Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Franklin.
Hi Crystal, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a Kansas City, Missouri native (Go Chiefs!) who moved to Dallas in 2014. Since 2010, I have had hands-on experience in Retail, Visual Merchandising and Customer Service Management and enjoy creating an environment where people love to shop. If you were to ask any Black Woman or Man where they shop to get their Beauty and Grooming products, they will more than likely tell you, their local Beauty Supply store, where there is no brand identity and impersonal, transactional customer service. As a Black woman, growing up with this common experience, it didn’t make sense why the Black Community wasn’t afforded a Beauty Store that offered products we use daily in an organized, inviting shopping environment. With my Retail background & my personal hair journey, I decided i wanted to enter the Beauty Industry to redefine & set a new standard for Black Beauty Supply Stores.
In 2017, while I was sitting in my 9-5 cubicle, I did research on the industry to answer the question of why there isn’t majority Black Ownership in the industry, and how to change that.. I wrote a complete business plan and started selling hair extensions online. I worked to grow my brand, telling friends and family that I wanted to open a beauty supply store. Sales and the support were few and far between, so I put my business plan on the shelf to wait until I could put my 100% effort into the business, and focused on being successful in my current position. Fast forward 3 years, COVID-19 happened! My company offered a severance package to anyone willing to accept. I’m not much of a risk-taker, but after lots of thought and prayers, I thought when would another opportunity like this present itself? It was now…or who knows when…I knew if I was serious, it was time for me to dust off my business plan and take the entrepreneur leap of faith and August 2020 was my release from the corporate world. Today, I have been able to expand my online hair extension business to a store-front location that offers over 500 different hair and beauty products, catering to melanated hair and skin care.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggles I’ve been able to overcome are maintaining confidence in my business and handling the underlying fear of being “pushed out”. This fear came from warnings I received from other beauty entrepreneurs letting me know that they had difficulties with getting inventory or were not able to gain access to certain inventory they needed. Regardless, I was super excited and due to my research and preparation beforehand, I knew what to expect and was blessed to have a smooth start. I had a vivid vision of how I wanted everything to look, so once I found the perfect store location I knew it was time to roll up my sleeves and get to work. Because I have a bit of a handy side to me, a lot of what you see in my store I built or created myself (Home Depot was tired of me!). Since I opened my doors, I’m happy to have had no major issues with suppliers. I’m slowly growing my inventory with no issues! Now that I’ve gotten this far, my current focus is securing funding and bringing more awareness to my brand!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Inherited Beauty Co?
Inherited Beauty Co is more than a beauty supply store; it’s a brand! My business name, Inherited Beauty, comes from the belief that our beauty is truly derived from our ancestors, and taking care of what we’ve inherited is a priority. So no matter what you decided to do with your hair, HEALTHY hair comes first. My store provides quality products to care for all textured, curly, relaxed, and color-treated hair, along with supplies for protective styling (braiding hair, wigs, crochet hair, etc.). Along with my own line of Lip Scrubs, Conditioners and Lipstick, (Inherited Beauty Co. Cosmetics), I also carry men’s grooming and beard care.
Inherited Beauty Co. also prides itself on highlighting Black Beauty Brands, as there are many that don’t get the exposure they deserve. I offer opportunities to brands that are ready to leverage their company by selling in a retail location. I also support Beauty Influencers by sharing their hair tutorials on my social media pages and offer an Affiliate Program for Brand Ambassadors.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memories are the endless hours outside playing in the creek, riding bikes and lining up for foot races with my homies in Walnut Grove! Nothing but good times!
Contact Info:
- Email: info@inheritedbeautyco.com
- Website: www.inheritedbeautyco.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/inheritedbeautyco
- Facebook: facebook.com/inheritedbeautyco
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/b-eiv5tvQHs
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/inherited-beauty-lewisville-4
