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

Mariah , appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I came up with the idea for Faven Essentials because the natural hair care industry is in need of more salon quality product selections. As a licensed cosmetologist, I have noticed that there are not enough high end products marketed toward black women with natural hair. It leaves consumers and stylists choosing between limited options that may not fully address certain hair concerns. That is why I decided to partner with black and women own laboratories to formulate products with healthy ingredients that yield desired results. In the near future, my brand will expand to offer natural hair care services and education to consumers and industry professionals. I want natural hair care products, services, and education to be easily accessible, that way the natural hair community feels included and empowered.

Mariah , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I became passionate about natural hair care when I around 6 years old. My mother developed arthritis and struggled to maintain my hair, so I quickly learned how braid and twist my own hair. Since then, I have always done hair as a side hustle or professionally. Even as a full time teacher, I keep a drawer full of hair supplies to use for my students.

I am most proud of how my brand always gives back to the community. We have continually donated products to girls in foster care and donated funds to breast cancer research and domestic violence victims. So, when our customers support us, we are able to support the community in turn.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

When I initially started Faven Essentials, I used cash received from stimulus checks. I had just shut down a previous hair care company and I wanted to quickly be able to continue selling to my previous brand’s customers. I only had enough funds to launch with 2 products, but I started anyway. You can’t always wait for things to be perfect because you’ll never get started.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

One book that has significantly impacted my entrepreneurial thinking is The Introvert Entrepreneur. As an introvert I was scared to pursue business and felt that my business wouldn’t thrive since I do not display extroverted characteristics. This book highlights the gifts that introverts bring to the table which changed my perception of business from fear to optimism.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.favenessentials.com
• Instagram: @favenessentials
• Facebook: Faven Essentials
• Linkedin: www.LinkedIn.com/in/favenessentials