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4 Black Women Founders Who Bootstrapped Their Way To Success.

Black Founders Still Building Successful Businesses Despite Lack Of Funding.

Hey there! 👋🏾

It’s Ronnie from BeyondThePivot

Welcome to another edition of BeyondThePivot! I share real-life stories of successful black founders and how they are building their dreams and pursuing freedom on their terms.

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BeyondThePivot Spotlight 🔦

Abadesi Osunsade, Founder and CEO of Hustle Crew, is dedicated to fostering inclusivity in the tech industry. As the VP of Global Community and Belonging at Brandwatch, she co-hosts the podcast "Techish." Abadesi, a passionate entrepreneur, left her job to address the underrepresentation of people of color in tech. She initially created Hustle Crew as a networking community, connecting underrepresented individuals and providing mentorship support. Over time, the focus shifted towards combating structural oppression, bias, and privilege in workplaces. Abadesi and her team now educate CTOs and CEOs on dismantling barriers to empathy and equitable decision-making. Recognized as one of the top 10 influential BAME tech leaders by the Financial Times in 2018, Abadesi remains committed to building a diverse pipeline and making a positive impact in the industry.

Mahisha Dellinger, once disenfranchised as a marketing manager in corporate America, took a leap of faith by using $30,000 of personal savings to launch Curls in 2002, addressing the lack of black hair care options. Despite initial struggles, Curls became a multimillion-dollar business, notably sealing a deal with Target. As a pioneer in the Black beauty industry, Mahisha pays it forward by mentoring and supporting Black women entrepreneurs. Through her TV show "Mind Your Business with Mahisha" on the OWN network, she turned around struggling businesses and later established the Black Girls Making Millions Academy in response to overwhelming requests for guidance. Mahisha remains committed to sharing her knowledge and helping women of color achieve success.

Crystal Etienne, CEO, and Founder of Ruby Love, launched the company to address menstrual mishaps and incontinence issues. She developed revolutionary technology for the brand's products and bootstrapped the company to $10 million in sales. In 2019, she secured a $15 million funding deal from The Craftory, marking the fourth-largest funding round for a company founded by a Black woman. Recognizing the challenges for female founders, especially Black women who receive only 0.2% of VC funding, Etienne aims to inspire others. Despite not coming from a wealthy or entrepreneurial background, her grandmother's influence sparked her entrepreneurial journey. Etienne encourages Black women to think bigger and envision themselves as the "unicorn" investors seek.

Vivian Kaye's remarkable success story defies the usual narrative, as she achieved her accomplishments without venture capital support, despite dropping out of college and being a single mother—challenges often faced by women, particularly Black women. In 2012, Vivian founded KinkyCurlyYaki, a business dedicated to providing high-quality textured hair extensions for Black women. She successfully bootstrapped the company from zero to a million-dollar enterprise, filling a gap in the market. Vivian's entrepreneurial journey led to the creation of Founders Fund, a community with over 500 members, where she mentors women entrepreneurs. Her leadership style emphasizes encouragement, resilience, and learning from failures. Vivian's impact extends beyond her business, as companies like Shopify seek her expertise to coach people and their businesses.

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That’s all I got for you this time! See you again next week.

— Ronnie (@mbutakeh)

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