This Black-owned clean makeup startup bootstrapped its way to being a $10 million brand

"Many entrepreneurs launch beauty startups because they see a glaring gap in the market. It's only after they've formulated their products and launched them that they learn how incredibly difficult it is to turn a profit as a beauty business. That wasn't the case for Tisha Thompson, founder of LYS (short for Love Yourself), a clean cosmetics brand that is inclusive to all skin tones."

"Since launching the line in 2021, Thompson has grown LYS's sales to upward of $10 million. And she did so in a counterintuitive way: by building a bootstrapped brand that launched immediately into Sephora with just $500,000 in startup capital. Thompson's success is remarkable, particularly because many other Black founders in the beauty industry are struggling."

"This summer, the popular makeup brand Ami Colé shuttered after three years in business. Founder Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye says she wasn't able to find enough capital to stay afloat. Many other Black-owned beauty brands, including Beauty Bakerie, Ceylon, and Koils by Nature, have also been forced to close. For Thompson, it's important to offer a counterpoint to these stories, and to show retailers and investors that it is possible to succeed as a Black-owned brand that targets Black consumers."

Many entrepreneurs launch beauty startups because they see a glaring gap in the market, but many discover turning a profit is difficult. Tisha Thompson founded LYS (Love Yourself), a clean cosmetics brand inclusive to all skin tones, and launched in 2021. Thompson grew LYS's sales to upward of $10 million by bootstrapping and launching immediately into Sephora with $500,000 in startup capital. Several Black-owned beauty brands have struggled or closed due to lack of capital, including Ami Colé, Beauty Bakerie, Ceylon, and Koils by Nature. Thompson positions LYS as a counterpoint to show that success targeting Black consumers is possible.

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