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

Patricia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I made my first sale apart from family by being authentic. I know that may seem minute to some but if we’re being honest, people love to support others they can relate to or feel as though they’re apart of that journey of the entrepreneur. It builds brand trust.

We’ve shipped to more than 10 states and each sale feels as though it’s the first. I’m always showing gratitude and never put myself too high on a pedestal, so this way my customers feel more like family.

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

My name is Patricia and I am the Founder and Owner of Colourism Cosmetics, mother of three, and current nursing student.

Growing up in Los Angeles – a city known for its esthetically pleasing culture— I didn’t see many black and brown women being celebrated on their beauty. I knew I had to create a safe place for those women. Initially I launched “Floss Ur Gloss” blog in 2012 as a way to share the latest beauty trends. The blog paid homage to black and brown women I admired based on their passion for makeup and fashion.

That was the first time it clicked. The beauty industry had to make room for me.

But it wasn’t until a few years ago in 2020 that I decided to make my own cosmetics. I wanted to create a movement within the beauty industry that would be meaningful and made room to celebrate those underserved women.

So, here we are today.

Colourism Cosmetics is a black owned and operated cosmetic brand based in California. We’re using beauty to evolve culture while changing the narrative, one shade at a time.

Despite our controversial name, we value inclusivity. That includes priority the needs of both women and men of color. I chose the name intentionally to bring awareness to the lack of representation within the beauty industry for those of deep melanin.

I’m proud of our mission and stand on it, as we were able to gain a lot of support from many ethnic groups which ensured us that we were on the right track.

Not only does our core message sets us apart but we build relationships that builds communities with our customers and content creators alike. We are authentic and never are too “salesy” with our supporters.

This is what they love most about Colourism. Besides our great quality and affordable products, we are personable. We are always looking to work with beauty influencers, especially the overlooked content creators. We value their work and showcase it any chance we get.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I love to tell this story because many people who wants to be on this journey of entrepreneurship think they should quit their 9-5 and jump right into entrepreneurship. This may be true for some but this isn’t always true for most people.

Our initial capital to start this business came directly from the funds of my 9-5. Very few like to discuss this but having a business can be very expensive. Especially, if you’re a product based business. So, that job you currently have, use those funds for the capital of your business.

There’s also so many grants for small, black, women owned businesses. Do your research and connect to other small businesses through networking and social media.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Word of mouth. Even in today’s time of social media, word of mouth have remained the most effective strategy for brand growth. This can too be done through social media. Maybe you’ve seen a friend tag a small business on multiple occasions or maybe someone told you via a shared text or post.

We’ve been able to grow our brand because our products are of quality and others have continued to share us with their friends, families, co-workers, etc.

Now, for social media alone, as stated earlier I believe our authenticity, our message and personable branding helps a lot.

Quick plug, a must read book, “Contagious” by Jonah Berger. Such a great marketing book that explores the psychology of how and why things catch on.

Contact Info:

• Website: Colourismllc.com
• Instagram: Colourism Cosmetics
• Facebook: Colourism Cosmetics

Image Credits
Deshia Hudgins, Aurora Mendez