We recently connected with Moyatu Ebba and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Moyatu , 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.
LipMama began during the very beginning of COVID-19. I was considered an essential worker which meant I was unable to work from home and had to wear masks for hours. I began to notice the irritation of my lips from the masks from not being able to apply the lip care that I would usually wear all the time which would get stuck to and ruin the masks. After being frustrated with the lack the constant irritation, I decided to make a lip scrub and lip balm that would not only heal my lips but would also moisturize them under the masks. I began to talk about how helpful it was for me around my workplace which led to my coworkers asking me to make it for them along with lip oils and glosses as the mask protocol lessened. With feedback of my coworkers and friends, I then took the step in putting a name to the products with the help of my daughter, LipMama by Moyatu. 5 years later, I have added more to the brand with different products like body oils and body butters to cater to self care and everyday lifestyle.
There is really something in making a woman or man feel a bit more confident in their lip care. I have been able to see in real time the difference of beauty and the boost of confidence in a customer’s movement when selling my products face to face or with their reviews.
LipMama has not only showed me that I am a businesswoman, it has shown me that I am a brand.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Moyatu AKA LipMama. I began my journey with LipMama, a beauty and lip care brand in 2020 during the very beginning of the pandemic. LipMama is brand that stands on boosting confidence in a person’s beauty and honestly the art of support. I have seen through the years of being in business that the word “support” goes a very long way. When I decided to make LipMama an actual platform to sell lip care, I was honestly in place of fear that the products would not sell. However, it did the complete opposite. With the support of people I have met through attending Norfolk State University, work places, networking opportunities or literally on the street, LipMama lives on.
I love the community that LipMama gives me as a person and in return what the products do for my customers.
Being a businesswoman has most definitely been the hardest job I have ever done with teaching me that the key to anything flourishing are these three things: Consistency, Discipline and Confidence. Seeing my potential and goals turn into executed events and products has to be the biggest push for me to continue production and build the support of the brand to further heights.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
As a small business owner, I understood that only selling online would not allow me to reach all audiences that I would have wanted to so I took my talents outside. I purchased a 6 foot table and a 10 by 10 tent, set up my products on the sidewalk of a popular location downtown every Saturday for the summer and would sell my products to anyone passing through to their dinner date or their chill spot. It gave me the opportunity to learn how to pitch my products quickly and to gain followers to my social media platforms.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
At the top of this year, I had taken a 3-4 month hiatus of not making products or advertising LipMama products. I began to think that it wouldn’t matter if I let go of the business and the dream of making it something bigger than myself. Out of nowhere on a very random day, I received a notification for an order from the website. Not only did it boost my confidence, it plunged me into a deep drive to take my business as something that I was meant to do and keep on doing. I haven’t gone a week without orders since.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thelipmama.com
- Instagram: @thelipmama
- Facebook: Moyatu Ebba
- Twitter: @thelipmama
Image Credits
Pictures taken by: Myself and Kamaria Butler