As a founder-led company, Credo knows that growing a business is really hard work. This understanding, and the mission to transform the beauty industry, have fueled Credo's BIPOC Mentorship Program. At any stage of growth, diverse entrepreneurs often do not have access to thought partners who can provide valuable business insights. The Credo for Change Mentorship Program has set out to change that and help advance BIPOC-led beauty brands in key functional areas, preparing them for direct-to-consumer growth or larger distribution in retailers.
Meet the 2021 Cohort:
Adonis Arcana, founder Felix Palafox: The brand inspires and empowers men to be their best, authentic selves through simple-to-use products—creating a healthier view of masculinity along the way.
Aspen Apothecary, founder Keta Burke-Williams: Founded by two sisters, the brand is on a mission to reimagine the way we interact with fragrance, creating clean, conscious fragrances you can feel good about putting on your body and in your home.
Booni Doon, founder Pooja Ganesan: The brand promises effective, clean skincare products that are kind to your skin, our oceans, and the Earth. They are on a mission to make zero-waste skincare more innovative, accessible, and inclusive.
Communal, founder Faustina Agolley: Launching in 2022, Communal provides clean haircare products for active people with textured hair. Through a sustainable outlook, the brand's mission is to encourage greater connection to each other and the environment so we can enjoy it together for generations to come.
Cheekbone Beauty, founder Jennifer Harper: A digitally native direct-to-consumer color cosmetic brand that is helping Indigenous youth see themselves in a beauty brand while using the concept of Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) in the brand’s ethos and in developing products, creating a new segment in the beauty industry—Sustainable Socially Conscious Beauty.
Frigg, founder Kimberly Dillon: The brand leverages cannabis, mushrooms, and adaptogens in all of their vegan formulas, with a mission to work with BIPOC farmers and vendors. Frigg believes in stressless wellness, and that how you feel impacts how you look. They develop products that tackle concerns that arise due to inflammation while also providing mood-supporting boosters.
Look Good, Live Well, founder Ariane Turner: The 20-year beauty entrepreneur is on a mission to simplify skincare, remove gender bias, and normalize the use of luxury products within the Black and Brown community. Wellness looks different for everyone—they celebrate and provide the tools for consistent skincare as a form of self-care.
m’Chel Haircare, founder Michelle Kim: Using her 11 years of knowledge in the hair industry, she created the first-ever dry shampoo brush applicator designed to protect the scalp, and the environment, from harm. The brand's focus is on delivering quality ingredients, thoughtfully designed packaging, and less harm to the environment.
Mawena, founder Helena Mendès: Beauty secrets, shared. Inspired by the rituals and traditions that are passed down from generation to generation, woman to woman, Mawena—meaning “I am seen as I am” in West African dialect—is a Black-owned beauty company that prides itself on crafting efficacious skincare that melds ancestral knowledge with cutting-edge plant research.
Nopalera, founder Sandra Lilia Velasquez: Founded to elevate and celebrate Latin@ culture. The nopal cactus is an ancient symbol of Mexican culture and is one of the most sustainable, nourishing, and resilient crops in the world. The brand is committed to fight the Eurocentric beliefs in this country (and the beauty industry) that perpetuate the belief that products from Western Europe with French or Italian names are worthier of higher price tags than those from south of the border.
Prados, founder Cece Meadows: From her Yaqui to Comanche roots, Cece works diligently to build an inclusive beauty brand that highlights the beauty of her culture and people. The brand is on a mission is to create an inclusive and uplifting beauty brand that inspires people through the lens of Indigenous communities throughout Turtle Island.
Tierra & Lava, founder Lucy Ashman: The brand creates natural skincare products with Mayan ingredients for Conscious Consumers. They use green beauty to generate economic impact for small family farms in Guatemala and Belize, bringing awareness to unique Central American plants and centuries-old Mayan traditions.
WhollyGloss, founder Erica Bigger: Launched in 2018 with the mission of developing eco-conscious beauty products for all consumers and makeup artists that provides a glossy angelic finish in a way that is authentic, innovative, and creative. As a brand they are committed to transparency, diversity, and inclusion.
