Hi, My name's Hermene Hartman with N'digo Studio.

Rebranding the brand.

We're going to talk and have a business conversation with women who bought and established a new company with a defunct brand (Music) They're rebranding the brand of not one, but two cosmetic lines black, opal and fashion fair.

These are makeup companies with a full line of products for women of color.

By 1970, Fashion Fair become an institution distributed in more than 2500 retail stores globally.

Black Opal, a company with 26 years of experience with vibrant colors.

Meet Desiree Rogers and Cheryl McKissic, co-owners of a premium makeup company and skin care brands.

To be relaunched and reintroduced to the marketplace.

We hear a lot about startups today.

They're going to tell us how you can rebrand a brand.

COZY Conversations.

Drop the knowledge That's for real.... For more information about the show.

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Funding for this program was provided by the Chicago Community Trust, the Field Foundation, Commonwealth Edison, BlueCross BlueShield, the MacArthur Foundation, and Governors State University.

Today we're going to talk about business.

And I've got two girlfriends here that we're going to talk about business with.

We have Sheryl McKissic and we have Desiree Rogers.

So, ladies, here you are working together and the company that you were working for, some things didn't work out and you all brought fashion fair and you bought Black Opal.

You didn't buy one company, you bought two companies.

Tell me how this happened and came about.

After Sheryl left a little bit earlier than I did from Johnson.

And so I left sometime thereafter, within ten months, I would say.

And so the whole idea was, you know, I thought, boy, And so the whole idea was, you know, I thought, boy, wouldn't it be great to buy a business?

And so I spoke to Sheryl and she goes, Well, it depends on what that business is.

I said, okay, all right.

Well, let me get back to you when I have something real.

And so I said, you know, it looks like something is going to happen here.

It's this company called Black Opal.

And I said, are you in or you're out in Sheryl?

You know, she likes more information than I do.

So she's like, well, and for what?

And so I said, well, we're going to try to buy this.

It's a great thing.

I said, Margins are great.

Let me hear those margins.

Okay, I'm in.

So we were we're pursuing black Opal.

It took quite a bit of time.

I did.

It took me almost two and a half years to get the owner of the company to say yes, that he was interested in a sale.

But then we had to go through the all the process of the sale.

So it was a long journey to get black opal.

And we finally got that done.

And then we had to figure out how we're going to finance this.

That was the next the next.

That's always a good that's a big that's a big.

People got it.

But where's the money going to come from?

Where's all the money going to come from?

And so and then shortly thereafter, believe it or not, there was an auction for fashion fair.

And so to have the opportunity to bid on that great franchise was really kind of a surprise to us.

At the same time, more of a surprise that we actually got involved in our bid one.

So then that's how we wound up with two companies pretty close together within.

Six months.

June and the other in November.

Now both of you are accomplished, established, achieved business, women.

You were in charge of the lottery.

People's gas insurance company way back.

Yeah.

I got I got the story.

And at the White House with the Obama administration.

Cheryl, you had started your own company.

You are a teacher at Northwestern University, professor in business school.

Okay.

So you were ready.

You knew what to do.

This wasn't a hunch.

You studied this, obviously as to how you could make money relaunching.

How do you relaunch a brand that has already been branded?

How do you take it back to market?

I'll let Cheryl take that one.

Well, she was very keen on not buying something new.

Yeah, the main reason I was is because I started two or three companies.

I've been an entrepreneur half of my career and half of the other half was in corporate America and half of the other half was in corporate America with big companies like IBM and U.S. Robotics and others.

But, you know, I looked at it from a standpoint, I know how long it takes to build a brand.

It takes a long time.

It's not a year or two years.

It can take ten years or more.

And so I really felt that even though Desiree and I still have a few good years left, I felt like I really didn't want to invest ten years and just building the brand.

I wanted to take a brand that perhaps had not had all the tender love and care that it should have had and and then be able to grow it and really do something with it.

So when Desiree, it was really her idea.

And when we first came, when she first came to me with Black Opal, I knew about black Opal and both of us had known about black Opal.

And the thing about black Opal was that, you know, it it was a brand that had been around for over 25 years.

And the founder was, you know, still the person running the company and under the same ownership.

And and it was one of the they had a lot of companies since this wasn't their only company but they were really known for being a contract manufacturer one of the largest in the U.S.

So they made all the beauty products for, you know, a lot of the beauty products for big brands.

You know, you know, brands like Fenty and brands like Becca and, you know, Esther, a lot of brands, lots of, you know, brands that we all know and love.

And and so but what they didn't do was really do that front facing with the consumer because that really wasn't their expertise.

And so Desiree and I were really you know, we sat down and really thought about what value can we really bring to this so we can bring any value to it didn't make much sense in buying it.

Right.

Do it.

And so we felt it with her marketing expertise.

My experience with digital, you know, some of the things we knew about operations, obviously the experience we had with the beauty business and other businesses as well, we felt that, you know, we could really do something different with it and take it to another level.

And so that was the rationale for For BLK/OPL.

So what's different?

What what do we expect new and improved?

Tell me how this happened.

What what's different about both of the brands?

So if you look at both of these brands, they are dedicated to darker skin tones.

They both have been all of their existence.

And so you see many brands coming into the marketplace saying, oh, we've got colors for everyone.

What Sheryl and I know is that there are compromises that you have to make if you want to go beyond either way, either directions of skin tones.

And so we're determined to really create the best lines, both in mass and prestige for darker skin tones.

And so what are you going to see new and different here?

One of the things that consumers are demanding is they are reading the labels.

They are taking a look and saying, Hey, this is not what I want to put on my face or this is what I want to put on my face.

And so what does that mean?

Yes, we all want to look, you know what we our vision of beautiful, but they want those products to perform secondary things.

For example, maybe I have a great foundation, but can it protect me from the sun?

Maybe I have a great foundation, but can it also help me with fading some spots or some, you know, dark areas that I have?

Can my lipstick also be hydrating so my lips are hydrated as I put that, as.

Opposed to.

Dry as opposed to dry.

And so when you look at the new SKUs, the new products that are being offered by fashion Fair, you will see that they all have secondary benefits to consumers.

And we work very closely with a black dermatologist here at Northwestern to ensure that all of the products also did something great for us.

And she kept us honest.

We want a little fragrance, no fragrance.

Black skin can sometimes tend to be a little bit finicky, a little bit sensitive.

So you'll see no fragrances in any of our products.

And of course, they're all cruelty free and they're all vegan.

So products for exclusively for black women or for women of color Or do you make a distinction.

Darker skin tones.

The darker skin.

Tone at home.

Anybody make up.

A man can wear the make up.

So that's the new trend in makeup.

You can anyone can wear them.

If you have a darker skin tone, then these are products for you.

Okay, What about packaging?

We've got new packaging.

New packaging.

Well, first of all, with Black Opal.

And just want to follow up on what Desiree said.

We talked about fashion fear, having products with a lot of this cleaning gradients are new products for black Opal, which we introduced this year, also have some of those same ingredients, same type of clean ingredients.

So we did that really with both both products.

Okay, So we're all black women and we've all probably had the same problem in makeup, and that is to take a little bit of this, a little bit of that one little bit of this one and kind of mix it together.

Put this one over here.

Put this one over there.

Okay.

Is that problem resolved?

Can I get one make up and use it all over my face?

Yes.

You can get one color that's going to match you.

We worked with Sam Fine, who many people know as a renowned makeup artist and colorist.

He's worked with everyone in the business and he really knows color.

So he worked on the new fashion fair line on all of the undertones to make certain that a cool undertone, a more peachy undertone, that you're all covered.

You're not going to like, have to force yourself if you're brown, force yourself into one.

BROWN We've got all of these great browns blessed bronze because we come in all shapes of brown and all shades of tans.

Now, when these makeups came out in their original form, it was for black women and there was not a line necessary of make up for.

So now here we are.

Fast forward.

What are your challenges today?

And all the makeup companies now have a makeup for women of color, for darker skins and so forth.

They don't.

They have a line that has some darker colors in it.

Same line, darker colors made in the USA, made in China, made in Mexico all over.

All over.

And your makeup is.

We make our makeup is made in the US.

Except we our lipsticks are out of Italy, but our makeup does not come from China.

Even our makeup black opal, which is in the mass, you know, in your mass retailers, your Walmarts and your CVS and your Rite Aid and, you know, Ultars and and, you know, places like that.

I mean, we that that is not coming from China.

So so one point of clarification, when I say they make a line that extends through, you know, darker skin tones, we only make darker skin tones.

And so from the very beginning, that chemist is saying this makeup is for darker skin tones.

Darker skin tones are a little bit different.

We might have hyperpigmentation.

We can get larger large pores oiliness you can want to fade some some spots because your melanin, if you pick out something all of a sudden it's like, why do I have that dark spot there?

And so from the very beginning on a sheet of paper, we're saying this is going to be makeup for darker skin tones, people with more melanin.

We are the only one saying, no, no, no, no, no.

From the very beginning, this product has to work specifically on darker skin tones.

As experience, black entrepreneurs, black female entrepreneurs.

What are your challenges today?

Well, I think we have the same challenges that anyone has.

We're in retail.

And so, you know, one of the things is just, you know, stores closing, stores opening just getting some of the ingredients has been a challenge in some in some respects in terms of, you know, just getting the product there and how people shop digital.

I'm going to go to the store.

All of that is changing how quickly people want their packages delivered.

You know, how do we have people try something on and not enter a store?

So who can buy product online?

Yes.

So the fashion fair products are sold on fashion fair.

Com as well as Safaricom and then in the super stores.

And then obviously Black Opal is sold online.

And then in all the retailers that I mentioned, most of them, I think all of them actually have have online presence as well.

But I think that, you know, one of the things that is really important, you know, we we really thought about this a lot.

And and so when you think about the challenges that we have and as Desiree said, we're no different than anyone else who's, you know, an entrepreneur.

And this workforce shortage and being able to find the right people is a big, big issue.

And everyone I'm talking always everybody is really challenged with that.

But I think the other challenge but it's also an opportunity is how do we create new experiences for consumers today?

Consumers are different today than they were a couple of months ago, but they're definitely different than they were 18 months ago.

Is is not your mother's makeup.

Is not in it's not your mother's shopping experience.

Right.

So the beautiful experience of fashion for your head back in the day where you went into department stores and you got to try everything on and you had the testers and all those kinds and someone made you up and all of that, Guess what?

There.

That's challenge today, okay.

For all the reasons that we know.

Right?

So it's you know, so we've we're trying to create some new experiences.

And so one of the things we're doing with Black Label and with fashion here is creating some digital experiences where people can shop it from home if they want to, but yet it won't be the same as going into a store if they went into Sephora for fashion fair.

But what they could do virtual try on and actually maybe see what the lipstick looks like.

Really.

Yeah And there's there's it's really a lot of companies are doing it right now not necessarily black owned companies hopefully more will do it because it's a pretty big investment.

But we have it already with our Black label online and we'll be bringing it shortly out with Fashion Fair as well.

So we got to the.

Math and then you.

Can double down to you can double down in that you can have someone chatting with you while you're on and then we can have someone also give you a digital consultation while you're trying on the makeup.

So these are all layers to really helping the consumer on the digital side.

So I think it's just you're going to get engage in all of these different ways, some of which existed before, many of which did not exist before.

You can just read so many more people so much more quickly without it having to be an event or you having to personally show up.

Do you have a is there a skincare line also for both products?

Absolutely.

For that product.

That's moisturizer, laser.

And so I mean, the skin care.

Lindsey Black Opal has a skincare line and and then fashion fair will have a skincare line We did bring out one of the first products that we did bring out was a serum.

And and actually it's been out just for about a week and it's taking off really, really well.

You know one of the things that's really interesting that happened over the last 18 months, people are giving more thought to taking care of their skin before they ever put cosmetics on.

Right.

Before COVID.

Yeah, absolutely.

Yeah, absolutely.

And the other thing we did with Black Opal, we brought back soaps.

Okay, so we have two soaps and.

-All natural.

- All natural I don't know when they were first brought in to the line, but they but everybody started writing to us and saying, Where are my soaps?

You know, because every morning people are getting up and washing their face, Right.

Maybe they're taking a little longer with the now because you have to go to the office.

Right.

So we brought back both of the soaps and and the things I think the thing that's important about that is that we really want to listen to our audience.

I think this is where a lot of companies make really big mistakes.

They, you know, they get inward and they think they know.

Don't.

What's the consumer wants?

The consumer will tell you what want.

All you have to do is ask.

And sometimes you don't even have to ask.

Okay?

You just got to be.

Laughing as fast as we can.

I think, because like, Yes, I mean, so.

They want it yesterday and obviously we do, too.

But it can't be yesterday.

It takes a minute.

Right.

And you've got to go through the proper testing and all those kinds of things.

So we're moving as fast as we can.

So what advice would you give to a budding young woman wanting to go into business at this point?

Go ahead.

"Chuckles" Well, and I would start with is your idea marketable?

Is there a market for your idea?

And, you know, and what is what's your goal?

Some people say, well, I don't really care.

I just want to, like, experiment.

That's fine.

So that would be the first thing is, is this viable?

And you have to ask the hard questions.

Not a business yet, though.

You know, but whatever.

I'm going to sell flowers.

Okay.

Why are your flowers different?

Where are you going to sell them to?

What's your price point?

Where are you going to get your flowers from?

There's a lot of competition.

All those questions are the first things to ask.

And then if you get through all that, you still think it's a great idea, you know, and I want to do, you know, you got to make certain I this is my look.

I preach, preach, preach the fundamentals.

All of your legal documents in order.

And what's the accounting?

You know, you know, making certain that you've got the finance piece, you know, where is the money coming from?

You know, and and so just not the fancy fund stuff, but all that like kind of like the fundamentals of a business, the legwork which is legal, someone to do the books, you know, all the tax stuff, people get all caught up in all.

The.

Ugly stuff, the legal stuff you have got, you know, and that costs money.

It's not fun, but it will destroy whatever idea you thought you had.

You know, as Sheryl and I have a contract, I mean, it's like you got to have this like, you know, all partner, all the work, you know, all the work done so that it's all one, then you can get to work.

So that first part, that beginning part is really important that you get the right advice, that you get all of those things in order so you don't run into legal snafu lawsuits.

Oh, I thought you said that.

Well, no.

Or, you know, you don't get into any of that.

You got to get clarity.

You got to get all of that stuff.

I mean, we're selling products, so we have to our insurance, all of these things.

When Desiree said, you know, are you in?

I said, yes, but I had a couple of conditions.

And luckily we were both on the same page as to what the conditions were.

And the first thing was, we're going to have the capital to do this right.

Okay.

We've been in too many businesses, okay?

And unfortunately, Fashion fair was one of them underfunded.

That was not capitalized.

Right.

And it was.

And when the market change and the industry changed and they will.

By the way, and COVID came.

And COVID came, you know, I mean, we had COVID started two or three months after we bought Fashion Fair.

And Desiree and I were sitting around saying, Oh, my God, and we had just bought Black Opal in in June.

And if we had not been, you know, capitalized.

Right, we'd be out of business probably.

You know what I mean?

It was a good chance.

So here's one of the things that I preach before you do what you think you can do, go learn how to do it after.

Go get some experience.

You want to go into the cosmetic business, go work at a counter and sell cosmetics and learn what people want with cosmetics.

Go learn something before you step out there and do it.

Desiree Rogers and Cheryl McKissic are our guest today.

And we're talking about business, not only business, but cosmetic business.

Not only cosmetic business, but rebranding a brand.

And you all are doing an excellent job and I wish you much success.

I think you've got you've got everything.

You've got the know how, you've got the money, keyword money, so you're capitalized properly, you've got the experience and there's a market.

Big, big word.

The market is there for it.

We've been waiting for you.

I'm so sick of mixing three colors and three colors.

Lipstick, the billboard, no more.

I can go to one place and I can buy it and I can do it.

And we can go into many stores for product.

Or I can stay at home and have these experimental conversations on Instagram and Facebook and buy products.

After.

The products have a name, not a number.

I'm not number 25.

And I think I'm.

Honey Child.

I think you're Topaz.

I'm Topaz Trophy.

Maybe with a mix of Honey Child.

I want the sassiness of Honey child.

I want some Honey Child.

I you know what the one thing I would say?

The last thing I would say is that what also is important and I think if Desiree and I would look back and it's been a very quick two year plus since we bought the first one is what have we achieved?

You know, and I think the number one thing that we really proud of is that we've been able to create quite a few jobs.

Okay.

Oh, my God, what we've been doing.

And so not only the people that work for us on a full time basis, but our extended team, you know, our legal team and, you know, our PR team and our team.

The ambassador.

Ambassadors and our product development teams and what.

Have you.

The makeup.

Artist.

Yes.

And the makeup artist.

And the majority of those people are people of color.

Okay.

So, you know, I think that is something we're really, really proud of and want to continue is to make sure that we're doing some job creation because that's really what our community needs in need of a great place to work.

And they need a place where they can also take care of themselves and their families.

And women need makeup and.

Women need makeup, and women want to look good when they're out there.

And we want the best with our businesses that that money is going to go back into our community.

So we did make a donation to the Mayor's Entrepreneurial Initiative for small businesses here in Chicago, and we will be announcing shortly our collaboration with Spelman in a fashion fair, Spelman scholarship.

Oh, that's terrific.

So internships that you talked about that earlier.

Into that if.

Someone wants to start a business, they can go work somewhere.

we're going to take that to the next level and we're going to create some internships where people who want to learn the business, young black women who want to learn the business, they can learn the business working either directly with us or with some of our suppliers and supporters who are in the industry.

So that's going to take it to a new level.

Some of the studies that have been done on the difference between women in business and men in business is that women are more giving their from a female business.

There's more giving than it is from a male, a male business.

You agree with that?

I don't know.

Since I'm not a male.

I'm going to say no, no, no.

I was married.

To one of the most giving people.

So I was, I don't know, in my husband's Pretty giving to know, he would say that more than giving and supporting all my crazy you know, ideas know you.

Weren't any kind.

Of you know.

I depends I think I do.

Anyways, giving.

What does that.

Mean?

What is giving anyway?

So maybe in a different way.

Yeah.

But I do think that in Desiree talks about this all the time and I totally agree with her.

We need to make sure that women, especially I love Madam Albright when she said there's a special place in hell for women that don't help other women.

I love that.

Okay?

Because I really believe that should be true.

You know, women have to start making sure and black women specifically, you know, that we're helping each other.

We don't do a great job of it.

Okay.

But we're doing better.

We're doing.

Better, but we're doing our job Well.

We can.

Do a we can do a lot better.

We could do we just hold hands and support each other?

It would be I mean, we're always kind of like, well, I like her, but what about her?

You know, it's always some some tension and there shouldn't be.

Why?

I don't know why.

Someone said to us about other young women, black entrepreneurs in the cosmetic business, and they said, you know, are you worried about that?

I said, Absolutely not.

No.

I said, this is so small for us.

It's still small.

Okay.

We're still not represented in the stores like we should be.

Okay.

So all those young women of color who want to start and come into this business, and some of them are they you know, we've seen a lot of new one.

Come on.

Let's all go see.

Their water is a.

Little warm, but come on in.

Okay.

Yeah.

Absolutely.

Cheryl McKissick, Desiree Rogers, girlfriends, thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you for bringing these lines back together, these beautiful brands together.

And the very best to you.

And we'll, we'll hold hands, we'll hold hands.. For sure.

Thank you.

For more information about the show, follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Funding for this program was provided by... the Chicago Community Trust.

The Field Foundation, Commonwealth Edison, BlueCross BlueShield, the MacArthur Foundation and Governors State University (Music) N'digo Studio.