Black ownership and Black entrepreneurship were the running themes as ESSENCE kicked off the first day of the inaugural ESSENCE + New Voices Entrepreneur Summit and Target Holiday Market in Atlanta.
Not only will more than 50 Black-owned brands be setting up shop inside all weekend inside ATL’s West End Productions venue, but some of the most accomplished executives and entrepreneurs in the country will be gracing the stage. Friday’s programming included an enlightening conversation with Estee Lauder Executive Director and co-founder of 25 Black Women In Beauty, Ella Gorgla.
Speaking with ESSENCE Global Beauty Director Julee Wilson, Gorgla was candid and intentional while discussing the need for more Black and faces in positions of power and ownership in corporate America and specifically, in the beauty industry.
“The goal of 25 BWB is to create a coalition of Black women in the beauty space. Whether they’re in corporate America, they’re entrepreneurs, they’re investors, it’s very important that we do intentional networking,” Gorgla, who co-founded the movement alongside Sundial Brands CEO, Cara Sabin.
“Our goal was to elevate the conversation that we needed to push our imagery in front of the scenes and behind the scenes as executives and we’re seeing that happen,” Gorgla, who attended Ohio State, Yale, London Business School and Columbia Business School, continued. “If you want to talk to somebody at Ulta, we have Ulta who is part of our network. . .”
As the two beauty mavens continued their discussion, Gorgla shared that 25 BWB distributed an insightful newsletter that dished on beauty trends like lashes. Noting the need for menopause beauty products, for example, the two underscored that the failure of beauty companies to recognize the market for products addressing edges or aging beauty needs were voids for entrepreneurs to fill.
With a membership base of over 900 and counting, 25 BWB is getting its message heard. So much so that Gorgla announced that the coalition, known for its dinners in New York City, is planning a summit in Atlanta. “I think it’s a good time to be an entrepreneur in beauty. The barriers to entry are low in terms of getting something started, creating your website,” Gorgla shared.
Check out the clip above to hear a little of what she had to say and then be sure to head back to ESSENCE.com to see more of everything you missed at day 1 of of the ESSENCE + New Voices Entrepreneur Summit and Target Holiday Market.