Welcome to Friends in Beauty – the #1 community & podcast for beauty pros! Hosted by Award-Winning Makeup Artist & Beauty Educator, and Your Best Friend in Beauty Akua Robinson, this is where beauty conversations feel like catching up with a friend — real stories and expert tea with the voices that shape the beauty industry without the fluff...Whether you're a makeup artist, hairstylist, esthetician, nail tech, or educator—Friends in Beauty is your go-to for insight, strategy & support. New episodes every Wednesday!
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Ep. 256: From Esthetician to CEO: Building A Beauty Empire + Community For Pros - Sylvia Brownlee
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 • Duration 01:01:39
On this week’s episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Sylvia Brownlee to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Sylvia is a seasoned Esthetician and skincare expert with over 29 years of hands-on experience transforming both skin and lives!
As the CEO and Founder of her own skincare line, Skin by Brownlee & Co., Sylvia specializes in helping people reclaim confidence, particularly those struggling with acne, through effective skincare, hyperpigmentation, and signs of aging. Recently, Sylvia celebrated the grand opening of a new Skin by Brownlee & Co. headquarters and Lessons Suites & Studios, a beauty coworking space located within the HQ aimed at empowering local professionals. Sylvia launched Lessons Suites & Studios to provide aspiring beauty professionals with the community, support, and guidance she wished she had when she first started.
During our chat Sylvia shares her journey as an Esthetician and business owner, how Skin by Brownlee & Co., became the Official Skincare Sponsor for Cincinnati Ben-Gals, the importance of representation in skincare marketing, thoughts on Target’s DEI reversal, all about the Toned Collection, essential skincare must haves as our skin matures, and so much more.
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NOTE: I am a Brand Ambassador and affiliate for certain businesses, products and services that I believe in. I may have referenced these and included links in this video, description or someplace else at this site. I hope you find the resources helpful.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act, and/or without the prior express written permission of Friends in Beauty, LLC, Akua Robinson Artistry, LLC and/or Akua Robinson.
Ep. 255: The Life of A Hair Stylist: Balancing Beauty, Wellness, and Lifestyle - Erika Evans
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 • Duration 01:44:54
On this week’s episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Erika Evans to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Over 25 years of experience in the beauty and wellness industry led Erika (EJE) to have worked with a range of everyday women, and executives, celebrities and models.
After seeing chemical damage, stressed and over processed hair, to thinning hair and hair loss, EJE noticed clients were losing self-confidence. She found that women's wellness in general was lacking due to work demands, schedules and raising families. These challenges resulted in the consumption of more fast and processed foods, prescription medications and little to no exercise.
EJE has a system to help women, even a few men achieve overall wellness, a balanced lifestyle. The EJE Lifestyle Blueprint.
Curated in 2010, The EJE Lifestyle Blueprint, is a uniquely planned approach through applied techniques of compiled research and formulations, using natural ingredients to improve and cure the damaging effects of unhealthy hair, skin and body. Each plan is customized to the individual needs of each client and is tracked in a HAIRPORT, a fancy version of a passport to keep up with your hair and wellness journey!
During our chat Erika shared how she supports her clients who have been diagnosed with cancer, her opinion on cosmetic licensing for wig stylists, how to have hard conversations with your clients, what it’s like going from salon to salon suite, old school practices in a modern world and so much more.
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NOTE: I am a Brand Ambassador and affiliate for certain businesses, products and services that I believe in. I may have referenced these and included links in this video, description or someplace else at this site. I hope you find the resources helpful.
Copyright, Liability Waiver and Disclaimers. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act, and/or without the prior express written permission of Friends in Beauty, LLC, Akua Robinson Artistry, LLC and/or Akua Robinson.
Ep. 246: Sephora Gate: Why the Sephora Squad Has Everyone Talking + Tips to Get Chosen Next Year!
Friday, November 29, 2024 • Duration 47:24
🚨 The Sephora Squad Debacle: What Happened? 🚨
On this week’s episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I’m diving into the drama surrounding the Sephora Squad 2024 selections! 😳 Many people were left confused and disappointed by the picks this year, and I’m sharing my honest thoughts about the selection process, what might have gone wrong, and actionable tips for anyone thinking about applying next time. 💡
Let’s keep it real—these opportunities can be game-changers, but there’s always room to learn and strategize better. Whether you’re curious about how the process works or you’re ready to shoot your shot again, this episode has you covered. 🎯
✨ What do YOU think about the Sephora Squad selections? Let’s chat in the comments! I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. 👇
🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe for more beauty industry insights, tips, and juicy discussions like this one!
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Ep. 156: Tea Time With Akua - Law Roach Retirement
Wednesday, March 22, 2023 • Duration 26:09
In this episode I’m sharing my takeaways on Law Roach’s retirement from being a celebrity fashion stylist and his recent interview with The Cut by NY Magazine. I stress the importance of us prioritizing our happiness, health, mental health, friends, and family.
Never be afraid to take a step back. Your authentic existence depends on it. Click here to listen to Law Roach’s interview and leave a comment to share your takeaways. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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Ep. 155: How Leslie Roberson, Creator Of The Black Beauty Collective, Is Curating A Space For Black Beauty Brands To Succeed & Scale
Wednesday, March 15, 2023 • Duration 01:15:05
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Leslie Roberson to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Leslie is the owner and creator of the Black Beauty Collective & its flagship store out of historic Hyde Park Chicago.
It will be the first Black owned beauty store that will carry exclusively Black owned brands and products. The BBC is on a mission to open up locations in every major city, garnishing support and Black owned brands in tow. To offer growth alternatives for this critically underserved community for brands within the Collective, the BBC is a unique platform in which they receive bespoke sales, marketing and PR support to scale their businesses. Locations are slated to open first in Chicago, with subsequent locations in Houston, Washington DC, and Atlanta.
Leslie is passionate about creating opportunities for black entrepreneurs in the hair + beauty industry. Leslie's goal is to leverage her 15 years of corporate experience and her modeling connections to open doors for other black businesses.
I had such an amazing time talking to Leslie. The way that she is providing a platform and resources for black owned brands to succeed in business is truly admirable and I can’t wait for you to hear all about it!
In this interview Leslie shares:
-What inspired her to create the Black Beauty Collective
-How her corporate background helps her in her business
-All about her upcoming store launch in Chicago in early April
-The amazing benefits that brands receive by being apart of the Black Beauty Collective
-Her thoughts on why black people spend the most on beauty
-Plans for expansion
Ep. 154: Taylar Colyar, CEO + Founder of Sip Shop Eat Shares How She Curated Experiences For Small Businesses To Network + Gain Visibility
Wednesday, March 8, 2023 • Duration 01:23:51
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome the CEO + Founder of Sip Shop Eat, Taylar Hagan-Colyar, to the Friends in Beauty guest chair.
Taylar launched the Black-Owned Immersive and IRL pop-up program, Sip Shop Eat!, back in April 2017 after being dissatisfied with her experience as a vendor. She always wished she had a full-circle resource to connect with and learn from other aspiring and successful entrepreneurs. Taylar created the platform for small businesses to gain visibility they often yearn for – it’s a community for small brands to connect, share, promote and network with like-minded entrepreneurs!
Sip Shop Eat! is an experiential platform designed to gather, connect and discover all the best food, beauty, style and drinks through IRL and virtual experiences. The platform collaborates and empowers unique indie-brands to bring consumers a world of new products and experiences to enjoy. All the brands featured at Sip Shop Eat! pop-up events are carefully curated to bring a collection of the best online and retail life experiences.
I had such a wonderful time talking to Taylar about her entrepreneurship journey and the success of her transformative events. In this interview Taylar shares:
-The experiences that inspired her to create Sip Shop Eat
-How her events have grown exponentially over the years
-The vibe + experience you should expect as a vendor + attendee of Sip Shop Eat
-What consumers can do to support small businesses
-How she manages the expectations of her vendors
-The process for planning multiple events simultaneously
-Several ways that you can profit from hosting events
Ep. 153: Networking Dos & Don’ts
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 • Duration 25:08
In this episode I share with you some dos and don’ts when it comes to networking. I know my #FriendsinBeauty start overthinking this whole process so I got you covered!
Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, networking is a powerful tool for building relationships, finding new opportunities, and advancing your career. However, there are some common mistakes that people make when networking that can hinder their success. Today I’m sharing some best practices to follow and common mistakes to avoid when networking so that you feel more confident the next time you step out.
This is an episode you have to share with a friend. Let’s get it!!
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In this episode I share with you how I have been manifesting some exciting things into my life so far in 2023. I encourage you to set the intention, plant the seed, and watch how things start to manifest in your life when you hold the faith and trust the process.
This is a episode you have to share with a friend!
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Ep. 151: Stephanie Laflora, CEO + Co-Founder Of Crownhunt, Developed A Platform To Educate Hair Stylists On Textured + Curly Hair
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 • Duration 01:09:53
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Stephanie Laflora, CEO + Co-Founder of Crownhunt, to the Friends in Beauty guest chair.
It took being rejected for service at five separate salons due to her 4C textured hair for Stephanie to realize that something was terribly wrong with the beauty industry. Driven to solve the problems of her own customer experience and already a serial entrepreneur, storyteller, marketer, and creator, Stephanie founded Crownhunt to make life easier for people with curly hair while helping under-resourced entrepreneurs thrive.
Alongside her business partner and long time friend, Ryan Holdeman, Stephanie has spent the last decade building multi-sided platforms and working with partners to develop new business models using her background in data-driven product development and strategy. To that end, Crownhunt is a digital marketplace for textured hair, built to help existing hair entrepreneurs reach the 65% of the population with textured hair and to get their products, services, and education to the right people, more effectively. While Stephanie is a seriously driven entrepreneur, she’s also a troublemaker at heart and serious about having fun. When she’s not building her start up, she’s often mentoring other aspiring women entrepreneurs by showing them that life is one big adventure worth betting on.
I absolutely enjoyed my conversation with Stephanie and I’m so excited for what Crownhunt is doing for the beauty industry. In this interview Stephanie shares:
-What it’s like being a woman in tech
-The experiences that led her to create Crownhunt
-The lack of education stylist receive in cosmetology school on texture hair
-How Crownhunt is educating existing hair entrepreneurs
-What is was like quitting her job while pregnant during the pandemic
Ep. 150: Jane Harris, CEO Of The Virgin Hair Fantasy, Shares Why Her Perucas Are A Confidence Booster For Busy Moms + Women
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 • Duration 01:23:35
On this episode of the Friends in Beauty podcast I welcome Jane Harris to the Friends in Beauty guest chair. Jane is the wigmaker, owner, and mastermind behind the glueless wig brand; The Virgin Hair Fantasy.
With over 13 years in the business, Jane’s brand The Virgin Hair Fantasy (TVHF) is the top choice of wigs among celebrities, entrepreneurs, and women that want to up their style game. Jane is the wife to her best friend, consulting chef Ed Harris, and the mother of their three children.
I had such a fun time chatting it up with Jane. I don’t know much about hair or hair brands but I do know about the Virgin Hair Fantasy and I learned so much and got lots of my questions about weaves & wigs that I’ve always had answered during our conversation. In this interview Jane shares:
-How she got into the hair industry
-Thoughts on the hair industry being over-saturated
-If brand owners should consider the private label option
-How she found her hair vendor
-Top 3 tips for starting a hair brand + startup costs
-Misconceptions about people who wear wigs
-Pros and cons of being the face of the brand
-And wait until you see what happened when I asked Jane, how quick can a busy mom throw on a wig….I love it here on the friends in Beauty Podcast
Let’s go ahead and jump into this fun conversation with Jane and if you prefer to watch our beautiful faces then tune in on YouTube.
Enjoy this episode!
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NOTE: I am a Brand Ambassador and affiliate for certain businesses, products and services that I believe in. I may have referenced these and included links in this video, description or someplace else at this site. I hope you find the resources helpful.
Copyright, Liability Waiver and Disclaimers. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act, and/or without the prior express written permission of Friends in Beauty, LLC, Akua Robinson Artistry, LLC and/or Akua Robinson.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While all persons associated directly or indirectly with this site and video use their best efforts in preparing the content, there is no express or implied representations or warranty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the content of the videos, including any content, links or resources shared, including those by third parties. Furthermore, all parties specifically disclaim any and all express or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
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-How she balances all of the moving parts of her life + business
-And so much more
I absolutely loved my conversation with Leslie and I’m so excited for everything she has coming up and the impact this will have on black owned beauty brands. Let’s go ahead and jump into this chat with Leslie and if you prefer to watch our beautiful faces then tune in on YouTube.
Enjoy this episode!
Leave us a 5 star review and share this episode with a friend or 2 or 3.
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-All about her upcoming Sip Shop Eat events in ATL, NY, and LA + how she’s highlighting women owned businesses
It’s time to take some notes. If you host events or have ever thought about hosting events then this interview is for you. Taylar lays it all out. Let’s go ahead and jump into this education & informative interview and if you prefer to watch our beautiful faces then tune in on YouTube.
Enjoy this episode!
Leave us a 5 star review and share this episode with a friend or 2 or 3.
info@friendsinbeauty.com
JOIN PATREON TO SUPPORT THE FRIENDS IN BEAUTY PODCAST
We’re on Apple Podcasts - www.bit.ly/FIBPodItunes!
Join our Facebook community…
If you’re looking for a community of like minded, ambitious, and supportive #FriendsinBeauty all working to leave our mark on the beauty industry, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsinbeauty
Join the Friends in Beauty Mailing List: www.bit.ly/FIBTribe
We’re on Apple Podcasts - www.bit.ly/FIBPodItunes!
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If you’re looking for a community of like minded, ambitious, and supportive #FriendsinBeauty all working to leave our mark on the beauty industry, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsinbeauty
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Social Media Info:
Friends in Beauty (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) - @friendsinbeauty
Friends in Beauty (YouTube) - Friends in Beauty https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcYPyO8nAosEmjEE5nza9Zg?view_as=subscriber
We’re on Apple Podcasts - www.bit.ly/FIBPodItunes!
Join our Facebook community…
If you’re looking for a community of like minded, ambitious, and supportive #FriendsinBeauty all working to leave our mark on the beauty industry, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsinbeauty
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Social Media Info:
Friends in Beauty (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) - @friendsinbeauty
Friends in Beauty (YouTube) - Friends in Beauty https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcYPyO8nAosEmjEE5nza9Zg?view_as=subscriber
-Tips on pitching to investors to get them to be generous with the coins
-The benefits of crowdfunding as a financial resource for business
-The national conversation around textured hair and so much more
I’m so excited for you to hear this conversation and for my Friends in Beauty who are stylists to really tap into what Crownhunt is providing. It’s definitely a game changer and there are so many other things rolling out in the future that you should keep an eye out for. Let’s go ahead and jump into this chat with Stephanie and if you prefer to watch our beautiful faces then tune in on YouTube.
Enjoy this episode!
Leave us a 5 star review and share this episode with a friend or 2 or 3.
info@friendsinbeauty.com
JOIN PATREON TO SUPPORT THE FRIENDS IN BEAUTY PODCAST
We’re on Apple Podcasts - www.bit.ly/FIBPodItunes!
Join our Facebook community…
If you’re looking for a community of like minded, ambitious, and supportive #FriendsinBeauty all working to leave our mark on the beauty industry, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsinbeauty
Join the Friends in Beauty Mailing List: www.bit.ly/FIBTribe
We’re on Apple Podcasts - www.bit.ly/FIBPodItunes!
Join our Facebook community…
If you’re looking for a community of like minded, ambitious, and supportive #FriendsinBeauty all working to leave our mark on the beauty industry, join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsinbeauty
Join the Friends in Beauty Mailing List: www.bit.ly/FIBTribe
