We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chi-Chi Emezie. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chi-Chi below.

Hi Chi-Chi , thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

When it comes to my brand’s mission, it is simply “Bridging the gap of providing high quality products, at an affordable price.” The beauty industry at times can be really expensive when it comes to makeup and skincare. There are many individual’s out there who would like to try high quality beauty products, but may not have the resources to do so. I took note of the following and wanted to create a beauty line that has the prices of drugstore but provided exceptional quality like high end.

In addition, I’ve been on YouTube for about seven years and as a beauty influencer, I have tested out various makeup and skincare products from different brands. This knowledge helped me when I was creating my line because I knew exactly what I wanted my products to feel and look like, once it was in the hands of a customer.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hello! My name is Chi-Chi Emezie and I am a 28 year old Nigerian native, that is a YouTuber and Business Owner.

My path to the beauty industry started about seven years ago. At that time, Youtube was an escape for me because growing up, I was often bullied about my appearance and preferences. During that time of my life, I felt unworthy and unhappy, which resulted in me spending majority of my time watching beauty related content. I was really fascinated with the beauty guru’s at the time and the content that they were creating, and I began to realize how at peace I was when I watched their videos.

A friend of mine took note of the following and wondered why I didn’t create my own videos on YouTube and at that moment, everything changed for me. Being on YouTube allowed for me to work with brands I’ve always dreamed of, while trying numerous makeup products. With my knowledge I’ve learned from all my reviews on YouTube, I felt that it was time to take a leap of faith and start my own makeup brand.

On July 24, 2020, my brand Beauty by Chi-Chi was created! With the first stimulus check that was issued, I felt that I could invest into my business and finally bring it to life. My brand first started out with lashes but I’ve expanded it to include hydrating body oils, lipglosses, lip liners, diy lashes, lash tools, beauty sponges, foaming lash cleansers, and silk face masks. I took my time with each expansion because I wanted to ensure that my products were always high quality. It requires a-lot of trial and error but it’s always worth it in the end.

My goal for my brand has always been to provide high-quality products at an affordable price. As a beauty enthusiast, I know how expensive makeup can get, so I genuinely wanted to create something that others can purchase often without having to break the bank. Affordability often gets associated with low quality, but that is something that I wanted to change when it came to Beauty by Chi-Chi.

When it comes to my brand Beauty by Chi-Chi, I am most proud of following through with my vision and making it a reality. The work and effort that goes behind starting and running a brand is not easy by any means, but it is so rewarding. When you can physically hold your product, or see an individual wearing something you created, it is always surreal and that feeling never gets old.

When it comes to Beauty by Chi-Chi, I want individuals to know that they should always expect consistency, quality, and top tier experience. From the moment a customer places an order, I ensure that it is packaged with love. From the packaging, to the handwritten notes, I want to let them know how much I appreciate them purchasing from my brand. At the end of the day, they don’t have to but they chose to, so It means the world to me.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

When it came to the initial capital needed to start my business, I utilized the first stimulus check that was issued in 2020. There was a-lot of uncertainty when it came to jobs and income around that time, so I felt more secure using the check to fund my business. In addition to the following, I also utilized some of my savings as well because the initial startup fee of a business is expensive as many may know. I would definetly say that the stimulus check was a blessing because if it wasn’t for the following, I would’ve kept prolonging the launch of my business.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One lesson that I had to unlearn was “Followers Equates To Money”, when in reality, “Followers Doesn’t Always Equate To Money.”

When starting a business, it is important to grow your following on social media before you launch. It will definitely give you a head start when you first begin, but in order to keep the momentum, you have to be consistent at all times.

Having a following on YouTube, I was almost certain that when I launched my business, it would be a smooth ride from there. What I didn’t account for was after the hype dies down, how do I continue to keep people’s attention and get consistent sales? That’s when I learned that having a business is a journey that consists of always showing up and putting in the work. It doesn’t happen overnight but if you are diligent and hardworking, you will definitely see the fruits of your labor.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://beautybychichi.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautybychichi/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautybychichii
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chi-chi-emezie-0b97aa149/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@beautybychichi
• Other: TikTok: @beautybychichii

Image Credits
Chi-Chi Emezie (Me)