Below is the third part of our female founded marketplace vendors, showcasing their brands and services at our Women Supporting Women’s Evening Event on November 8th at The Riveter.
These Boss Women discuss the mission and concept behind their brand, what it’s like being an entrepreneur, and how they manage to thrive and stay afloat in their industries.
Check them out below and make sure you connect with them on all socials! #bosswomen
Urban Wax Candle Studio
Tell us the name of your brand and when it was founded?
“We are Urban Wax Candle Studio! The seed for Urban Wax Candles was planted in 2018, becoming official in March of 2019 (on my 37th birthday).”
How did you get the idea/concept for your brand?
“Candles have always been a part of my synergy- happy and in love, celebrating with friends or listening to music with a broken heart- they were always part of the process. I remember growing up my mom would burn candles regularly (almost daily), having a home that was clean and smelled warm and inviting was her own little piece of heaven. It wasn’t until NYE 2018 were things had come full circle; I’d been home sick with the flu since Christmas and decided to spend the first day of the New Year doing something different. I ordered a starter candle kit off Amazon and spent the day making candles with my husband. For a while, I made them exclusively as a hobby and only burned them at home. After giving a few as gifts, I began noticing the responses and the doubt started fading away. The idea of Urban Wax Candles was sparked. I spent about two (yes, two) years developing custom fragrances and perfecting a naturally sourced wax blend. Anytime you take that long to develop something the temptation to quit can be overwhelming but I took my time and the result is a product that I am incredibly proud of.”
What is the mission of your brand?
“Urban Wax Candles are aimed at women who crave experiences, a life-well-lived, and moments that have been well-considered. We are rooted in freedom and change but prefer our changes to feel more like curated seasonal statements than a total overhaul. Through fragrance we want to recreate those moments of magic where the sun is shining and joy has its arms wrapped tightly around you.”
What services and/or products does your brand offer?
“We currently offer a selection of 3oz travel candles specifically designed for moments of renewal, love and celebration. We also offer curated trios that are packaged in our signature UW boxes with custom labels. And if you’re purchasing as a gift we offer our signature “I Make Sh*t Smell Good” drawstring gift bags. We will slowly expand into larger vessels but wanted to take our time and enjoy the sweet moments of starting small.”
If you could give advice to a new entrepreneur, what would it be?
“I have a morning mantra where I repeat these (3) things: 1. All great things are created in a place between method and madness. 2. Be in awe of everything, it’s important to keep learning 3. Remember your why, this is especially important in the tough times.”
What’s one thing many people may not know about your or your brand?
“I’m actually very shy, although no one ever believes me!”
What are three words you would use to describe your brand?
“I make sh*t smell good (that’s 5 but it’s our motto)”
Where can people find/follow your brand?
IG: urbanwaxcandles
Facebook: urbanwaxcandles
Shop: urbanwaxcandles.com
Seeli Naturals
Tell us the name of your brand and when it was founded?
“Seeli Naturals was founded in 2015.”
How did you get the idea/concept for your brand?
“My sister encouraged me to start my company after seeing her scalp health improve from consistent use of my homemade products.”
What is the mission of your brand?
“Our priority is to provide clean, premium products at affordable prices for women of color.”
What services and/or products does your brand offer?
“Organic Herbal Infused Hair Oil, Hair Cream and Lip & Face Sugar Polish.”
If you could give advice to a new entrepreneur, what would it be?
“Confidence is key; even when things go awry, remain confident in your business and product which is essentially YOU!”
What’s one thing many people may not know about your or your brand?
“I dreamed about my business while studying abroad in South Africa.”
What are three words you would use to describe your brand?
“Fusion, Evolution and Love.”
Where can people find/follow your brand?
Facebook: @seelinaturals
Instagram: @seelinaturals
AIM Beauty
Tell us the name of your brand and when it was founded?
“My company is AIM BEAUTY BRAND! It actually was founded this year 2019.”
How did you get the idea/concept for your brand?
“My idea and concept actually derived from me always wanting things that were glitzy and shiny.”
What is the mission of your brand?
“My mission is to provide products that have a luxury flare without having to be expensive. I want all women to be able to have cosmetics that look really nice, that they can show off, no matter if they work at a McDonald’s or a fortune 500 company.”
What services and/or products does your brand offer?
“Currently my brand consist of Lipsticks, Eyelash Extensions, and Make-up Accessories. More is to come and is currently in the works.”
If you could give advice to a new entrepreneur, what would it be?
“The advice I would give to a new entrepreneur would be to believe in yourself and be ready to fully dedicate yourself to your brand or your business. If you don’t, you can’t expect anyone else to. Your success is determined by what you put into your business. If you put in 50% expect 50% of success. If you put 100% expect 100% success. Even if it doesn’t seem as if it’s growing at the pace you want it to. Keep working on it, keep improving your brand, research things that may be helpful and relevant to what you’re doing, have an open ear to advice from people who have mastered what you are doing, also be able to take constructive criticism. You want to be able to hear what others may suggest or say because you have to understand that they are potential customers. Ask questions see what the people want. It’s not to change your ultimate vision but it can possibly improve it.”
What’s one thing many people may not know about your or your brand?
“People may not know that from the beginning I did everything myself and honestly still am. From putting together my website, to making small video campaigns of my products, even to managing my social media platforms. It’s all me behind the scenes.”
What are three words you would use to describe your brand?
“Three words that describes my brand would be! Glamorous, Unique, and Quality Approved. Each product I put behind my brand name has to meet each one of these standards.”
Where can people find/follow your brand?
Facebook: @aimbeautybrand
Instagram: @aimbeautybrand
Website: www.aimbeautybrand.com
Liyah Marie Studio
Liyah Marie Studio was founded in 2015. We started as a clothing boutique and because of my experience as a hair stylist I later added a salon. In 2017 I decided to stop selling clothing and pursue my license in cosmetology, when I discovered that the previous hours I accumulated in cosmetology school would not be honored I decided to start fresh and pursue skin instead of hair.
Tell us the name of your brand and when it was founded?
“Liyah Marie Studio Aesthetics was founded in 1999 (when I was 12) but became a revenue generating business in 2015.”
How did you get the idea/concept for your brand?
“Since starting in 2015 our business has changed its name 3 times. Our most recent name Liyah Marie was inspired by my 2 daughters Aaliyah, 7 and Amarie, 16. Our oldest daughter suffered from depression due to the issues she was having with her skin. After failed attempts, hundreds of dollars, and progress from the Dermatologist I decided I would create something natural to address her skin concerns. I did some research and began experimenting and the rest is almost history.”
What is the mission of your brand?
“Although our business and its offering have changed over the treads our mission has remained the same, In a world where beauty is defined by what’s on the outside as a mentor, and mother I try to instill in my daughters, youth, and clients that beauty is an inside job. My mission is to restore self-worth, and confidence in a world where the vanity of beauty has consumed everyone.”
What services and/or products does your brand offer?
“Natural Skincare Products, Facials, Chemical Peels, LED light therapy, Microneedling, microdermabrasion, eyelash extensions, makeup, waxing, Lipo Cavitation, and Yoni Steams (V-Steams).”
If you could give advice to a new entrepreneur, what would it be?
“Don’t compare your business, and journey to others. It will cause you to lose focus, and deviate from the original goal/mission. With every obstacle and closed door, go back to the drawing board to perfect, reinvent, and educate yourself & brand. I use to think that it takes money to make money, but the truth is it takes a good work ethic, focus, and drive to make money.”
What’s one thing many people may not know about your or your brand?
“I failed the science TAKS Test 5 times in high school. Chemistry and science were always my weakest subjects. Yet, here I am today using chemistry to formulate an entire skincare line.”
What are three words you would use to describe your brand?
“Multi-Cultural, Assessable, Unconventional.”
Where can people find/follow your brand?
Facebook: Liyah Marie Studio
Instagram: Liyah_Marie_Studio_Esthetics
Glamour Rx
Tell us the name of your brand and when it was founded?
“Glamour Rx cosmetics formed in 2010”
How did you get the idea/concept for your brand?
“During my 26 years of working both as a retail and freelance artist I became in tune with the needs of beauty consumers with active lifestyles. Many companies exclude the needs of its melaninated consumers. Which has recently been at the forefront of conversations surrounding the beauty industry. While some have caught on and added shades in their foundation collections, most still fail at creating color collections, palettes or content geared towards darker hues. I also found that time was of the essence for any woman with an active lifestyle. I noticed that when I simplified my customers makeup routine by recommending shades for her skin tone that served a multiple purpose she would likely buy the entire routine. Glamour RX “10 in 10” color collections are literally a color prescription to enhance our clients natural beauty doing 10 steps in just 10 mins. Lastly I recognized the growing concern of cosmetics containing cancer causing ingredients. Consumers are looking to shift into more natural and or mineral based cosmetics, presenting a challenge to the melaninated consumer since the nature of the key minerals to make foundation give off a silvery cast. Creating an ashy cast on deeper skin tones. Our solution was in the processing of those minerals solving that issue. Thus leading us to the creation of our exclusive mineral foundation that was designed to *Protect – Naturally occurring spf 25, *Heal – Rich in Zinc a natural healing mineral for skin, *Conceal- light to full coverage.
What is the mission of your brand?
“To heal through color Glamour Rx has a duality in the concept of our minerals to Protect Heal and Conceal. That is to be transformative not only in its formulation but in the essence or spirit of its creation. I believe that when you adorn your face you shift the energy about you. It speaks I’m ready for the day and I’m loving on me boosting the confidence which is protective as we deal with challenges. It can be Healing to implement a lifestyle of visible change. That “game face” can Conceal the underlying issues we may be battling at times.”
What services and/or products does your brand offer?
I have a range of cosmetics. The most popular are the mineral foundations and liquid lipstick. I’m extremely excited about the upcoming release of our Energy Glow mist and CBD primer oil.
If you could give advice to a new entrepreneur, what would it be?
“My advice is to have a clear vision of your offering to the market. Focus on what works, as you may find what you thought would be the thing that people want, turns out not to be and something else you offers is the thing that catches on. Prepare to make sacrifices as you grow.”
What’s one thing many people may not know about your or your brand?
“Our foundations formulas and colors were exclusively created for us in a lab right here in Texas.”
What are three words you would use to describe your brand?
“Quality, Conscious and Inclusive.”
Where can people find/follow your brand?
Facebook: @glamourrx
Instagram: @glamourrx
Socialite Pink
Tell us the name of your brand and when it was founded?
“I left my career as a commercial real estate attorney in 2014 to start this sparkly giving company, Socialite Pink. “
How did you get the idea/concept for your brand?
“I practiced law for 7 years when I suddenly stopped and asked myself: “What do I want to be when I grow up? What do I want my life to look like and what do I want my story to be?” I took about a year of journaling and praying before I came up with the answer: I would start a small business based on 3 things: women encouraging women, giving back and gorgeous jewelry. I had never made jewelry before (except the friendship bracelets I tried to sell when I was in the fourth grade!) but I was determined to figure it out. I took some classes at a local bead shop and viola…Socialite Pink was born!”
What is the mission of your brand?
“My purpose is to encourage women and Socialite Pink is the perfect platform for that. From its very start, our company has donated to a wide variety of women and girl-centered charities, some national, some local. We now call our giving program “Sparkle You, Sparkle Her”: for every piece of jewelry that we sell, we gift a piece to a woman or girl who’s going through a tough time. It’s not about rallying behind a particular cause. All that we need to know is that there’s a woman or girl out there who could use some encouragement. This is our opportunity to let her know that she’s not alone and that we’re cheering her on.”
What services and/or products does your brand offer?
“I design each piece of our jewelry collections. They’re all locally made right here in DFW by stay at home moms, recent college graduates, and other amazing women. Our aesthetic is boho chic with a little bit of southern glam sprinkled on top. We always incorporate the hottest trends and are dedicated to affordable luxury. Our customers’ favorite compliment is that are pieces are “so light and dainty!” and we couldn’t agree more. I love creating statement pieces that are as light as a feather, as well as pieces that have multiple functions and can be worn a variety of ways. Our signature Pink Studio is a classic favorite! Women can custom design a necklace by choosing any of our chains and then sliding on one of our beautiful charms.”
If you could give advice to a new entrepreneur, what would it be?
“If I could give advice to a new entrepreneur I’d say, “Buckle up.” I’m kidding……but not really. Entrepreneurship isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s kind of like marriage. Marriage holds a mirror up to you and asks, “Do you like what you see? Because I may not survive your refusal to change.” Small biz is the same thing. You have to be willing to be wrong and humbly get better. You have to stick it out even when nothing is working out the way you planned. You have to be happy for others, even if you’re struggling. You have to stop procrastinating. Stop. It. Entrepreneurship challenges each of us to grow, but change isn’t easy for anyone. It’s an equation that every girlboss has to solve: if you want THIS, are you willing to change THAT. But for those people that say yes, there are endless possibilities waiting ahead.”
What’s one thing many people may not know about your or your brand?
“Most people who have met me don’t know that I’m actually an introvert. My good friend from college, after taking 1 grad class on personalities, diagnosed me as “an extroverted introvert.” She was so right. I can do extroverted things but I prefer being at home with the hubby (and Noah the Great…our furbaby) on the couch binge-watching Netflix. But that’s not the life of an entrepreneur. You have to get out, sometimes even out of your comfort zone. You have to meet people and listen and network and connect. I call it the “just show up” principle. If you don’t show up, you’re guaranteed that nothing will happen. But if you do show up, there’s a chance that something amazing will happen for you and your brand!”
What are three words you would use to describe your brand?
“Encouraging, Giving, Customize.”
Where can people find/follow your brand?
Website: www.socialitepink.com
Instagram: @socialitepink
We’re also in stores in and around the metroplex.
