We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Phumelele Kunene a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Phumelele, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?
Phumelele, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My journey began as a Fashion designer. I pivoted to beauty back in 2017. I used to struggle with dry and itchy skin during the wintertime and blend together different products to get the mixture “just right” – not too thick but not too thin. While still a fashion designer in NYC at the time, I started seriously experimenting with a Shea butter formulation using ingredients intended to soothe, repair, and nourish my skin. I had extensive knowledge of the harsh chemicals that go into fast fashion and their negative impacts on the skin, so it was easy for me to apply my experience of researching and sourcing natural fiber fabrics to developing an all-organic skincare product line.
Ebaata Skincare has expanded from Shea butter into all-natural, handcrafted soaps and other products, using the same principles of no harsh chemicals, synthetic fragrances, nor toxic colorants. The products are formulated to alleviate dry skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, cradle cap (on babies) and athlete’s foot.
While I leverage my fashion design background to create cohesive and visually appealing products, Ebaata Skincare goes beyond aesthetics – our products span across the needs of the whole family, and provide the right consistency at a reasonable price, while staying true to our promise of no fragrance oils and unnatural dyes.
As a black-owned business owner, it is also important to me to help keep the circulation of money and opportunity within my local community and help to nourish and grow it in a sustainable and holistic manner. Through Ebaata Skincare, I have created a space that I am proud of and will continue empowering my customers to have more control and influence over their purchasing decisions.
Lastly, I am most proud that in a very short time my products have become a staple in various homes around the US and Canada. I love helping people improve their skin immunity (health).
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Very early on I started looking for vending opportunities within Brooklyn. I also networked and joined organizations like Start Small, Think Big who were helpful in assisting me to develop branding.
But, most importantly being in front of customers provides an opportunity to educate whomever you are serving about the importance of knowing the effects of harsh chemicals usage on skin and also remind customers that the skin is the largest body organ, and it consumes everything we put on it day and night.
Between 2017 and December 2019, my customers would refer potential customers and then we started getting calls from people wanting to know our store location.
Beginning in 2020 we signed our lease at Brooklyn Commons. Being able to have people walk into our store has solidified our credibility and increased our reputation.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I started reading The 12 Week Year, by Brian P Moran & Michael Lennington. This book is allowing me to stay focused on my top 3 goals for each quarter and work on them daily. I find I am also done with all three goals and also had other smaller goals completed even before the 1st quarter deadline.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ebaataskincare.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebaataskincare/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ebaataskincare
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phumelele-kunene-58126a22/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBunBkDa1UmYUIaWfOdL8FQ
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ebaata-skincare-brooklyn-3
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ebaataskincare
Image Credits
Angie Vasquez (Headshot) Cassandra Jolicoeur (Product shots and family picture)