you'll ever signed 360 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 1: on the planet. Yes we have you know, Yes, yes 361 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,119 Speaker 1: we're creating products to make your makeup repeat easier. But 362 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:22,880 Speaker 1: it's just all about telling my stories of people who 363 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: don't typically get that story told. In two thousand and twelve, 364 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: when I launched the lip Are nobody was talking about diversity. Nobody, 365 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 1: And now everybody is like, oh, forty shades the foundation 366 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 1: and you're super diverse when you look at it ad 367 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 1: campaign and you have your token people. Um So I 368 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 1: don't think that I looked at it as exciting. I 369 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 1: just looked at it as like, well, as a black woman, 370 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 1: I want to make sure that I'm represented and people 371 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:55,200 Speaker 1: who look like me are represented, so that my niece 372 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:57,439 Speaker 1: can grow up and understand that she's beautiful and she 373 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 1: doesn't have to transform in order to be beauty. Hole. 374 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 1: So black women have always been at the forefront of 375 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 1: of what we do, but outside of black women, it's 376 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: literally just all women who have never had a voice 377 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:15,199 Speaker 1: or found the voice within beauty industry, whether that's like 378 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: a Muslim woman, because you rarely see Muslim women in beauty. 379 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:22,439 Speaker 1: You rarely see Indian women or Asian women, you rarely 380 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: see trans women. Like they're all these people who don't 381 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,120 Speaker 1: really get a voice within the beauty industry. And that's 382 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:32,959 Speaker 1: always been our goals since day one. It's been like, Okay, 383 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: how do we challenge the beauty the beauty standard? And unfortunately, 384 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:41,119 Speaker 1: the beauty standard was a very linear one. It was 385 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 1: very much a European standard. And if you didn't look 386 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 1: like that, or even if you were European, but maybe 387 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: a little bit more alternatives, maybe you had short hair, 388 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 1: maybe you have tattoos, those people never saw themselves in 389 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 1: beauty and like, but why people are so dynamic, Like 390 00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: why are we looking at beauty as like as one thing? 391 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:07,200 Speaker 1: Like that's ridiculous. M h. So that's that's kind of why, Like, 392 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 1: that's that's where the passion comes from. And the most 393 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: exciting part of that is when our customers then thank 394 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 1: us because they're like, oh, whether it's like I never 395 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 1: thought I could wear a pink lipstick until you showed me, 396 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 1: you know, the woman with the deep complexion and a 397 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 1: pink like she gave me confidence or I never saw 398 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 1: a trans person and a at thank you for you know, 399 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 1: showing us that that this is also beautiful. So I 400 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:40,159 Speaker 1: think that is the exciting part. It's less about the brand, 401 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 1: but more so about the people. Yeah. And I think 402 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:45,159 Speaker 1: you know, when you read some of these books and 403 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 1: you hear people talk about like what makes businesses successful, 404 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: it is really about the serist piece and serving your community. Absolutely. Yeah, 405 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:58,159 Speaker 1: how do you take care of your mental health while 406 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:03,360 Speaker 1: running such a wildly success stool business? I connect with nature. Um, 407 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 1: I've recently started meditating. I'm about to go to therapy 408 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,880 Speaker 1: for the first time next week. Well that's why it's 409 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 1: not for the first time. I went to a therapist 410 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 1: UM at the end of twenty nineteen. I didn't like 411 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 1: that experience so and but that didn't deter me. So 412 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 1: I made an appointment with another one who I'm really 413 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:25,159 Speaker 1: excited about. But I do a lot of journaling, and 414 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: like I was saying earlier, you know, sometimes you want 415 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:30,159 Speaker 1: to talk to people about what's going on, but sometimes 416 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: you just want to talk to yourself, Like it's rare 417 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:36,239 Speaker 1: that people are actually having like conversations with themselves, are 418 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:39,359 Speaker 1: allowing themselves to truly process what's happening in their brain. 419 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 1: And like my brain, like I have a very difficult 420 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: time turning it off, Like it's incredibly difficult for me 421 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 1: to sleep sometimes. And so I found that journaling and 422 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: meditating are are a couple of those things that helped 423 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:57,000 Speaker 1: me to relax or even just connecting with nature whenever 424 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 1: I'm super stressed out. I just like going to nature 425 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: trip and it reminds me of how big the world 426 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:04,840 Speaker 1: is and how small I am. But how you know, 427 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 1: the universe created all living beings, and you know that 428 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: I am insect worthy. Love it. I'm really happy to 429 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: hear that you're incorporating journaling and meditation. We talked about 430 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 1: that a lot on the podcast, just because you're right, like, 431 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:19,919 Speaker 1: we often have so much going on that we're not 432 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 1: quiet and still, and so journaling and meditation can be 433 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:26,440 Speaker 1: a way to get some of that stillness into your schedule. Yeah, 434 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,359 Speaker 1: because it requires your type a second and process. And 435 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:32,159 Speaker 1: I really used my journal as a safe space. Some 436 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: people don't feel like they can write everything in their 437 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 1: journal because they're like, well, what if somebody finds it. 438 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:39,720 Speaker 1: I actually don't care. Like I left one of my 439 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 1: journals on a plane, and I'm like, if somebody reads it, 440 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 1: then they know my life. And just so what, like, 441 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 1: I'm so happy that I journal those feelings. I couldn't 442 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 1: even tell you what it says right now. And I 443 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: literally left my journal a plane and I just got 444 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 1: another one and started there, like all right, well, these 445 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:00,480 Speaker 1: are my feelings for this day. Because it's like at 446 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:02,159 Speaker 1: the end of the day, like, you just gotta be 447 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: honest with yourself. You have to create moments for yourself 448 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 1: the process and like and truly be honest with how 449 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:11,920 Speaker 1: you feel in the world. If not, you will take 450 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 1: it out on other people. You will take out these 451 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 1: or you'll act out without even knowing why you're acting 452 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,959 Speaker 1: in that way or why why certain things triggered you 453 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:24,640 Speaker 1: because you've never even acknowledged your feelings on the matter. Absolutely, 454 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:28,199 Speaker 1: that is definitely going to happen. Often say, either you 455 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 1: deal with the feelings or the feelings will deal with 456 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 1: you somehow. M hm. Absolutely. So what's next for the 457 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:38,159 Speaker 1: lip bar? Is there anything exciting that's coming up that 458 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,119 Speaker 1: you want to share? I mean, honest, so we just 459 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 1: dressed eyeshadows today like today. That's why it's crazy. Um, 460 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: it's super exciting just because I shadows. I have always 461 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 1: thought that I shadow was intimidating, like not knowing what 462 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:54,879 Speaker 1: colors work on me or where to put them, And 463 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: so we made some really cool liquid eyes shadow that 464 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 1: you don't have to have a skill it. You literally 465 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 1: just sliped across your I and blend it with your 466 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 1: finger and you're done. It's like like twenty seconds. We 467 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 1: also created these many travel pallets because I found that 468 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: people were essentially buying these eyeshadow pallets but only using 469 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 1: the same four colors. So we we curated these many 470 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 1: travel palettes that are like your your exact for colors 471 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 1: for your complexion, so you don't have to waste time, money, space, etcetera. 472 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: So yeah, girl, I mean life is good. Life is crazy. 473 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 1: We launched the eyes shut Out today. You know, we're 474 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 1: just we're just trying to stick over the world essentially. Yes, 475 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 1: And I love that there's so much intentionality behind your products, 476 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 1: like the fast space, like getting away from like buying 477 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: tons and tons of products and using just the word yeah. 478 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:45,679 Speaker 1: It's like for what like so many people have products 479 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:48,359 Speaker 1: that they either don't use or don't know how to 480 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,680 Speaker 1: use because the product don't work for their complexion, or 481 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 1: it's so ridiculous. Actually, So I'm like, this is really, 482 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 1: let's create things that people can actually use that really 483 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 1: works for them and makes their makeup routine easier. And 484 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: that's our big goal right now. I love it. I'm 485 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:07,679 Speaker 1: excited to see those. So where can people find you online? 486 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 1: What is the website where the little bore in any 487 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,880 Speaker 1: social media channels you want to share? So, our website 488 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: is the lifts Star dot com. We're in target stores 489 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 1: across the country. If you go on our website, there's 490 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: a store locator that will tell you which stores were 491 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: in and if you're in Detroit or ever. In Detroit, 492 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 1: we have a flagship store in our downtown. We're really excited. 493 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: We've been in business for almost eight years now. The 494 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 1: company turns eight this weekend, and we can't believe that 495 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 1: we've had such an incredible community supporting us, such an 496 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:43,679 Speaker 1: amazing team really helping us to grow to this point. 497 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 1: So I'm just grateful. The entire lip of our team 498 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 1: is grateful. So thank y'all. Thank you so much for Lissa. 499 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 1: I will let you get back to your launch. Well, 500 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:55,120 Speaker 1: thank you for taking us time. I appreciate and thank 501 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:57,200 Speaker 1: you for everything you do. We we need to talk 502 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: about self share and the health. Absolutely, thank you, Melissa, 503 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 1: have a good one you too. I'm so thankful to 504 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 1: Melissa for chatting with me at such a busy point 505 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 1: in her schedule. I hope y'all will join me in 506 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 1: checking out the new eyeshadow products. To check out more 507 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 1: information about Melissa and all the great products available at 508 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:20,359 Speaker 1: the lip Boar, visit the show notes at Therapy for 509 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:24,399 Speaker 1: Black Girls dot com slash Melissa. Don't forget to share 510 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:26,920 Speaker 1: your takeaways with us on either Twitter or in your 511 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: I G stories using the hashtag TBG in session, and 512 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,639 Speaker 1: if you'll be attending the Women of Power Summit, definitely 513 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 1: let me know. I'd love to see you there. Stay 514 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:41,120 Speaker 1: tuned for the final part of our series dropping next Friday, 515 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 1: where we'll chat with another amazing woman in business. Until then, 516 00:27:46,080 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 1: take good care of yourself. M H.