We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Krystal Wright a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Krystal, thanks for joining us today. 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.
I’ve always wanted to make a difference in the world, but didn’t quite know the avenue that I would take. I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) in late 2017, due to the hormonal imbalance from cysts on the ovaries PCOS makes the chances of fertility very low. I was convinced that I would never be able to have children and that my dream of having my own family was obsolete. I tried all of the medications to regulate my hormones and cycle, changed my diet, and did so much research on my condition. Fast forward to February 13th 2018, I set an appointment with my OB-GYN for some concerns that I was having. Unbeknownst to me, I figured it was a PCOS flareup so I just wanted to get looked at to make sure everything was okay. As usual with all OB appointments, you have to leave a urine sample for any possible issues or pregnancy. My OB came in the room and asked a few questions, before saying “well… you’re pregnant.”. My jaw dropped in disbelief, but in that instant I knew it was go time. It was time for me to hold myself accountable for this little one. It was motivating and life changing to say the least.
As a first time mother at 27, I wanted to ensure that I gave my son the best of the best. That included what I put on his skin. Being as though our skin is our largest organ, it is sometimes the most neglected. Sometimes it’s simply, because we weren’t educated on how to care for our skin or simply not putting energy into our skincare. I personally love organic products and ingredients, so I read every label and description of my purchases. Sometimes companies utilize deceptive practices to entice consumers to purchase their products. They will advertise that their products are “natural” or “organic”, but contain fillers and ingredients that are actually harmful to the environment and humans as a whole. I wanted to create a product that was affordable, safe, and beneficial to all that consumed them.
During one of my son’s appointments his pediatrician informed me that he may have eczema. That naturally put my brain into a ‘how do I fix this?’ mode. This was shortly before the beginning of the COVID pandemic and while I was still on maternity leave. So I had ample amount of time to research and create a plan of action. I wanted to come up with a lightweight, non-pore clogging, and hypoallergenic formula. I’ve always loved body butters and oils, because of how silky and nourished it left my skin. Then all of the pieces started coming together.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Krystal, and I sometimes go by the name of Bob (that’s another story, for another day). I am the oldest of 3 siblings, of Jamaican descent and born in Mt. Vernon, NY. I was raised in the Bronx, NY by my single mother, where I assisted in raising my siblings. My dream is to actually be a world renowned singer, as I’ve been singing all of my life. I lived in Delaware for 9 years, after attending Christiana High School and the University of Delaware. Delaware never truly felt like home to me, so I always wanted to leave. My mom moved us there to offer us a better quality of life and to start a new leaf in life. I created a plan to move in July of 2014, my choices were between moving back to NY where my origins were or to move to Atlanta. I truly wanted to find freedom and an identity of my own, so I decided on Atlanta.
About a month or so before my moving date, my grandmother Dorrett Kenyon was diagnosed with leukemia. As hopeful as we all were, she passed on April 15, 2015. That day changed my life forever, she was my favorite person on earth. From that day, I dedicated everything to her. In late 2016 I told myself that I would make a brand and it would be an ode to her. She was the inspiration behind my business name. The name 419th South is her partial address for the home we all loved in Mt. Vernon, NY. I just wanted to make her proud! I had (still do) so many ideas and avenues that I will take to be successful.
After having Drayce (my son), I knew exactly how I’d tackle this and turn my dream to a reality. I am such a loving and giving person, that I once extended myself too far due to my lack of boundaries. I want to love and touch the hearts of many, but without pain and disappointments. By making skincare products, I able to love and touch everyone that consumes them without ever physically touching them. My love and dedication is in every ounce of my products and people can feel it.
As an Aquarius, I am a true humanitarian and I want to change the world and help everyone. I want to improve experiences and outlooks on simple routines. I want to change the idea of self love and skincare. I am able to achieve that with my body products. I’ve assisted in drastically improving peoples skincare regiments and even their skin conditions like eczema. I researched and played with formulas for two years before actually launching, I had to make sure it was exactly what the people needed.
419th South is truly about creating a luxurious skincare experience. Every last ingredient has been researched and tested to ensure that it provides people with happiness, relief, and supple skin. I want you to feel like you’re doing your body good and loving yourself with every drop. I get the biggest sense of pride and happiness when people provide me with feedback and appreciation. It kind of makes me emotional from time to time, because I know my grandma would’ve loved it.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Earlier on in my sales career, I sold cars. I absolutely loved it! I would be there from 9am to 10pm at times, because it was 100% commission based. I hadn’t realized the lack of work-life balance and complete disregard for my self autonomy. Once I found out that I had a baby on the way at 27, I knew it was time to make a change. I missed so many first milestones of my son and it inadvertently caused postpartum depression (I was already dealing with anxiety and depression). I felt like a terrible mother and like I wasn’t doing enough. Working there after even having my son, I would have to leave customers to pump milk in a room in the back. They would be understanding, but it affected my milk supply greatly. Which also contributed to the postpartum.
After his first birthday in 2020, I decided that it was time to make a change. It was time to honor myself! Whether I struggled a little or a lot, there was so much more to gain. I knew that I needed to be there as much as possible for him (and myself), mentally, and financially. I quit that job and got a remote position within insurance sales, but that too lacked work-life balance. Over the course of two years, I tried different tech companies and positions in hopes of finding the best career for us. I’m still recovering, but the ride has been insightful and I have learned and grown so much.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The best source of new clients for me has been social media! I have the best supportive followers and friends that repost and leave reviews. They tell their loved ones and from that they trust me with their skin. About 83% (per my Shopify analytics) of my customers are from Instagram. I’m still honing in on my marketing strategies, but I am blessed with the resources and people that love my products. My followers have witnessed my entire journey. From being apprehensive to being relentless, changing my formulas as needed, and truly taking their feedback and making adjustments as needed.
Contact Info:
- Website: 419thsouth.com
- Instagram: @419thSouth
- Facebook: 419th South