Leaving Corporate & Starting a Haircare Brand from Your Living Room, Overcoming Burnout & Transforming Life Challenges into Success with Julian Addo, Founder of Adwoa Beauty

Julian Addo is the Founder and CEO of Adwoa Beauty, an award-winning textured hair-care brand.

Originally from Monrovia, Liberia, Julian and her family relocated to New York in 1982. She began her career as a stylist during her teenage years, working hard to support her family and make ends meet. Eventually, she became a successful salon owner but made the unexpected decision to venture into the banking industry, leaving her salon behind.

In 2012, Julian launched her own beauty blog, Bella Kinks, as a passion project. While maintaining her full-time corporate job, she built relationships within the beauty industry and established partnerships with key companies. However, it was when Julian faced a layoff from her banking career that she saw an opportunity for change. 

Inspired by disruptive direct-to-consumer companies like Glossier and Warby Parker, Julian noticed a significant lack of innovation in the natural and textured hair sector. Never in a million years did Julian think she’d start her own brand but after many rejections on the idea, she felt strongly to get the concept out there. In 2017, her natural hair care line Adwoa Beauty was born. 

In our interview with Julian, she reveals how she reignited her passion for beauty after years in the corporate world, sharing the step-by-step process of launching her brand without outside funding and the realities of starting a business from her living room. Julian how she acquired her first customers, built brand awareness, and secured a game-changing partnership with Sephora. We also talk about her fundraising experience, what she learned about raising money, her plans for the next phase in her business, and so much more.

In this episode, we’ll talk to Julia about:

* Tracing the roots of Julian's self-belief and her advice to others for pursuing their dreams. [03:01]

* Julian talks about her family's arrival in New York, and her reflections on this period. [08:22]

* The first job that Julian had at a salon and the lessons she learned at a young age. [15:47]

* Work in the corporate sector and some of the benefits of working in banking. [21:59]

* How Julian pivoted back into the beauty industry and focused on the natural hair space. [27:27]

* Julian's natural curiosity and tendency to always ask questions. [38:10]

* The product development and testing processes for Adwoa Beauty. [45:53]

* Launching and distributing Adwoa Beauty products early on. [49:50]

* How Julian aligned and partnered with Sephora. [52:29]

* Finding the right people to work with and the support that is accessible to new brands. [56:48]

* The evolution of Julian's fundraising process. [1:02:20]

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Follow Julian:

* Website: https://www.adwoabeauty.com/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adwoabeauty/

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