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For small enterprise house owners, it’s all about preserving the religion – not solely in God, however in your self and your means to succeed. That’s what drives Ameka Coleman, founder and CEO of Strands of Religion and one of many third place winners of Kapitus’ inaugural Constructing Resilient Companies contest. Strands of Religion is one in all 5 3rd place winners, and Coleman obtained $20,000 to assist keep and develop Strands of Religion.
Beginning her personal enterprise in 2018 took an incredible quantity of religion, braveness, and onerous work for Coleman, who gave up a profitable profession as a scientific researcher for pharmaceutical contract analysis big PPD to turn into a small enterprise proprietor. The Christian mom of 4 took the plunge into entrepreneurship when she realized that her ardour was hair care.
Coleman was capable of fill a necessity by making a line of cruelty-free, non-toxic hair care merchandise that
Ameka Coleman, founder and CEO of Strands of Religion, used her private bank card, a small quantity of financial savings and her religion to launch the enterprise.
comprise no parabens or silicone-based supplies, but hold hair moisturized and wholesome.
“I launched the enterprise in 2018,” stated Coleman. “Previous to this, I by no means thought that I’d someday personal a enterprise. I used to be in a profession, Medical Analysis, that I liked. It was really a situation of ardour assembly objective. Beginning in 2006, I developed a ardour for loving and embracing my pure hair and I used to be equally captivated with making progress within the discipline of scientific trials. Finally, my science background and real-life expertise merged into one to make a wonderful religion stroll with objective!”
A Wing and a Prayer
Like most small enterprise house owners first beginning out, Coleman had few assets. She used a small quantity of financial savings and private bank cards to fund the launch of Strands of Religion, and her greatest belongings throughout that point have been help from her household and her ardour for making clear hair care merchandise. Although she took an enormous gamble by beginning her personal enterprise, she discovered the resilience to push by means of the COVID-19 pandemic by means of onerous work.
“Constructing Strands of Religion has been a journey of religion, hope, and resilience,” stated Coleman. “When you would have instructed me 6 years in the past that I’d someday begin a enterprise, I wouldn’t have believed it just because I didn’t have the psychological fortitude, religion, and self-confidence to guess on myself. Nevertheless, little did I do know, my journey main as much as it was the right segway to creating my model. Whereas I used to be on a journey to discovering myself, it resulted in me falling in love with the hair that God blessed me with. I then discovered nice pleasure in encouraging and motivating different girls to do the identical.”
Growth Plans
Strands of Religion has discovered success by means of some tough instances, and has grown to 10 staff and dozens of product traces, in addition to a profitable weblog on hair care. Coleman stated that she plans to make use of the $20,000 in prize cash to assist develop her workforce and strengthen its advertising and marketing efforts to serve clients each within the US and internationally.
“This enterprise turned greater than me,” she stated. “I used to be led to create merchandise that would assist additional the
Strands of Religion’s Holy Grail assortment of pure hair care merchandise has helped launch it to success.
mission by offering clear merchandise for textured hair that might make girls really feel assured about their hair routine. This complete journey has been one in all religion. Beginning out, I didn’t have many assets, however I didn’t let that cease me. I put my greatest foot ahead, juggled all the roles, and trusted God to paved the way. I used to be working my full-time job whereas additionally being a mother to 2 youngsters and a spouse. It was tough however the imaginative and prescient made me keep dedicated.
“Now, as a mother of 4, I try each day to be the most effective instance to my youngsters, and it provides me nice pleasure for them to see me hold pushing alongside this entrepreneurial journey. Constructing this enterprise has impacted my life and others in so some ways however essentially the most impactful approach has been the reminder to easily hold the religion! This grant by Kapitus is such an incredible blessing in permitting me to develop my workforce and advertising and marketing efforts in order that we will proceed to serve girls all around the globe.”
Sustaining Stability
Coleman could also be uncommon amongst small enterprise house owners in that she’s achieved one thing that many small enterprise house owners haven’t: steadiness between her private and enterprise lives. Her secret is placing her household and religion first. That steadiness, she stated, is a key a part of the success of Strands of Religion.
“I did the groundwork at first and labored tremendous onerous to put a basis, so I now have a workforce who has helped tremendously with taking off a few of the workload. Now, lately, although the enterprise nonetheless wants a lot of my time to run, my priorities have shifted, and it’s all about household first! Enterprise now comes second to my household. I deliberately did the groundwork at first when my youngsters have been youthful. Now that they’re older, I’m tremendous intentional about being current for them!”
Recommendation to New Entrepreneurs
Coleman stated that the start days of Strands of Religion have been essentially the most troublesome as they’re for many small enterprise house owners, however she suggested new entrepreneurs that the training expertise of launching a enterprise is nicely price it.
“I’d say that essentially the most difficult components, at first, have been sporting many titles,” she stated. “I now recognize the method of first getting the expertise in every position as a result of over time it constructed me as much as be an environment friendly enterprise proprietor. I’ve realized that entrepreneurship is not only a journey by itself however, as an alternative, it’s also a private therapeutic journey! There might be many instances the place the journey could really feel lonely, however that is when it turns into tremendous essential to lean in your self-confidence and deal with the previous wins to get you thru and, after all, God’s given power.”
Congratulations to All of the Winners
Kapitus’ inaugural BRB contest awarded $250,000 to 7 small companies which are the epitome of power and resilience – two essential substances wanted to launch and function a small enterprise. The primary-place prize was $100,000, the second was $50,000 and 5 third-place winners every obtained $20,000. The entire winners additionally will obtain a complimentary, 8-hour consulting/advisory session to assist their enterprise. Kapitus additionally seems to be ahead to this being an annual contest beginning each spring.
Study the tales of all of our small enterprise winners:
BRB Tales: After Devastating Setback, Play Pits Takes First Place in Kapitus’ BRB Contest!
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