Entrepreneurship can be a powerful tool to lift others up and bring about positive change in the community. Courtney Wright, founder of cosmetics brand and fundraising platform LipRevolt, encourages aspiring business owners to keep this in mind.
“No matter the type of business you start or have, make sure you use your platform to make space for others, to nurture others, and to support others,” Wright told CO—.
The entrepreneur takes this advice to heart in her own work with LipRevolt. According to the company website, the brand caters to women and gender-nonconforming individuals, especially women of color, who are looking to inspire change (and look great at the same time). LipRevolt also donates 10% of its direct sales to various organizations and initiatives that support women’s rights, racial equality, and the LGBTQ+ community.
The importance of communicating with customers and planning ahead
During the 2021 holiday season, Lip Revolt saw a meteoric rise in demand for its high-quality, vibrant lipsticks and lip glosses. However, meeting that demand was made all the more challenging due to ongoing supply chain issues, which have plagued the market since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Having overwhelming sales is what every entrepreneur dreams of, but managing it can be difficult,” Wright admitted.
While LipRevolt faced supply chain issues that impacted product availability during the busy holiday season, the founder amped up her communication with customers to keep them updated on their order statuses. As products ran out, she also ordered more to meet her customers’ needs.
“Next year, I will definitely be ready for the influx in sales, and try to better forecast and plan by maintaining more inventory around that time,” added Wright.
[Read more: How to Start an E-Commerce Business]
No matter the type of business you start or have, make sure you use your platform to make space for others, to nurture others, and to support others.
Courtney Wright, founder, Lip Revolt
Connect your product with your mission
Wright also discussed the importance of remembering your “why” in business, then using that to drive your products and services.
“One challenge I faced with LipRevolt was connecting my product with my overall mission and honing in on my unique value proposition,” Wright said. “I started LipRevolt to bridge the gap between beauty, community service, and activism, and initially, there was a disconnect with how I would do so.”
To uncover the natural connection between the brand and the mission, the entrepreneur had to focus on what her brand specifically could offer customers. After participating in the FedEx E-Commerce Learning Lab program, Wright said the business was able to “truly hone in on [its] value proposition.”
“That is where my fundraising platform came into play,” the entrepreneur explained.
In addition to selling high-quality lip products whose proceeds support social activism, LipRevolt now also offers an online fundraising platform for women-oriented and gender-nonconforming groups. The brand facilitates all aspects of the virtual fundraising and allows participating organizations to keep a portion of the proceeds.
“Through LipRevolt fundraising, I am able to measure our impact better,” added Wright. “Since the launch of our platform, LipRevolt has truly strengthened some of these groups’ financial capability to impact change.”
[Read more: 5 Ways to Leverage Your Passion for Business]
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