Shades & Layers
Shades and Layers is a podcast focused on black women entrepreneurs from across the globe. It is a platform for exploring issues and challenges around business ownership, representation and holistic discussions about the meaning of sustainability in an increasingly complex global context. Conversations are wide- ranging and serve not only as a Masterclass in Entrepreneurship but also provide wisdom and tools for Successful Living. It is a space for meaningful conversation, a place for black and other women of color to be fully human and openly share their quirks and vulnerabilities.
Guests include prominent figurers in the beauty, fashion and wellness industries both in the Northern Hemisphere and the Global South.
Dr. Theo Mothoa-Frendo of USO Skincare discusses her journey from being product junkie to creating an African science-based skincare range. Taryn Gill of The Perfect Hair is a brand development whizz who discusses supply chain and distribution of her haircare brands. Katonya Breux discusses melanin and sunscreen and how she addresses the needs of a range of skin tones with her Unsun Cosmetics products.
We discuss inclusion in the wellness industry with Helen Rose Skincare and Yoga and Nectarines Founder , Day Bibb. Abiola Akani emphasizes non-performance in yoga with her IYA Wellness brand and Anesu Mbizho shares her journey to yoga and the ecosystem she's created through her business The Nest Space.
Fashion is all about handmade, custom made and circular production with featured guests like fashion designer Maria McCloy of Maria McCloy Accessories; Founder and textile/homeware designer Nkuli Mlangeni Berg of The Ninevites as well as Candice Lawrence, founder of the lighting design company Modern Gesture. These are just a few the conversations on the podcast over the past three years.
Shades & Layers
Swirly Curly and Easy with Keziah Dhamma (S6, E10)
Today my guest is Keziah Dhamma, founder and CEO of Swirly Curly Hair, a luxury natural hair care and education company.
So, what started out as a company making snap-on hair ties (Snapees) for curly and kinky haired folks, has evolved into a fully-fledged product company with an education platform to support individuals on their natural hair journey.
With more than 10 thousand members in its community, Swirly Curly Hair is looking to go even bigger in the next few years, as they contemplate getting into the retail space.
In our conversation, she gives the details of exactly what the Swirly Curly method entails, how she went about developing the curriculum for members of her community and how she transitioned from one stage of the company to the next. She also gets into surviving Covid, writing a book and balancing all that with having three children in quick succession.
Enjoy the episode!
LINKS, MENTIONS AND GIFTS
Keziah Dhamma is also the host of Hey Curlfriend, a podcast dedicated to the Swirly Curly community and others who want to learn more about caring for their natural hair.
Curl College is where you can learn how to take care of your curls using the Swirly Curly Method. You can also buy Keziah's book which outlines this method with illustrations.
And just for being a Shades and Layers listener, you get a 15% discount on your order when using the code podcast15 at checkout.
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