We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hannah McCall a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hannah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Tell us the story of how you came up with the idea for your business? Paint the picture for us so we really understand the context, circumstances, the emotions etc.

I found myself joining a company as an ambassador to promote why cleaner ingredients are so important when it comes to our skin care and personal care products. But almost immediately, I realized that hardly anyone looked like me. And yet, a part of the ‘marketing’ and ‘educating’ focused on the disparities Black women faced in this space. It feels different when the people representing a company that is largely white are saying “Did you know that 75% of personal care products marketed to Black women contain chemical ingredients that are potentially hazardous to their health?”. So I started asking myself “did we know?” The answer was obvious – I didn’t know. So rather than allow that information to be gatekept, I started a blog. A blog to share what it is I was learning and why I thought it wasn’t okay. I immediately got the attention of people doing this work already. There were a lot of Black women owned brands and nonprofits that reached out to me saying “Hey, we love what you’re doing and we are so happy you’re here.” That’s when I saw a lane. And I took it. I could be the educator and the amplifier of those doing the grassroots work. So I turned Clean Beauty for Black Girls into a 501c3 nonprofit.

Walk us through how you knew this was a worthwhile endeavor – talk to us about the logic of why you felt this would work?

Delivery of messages matters. And in addition to that, we aren’t all good at the same things. That’s what makes working together so beautiful. For example, let’s look at the players in this game right now. Brands, researchers, policy focused nonprofits, and me. Brands are often focused on product formulation and the sales experience for their customers. Researches are focused on – well – research. Policy focused nonprofits are focused on funding studies and turning that into legislative pressure. That’s where I come in. Once I saw how grateful people were for my online presence, I realized that I had access to something that took each of them out of what makes them great – out of their ‘creative genius’. Connection. I could talk directly to our community in a transparent, candid way. That means I could break down the work the researchers and policy focused folks were doing in a way that made it consumable. I could elevate brands creating products for us and with our health in mind. I could educate, elevate and empower our community. That’s what makes this worthwhile.

Were you solving a problem that no one else was solving?

Yes – but not because it had to be me. I just saw the lane. I saw the opportunity. And I decided to take it. I didn’t – and often still don’t – know what I’m doing. That means I get it wrong a lot. I had to stop counting the number of balls I drop on a weekly basis. We’ll just say it’s a lot. But I care. I have a whole lot of care invested here. That’s all it takes.

Were you offering a unique approach or what about this idea got you most excited?
Getting into this space – the nonprofit space – but also the side of that that is focused on the wellbeing of Black women is powerful. It’s warm. It’s everything you can imagine when you think of what a community feels like. The support is unwavering – like I’ve had strangers paint a picture of me to me and had me like “wow, I’ve never seen myself that way”. That kind of power is special. That gets me excited. Seeing Black women owned brands grow in a space that tried to keep them quiet – that’s exciting. Listening to stories of Black women who have faced health issues and learned about the harm in many of our products as a result, only to “clean up” their personal product use and see improvement in their health – that gets me excited.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others A part of being empowering is removing judgment. That’s what we do with Clean Beauty for Black Girls and our Sister Circles. Like, ‘hey – come as you are. We’re not here to tell you what to do, we just want you to know. Then you can make the best decision for yourself.’ No shame. What isn’t okay is that Black women end up getting diagnosed with some long-term health issue due to an over or under production of hormones and find out there is a connection with the chemical ingredients in many of the products they’ve been using for years – having no idea they were putting themselves in harms way. We’re all regulat, imperfect, amazing humans. Let me know the information up front, and be transparent. And if you know certain ingredients cause harm – particular harm to a certain demographic – make better products. Care about our health. Educate. Empower. Elevate. That’s what makes us different.
What are you most proud of
Any time Clean Beauty for Black Girls gets any type of recognition, it makes my heart leap. It’s such a good feeling to mentally stand back looking at yourself and saying “see, told you that you belonged. Imposter Syndrome be gone!” (I mean it comes back, but minimizing it for even a moment is worth it!). That happened when being asked to be on the Advisory Board for the Non-Toxic Black Beauty Project by BCPP. Getting invited to be a part of a national coalition for Beauty Justice. It happened when EWG tapped me to be a part of an Impact Docu Series.

what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.
We’re Inclusive: Clean Beauty for Black Girls is about creating a space that is inclusive and empowering for Black women and girls. We believe in the beauty of diversity and strive to foster a community that celebrates and uplifts each other.

We’re Advocates for Clean Beauty: Our organization is committed to promoting clean beauty products that are safe, non-toxic, and healthy for Black women and girls. We believe that everyone has the right to use beauty products that don’t compromise their health.

We’re Educational: We aim to educate our community about the importance of clean beauty and how to make informed choices when purchasing beauty products. We want to empower our followers with the knowledge to make choices that are best for their health and wellbeing.

We’re Community-Oriented: Our Sister Circles program provides a platform for Black women and girls to come together, share experiences, and learn from one another in a supportive and nurturing environment.

We’re Change-Makers: Clean Beauty for Black Girls is more than just a nonprofit, we’re advocates for change in the beauty industry.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The thing I’ve learned is that every ‘next level’ you get to requires you to face a different set of challenges. That means with each new level, the opportunity to pivot is present. You get that first slightly out-of-reach job, and then you realize you’re drowning where you live. You move to a place you love, and then you struggle to find a job that doesn’t suffocate you. You build a freelance business, and then you lose your biggest client. All things that have happened. My response every time? Pivot. Pivot. Pivot. What does it take to be an entrepreneur? You have to have the tenacity to constantly say “I don’t know, but I’ll figure it out” over and over again – in nearly every situation. That’s also why it’s so crucial that you give yourself space to simply be and to just sit. Give yourself a quiet, no distractions walk outside on a consistent basis. In these spaces we allow our brain to create and surface ideas that may seem insignificant at the time, but may be your greatest asset come time to pivot.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Absolutely! When it comes to a book that really influenced my management and entrepreneurial thinking, I must recommend “The Mountain Is You.” It’s a powerful book by Brianna Wiest that has had a big impact on how I approach life and entrepreneurship.

You learn the importance of self-awareness, resilience, and seeing challenges as opportunities. As an entrepreneur, I’ve found it invaluable in navigating obstacles, bouncing back from setbacks, and embracing change with a positive mindset. It’s all about recognizing that true success isn’t just about what we achieve externally, but about understanding and mastering our inner selves.

In the fast-paced world, having a strong and centered mindset is crucial.
The book reminded me that the greatest challenges we face are within ourselves, waiting to be overcome.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cleanbeautyforblackgirls.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleanbeautyforblackgirls/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cleanbeautyforblackgirls
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clean-beauty-for-black-girls/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBFBlackGirls