Thirteen-year-old Lexi Proctor and her mother, Monica Proctor know that big dreams can come true for hopeful entrepreneurs who aspire to have their products sold on the shelves of a major retail store.
September 27, 2018, marked a memorable time in the lives of the Proctors. On this special day, the visionary mother and daughter officially discovered that their Curlanista hair care brand would receive a major boost to grow their female-owned business.
The Marylanders who cater to girls with curly hair won a game-changing prize from Sally Beauty, the largest retailer and distributor of professional beauty products in North America through the Sally Cultivate For women by Women accelerator program.
“Curlanistas won $25,000 in financial support; product distribution at SallyBeauty.com; select local store distribution in Maryland and Virginia; as well as mentorship from the Sally Beauty management team and fellow female brand entrepreneurs,” Proctor said. “Curlanista will also receive the opportunity to place its products directly into the hands of highly sought beauty influencers at one of Sally Beauty’s monthly influencer events.”
Although Proctor maps out all the key pieces to make the Curlanista brand successful as Lexi’s business partner and momager, Lexi sparked the entrepreneurial journey by publishing her coloring book called “Curly Girls Love Your Curls.” The kidpreneur who has a passion for writing embarked upon a mission to promote self-love of curls, before delving into creation of hair care products, with guidance and help from Proctor.
Following her dreams to become an author led Lexi to embrace a second calling. A few years later, the confident teenager found herself pitching Curlanista to a panel of Sally Beauty Supply Executives in Denton, Texas, as a part of the Sally’s contest.
“The most difficult part was waiting to see who would be announced as the top brand. It took about a month before the winner was announced. My family and I were so excited and prayed that my brand would win. That was the hardest part honestly, especially because daily, someone would ask me if I won,” Lexi said, noting how winning money for Curlanista will be utilized. “The $25,000 will be used to help grow my brand. I want to grow my product line and am currently working on a detangling shampoo and a deep conditioner. I will also use the money to attend trade shows, like Bronner Brothers and Ubiquitous. Trade shows, can be very expensive, so this money will really help me grow and get my brand out there. I want Curlanistas to be a household name.”
Proctor explained that Curlanistas Magic Curl Cream, Detangler and Curl Custard which are formulated to make natural curls pop non-stop are now available at 30 Sally’s brick and mortar stores in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, as well as online.
“This is just the beginning. We have a full line of products we look forward to bringing to our beautiful Curlanistas,” Proctor said. “Having Sally Beauty select us as the top brand just feels amazing. I feel great about all the blessings.”
As a teen boss who has had an opportunity to bring her dreams to fruition at a young age, Lexi embraces her blessing with dedication, passion and courage. She notes that youth can do anything they put their mind to do.
“If they have a dream or a goal, they shouldn’t keep it to themselves. They should tell their parents or someone they know who can help them,” Lexi said. “Chase your dreams, work hard and believe in yourself. That’s the secret! I want them (youth) to never give up, and look at me and see that I’m a kid just like them. If I can do it, they can do it, too.”
To support Lexi and her co-founder of the curly girl brand, visit the Sally Beauty website: https://www.sallybeauty.com/cultivate.html to purchase Curlanista products.
You may follow the inspiring mother and daughter duo and encourage others to follow @Curlanistas on all social media platforms and to spread the word about Curlanista to friends and family.