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260 | Kim Roxie - CEO Lamik Beauty Products
September 21, 2022
260 | Kim Roxie - CEO Lamik Beauty Products
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In college, I worked as a makeup artist at the mall. I loved helping women discover their natural beauty. I felt a calling to work in the beauty industry and dreamed of creating a makeup line. But when I researched the ingredients used to make the products, I was appalled. I remember thinking, “I can’t put my name on that and sell it to people!”

My mom religiously put on her makeup before she left the house everyday. My mom loved makeup, I loved the way the makeup made my mom feel. When I revealed to my mom I was going to create a makeup line as my career next steps. My mom gave me $500 and her blessing.

In 2004, LAMIK started as a local makeup shop in Houston, Texas. Where women would come to get their makeup and eyebrows done. We started selling them products made by hand and soon LAMIK was much more than a place! LAMIK became a community where women knew they belonged.

YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/cJM6aoyXdSY

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Positive Talk Radio
Transcript

Unknown Speaker  0:17  
Welcome to positive talk radio, evolving ideas, one conversation at a time, great guests dynamic stories and interviews, plus new thoughts on a wide range of topics and concepts. I hope that you'll hang with me Kevin MacDonald, my friends. And of course, you as together we work to understand why we are all here. And what we can do to make our world a better place for all of us to be happy, be kind and live in peace together. Yep, it's positive talk radio

Unknown Speaker  0:57  
Another edition in the Monday edition of positive talk, you want to do just get outta bed over there, when you know you're, you're just putting on your smile,

Unknown Speaker  1:07  
Grace, how love me my skin felt to be honest.

Unknown Speaker  1:14  
Then we did a show together on Friday. And we were so taken with her that we had to have her back here on Monday on the podcast. And if you go to my independent report, no positive Talk Radio dot that you can you can listen to the radio show that we did on KK and w. And this is a live version of that. It's only we're on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. And Kim, Roxy is our guest today she is quite, you know, has anybody ever told you that you are an amazing person?

Unknown Speaker  1:50  
That is so sweet. I have heard that before. But to hear that from you, Kevin, it sounds sweet to my ears. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker  2:01  
Well, it's it's so true, because you are working to help the planet. For one, you're helping helping women, especially women of color, and that are have a little darker complexion to help them find the makeup that works very well for them. And you started your own company and you're employing people. And you're developing quite a name for yourself in the industry. And and and for that you should you know, you should, you know, take your kudos. And that's really cool that you're able to do that. And and your company is growing and it's doing really quite well.

Unknown Speaker  2:40  
I'll take it off, I'll take it off. I'll take that synopsis, especially on a good day in September, um, where we are thinking about wrapping up this year and all that kind of good stuff. I will take everything you say it and take it as encouragement and also motivation and make me a little bit more bold about what I do.

Unknown Speaker  3:02  
Exactly as well. You should as well, you should because you you are doing really quite well. I wanted to ask you because in the original interview, we talked about the fact that you started in a kiosk in a mall. And your your mother had given you like $500 seed money to get started with that. And then so you worked in the mall, doing your makeup and putting that together, you worked a ton hours, I'm sure. And but at one point in time, you had to make the transition from being a employer and employee to being an employer and having employees. Was that transition easy for you? Or was it a challenge?

Unknown Speaker  3:44  
Well, I think I'm the kind of person that that likes to get things done. So it was a little bit of a challenge for me to get over. Not always looking at myself as a solution. And kind of shifted my mindset around that and seeing others as a solution to and that we can get more done. And we can scale with others. So I think it's just that shift around, you know, I don't do everything better. And I've learned that now. You know that I don't do everything better. There's a lot of stuff. I do not do better than some of my team. So yeah, they win.

Unknown Speaker  4:20  
Well, it's when you're starting out. And this is your passion and this is what you love to do. And you're creating something great. And then you bring people on, and they may have a different they have a different skill set, they might have a little bit different timing. And it's like you know, they don't necessarily do things exactly the way that you would do them. And but it takes a while to accept people and their gifts differently than what you would do. And but that takes a little bit of time to calm yourself down and to and to and to relax about that.

Unknown Speaker  4:55  
Yeah, I mean, especially when you like you say you use to having a do it yourself because you have to like, not even because you can, in some cases afford to bring someone else someone or whatever the case might be you just doing it initially, just to get everything done also to, you might not be in a position where you want to tell others to take that chance to go with you on something if you're not sure if it's going to work or not, or what have you. So again, you try just doing everything yourself. But I think really relinquishing control, I think a part of self control is being able to relinquish control. So that

Unknown Speaker  5:35  
is a big deal right there. Because most entrepreneurs, the reason that they are an entrepreneurs, they don't want to work for anybody else, they want to work for themselves, and they liked the way they get stuff done. And they are driven, and you are driven person that you'd like to get stuff done the way you like to get it done. And then to incorporate other people and to allow them to grow into the positions that they are in with your coaching and your in your working, it takes a little while to give up that control. And that's that transition that a lot of people have trouble when they're an entrepreneur, they have trouble making that transition.

Unknown Speaker  6:14  
And like think of it as like a collaborative effort, I think, for me to something and I'm realizing is that other people's ideas could be what the customer what your customer is thinking. And if you're, again, even if I'm trying to coach you into, you know, do it this way, I still shouldn't be coaching anybody to tell them just to do it my way per se, that we should actually be it should be more of a collaborative effort, where we're actually doing this out of, you know, cohesively what it all of the different thoughts around this? And then what conclusion do we kind of come to, and then if we're working independently, say, you're working on a project, and you just need to make a decision, having my team empowered to make their own decisions, as well as myself and situation. So being able to like trust, you know, every getting everybody also to trust themselves, that they have the answer inside of them to

Unknown Speaker  7:06  
know that there again, that's that control thing. Because when you when you give people the latitude to be able to make their own decisions, and then you have to, then you as the entrepreneur or business owner, have to stand by those decisions. Or coach them through those decisions, if they're not how you would have done them. But without without saying, Oh, screw it, I'll just do it myself.

Unknown Speaker  7:31  
Right, right. Right. Right. Right. Like, that's definitely, you don't want to set your default to that, right? Oh, I'll just do it myself. That's not the default of it, you know. But again, that's a shift of mindset, because some people try to tell you that, Oh, nobody will do it. Like you. I remember people telling me that. And people still I still know people said, Oh, nobody will do it, like you. I beg to differ. Some people will do it better than me that some people will not do it like me. And that's probably a good thing. So you can be diverse. And that's I think a lot of times where diversity and inclusion comes in. Because a lot of times we're looking for the same thing, everybody do things the same. And that's not how you have a diverse company. And that's how you end up with a lack of diversity and how you end up not being inclusive. Because you try to get everybody it's a difference between company culture and then that's company culture. The company culture for everybody should be doing something that same everybody should be the same. You put yourself at risk of not being inclusive. And wow, I think that's a very big lesson.

Unknown Speaker  8:49  
It really is now in your working life have you taken courses on management on on how to build a team and and to do that without stepping on everybody and and being I'm the boss and you're gonna do it my way kind of thing?

Unknown Speaker  9:06  
Yeah, you know, I have I have taken courses. I have been an accelerator programs. I have been an anchor business incubators. I've had a leadership coach before. But I'll tell you, to be honest, my upbringing is probably the biggest lesson for me to be this way. I'm a middle child. So you already know that I'm very negotiable. And that so understand that I'm not you know, I'm not particularly special. Right? It's like the oldest, the youngest, the baby, you know, and he just in that middle. You, you have to, you know, we have siblings. You have to learn how to work together and honor other people's thoughts above even your own and all of that. So I think that's just something This almost like a discipline has been built up in me from my upbringing. And you sort of bring that same discipline into the workplace in everything because, you know, your siblings don't mind telling you how they feel like, you know, your, your employees, your coworkers, they might, you know, hold their tongue, but my, you know, my siblings, they don't tell you, you know, the things, you know, how you are, and, and sometimes people say things in anger, but then also sometimes, even in anger, some of it some truth there. So to be honest, I do think about that. And I, I utilize that within work.

Unknown Speaker  10:41  
You know, one of the things that you just brought it up and it I'm just thinking about a cure going, you know, I've been doing this a while, and I've got like 700 episodes up. And before that, I was doing a show two hours a day, five days a week, 11 months. So I've been doing this a lot and have been interviewing a lot of people for a long time. Yeah, not once, not once, in all of that time, have we talked about, or somebody come on the show to talk about the rank of the child in the family, and how that affects them the oldest and see, I was the baby. So I was the cute one and B boy baby boy, yes, indeed. And my brother was the middle one. And his life experience was completely different than mine. And my sister was the oldest. So she had the responsibility. And she did this and she was responsive, you know, and all that. For the little kid for the little baby brothers and stuff. And so we've got we've never talked about, at least in my memory, we've never talked about the differences of what the life experiences, like, depending upon the rank of where you are in the family.

Unknown Speaker  12:00  
Yes, you makes

Unknown Speaker  12:01  
a great deal of difference doesn't,

Unknown Speaker  12:03  
it shapes your point of view. It says your point of view and your point of view, is your reality is your reality. And it is a lot of times your lands for how you look at everything.

Unknown Speaker  12:19  
It's it's truly amazing, because, you know, my brother was he wasn't the oldest, he wasn't the youngest. And so he didn't have those labels. He was the middle child. Yeah, nobody you don't. And what does that mean? That means nothing,

Unknown Speaker  12:34  
right? Because the first one I read is excited. The last one is like, Oh, the baby, you know, like, just

Unknown Speaker  12:41  
getting out of the house. That was what they got. To me. It was like, with your the third one we're done with you guys was when you get out of the house,

Unknown Speaker  12:48  
right? Like the district, you know, like, you probably didn't get it correct as much. It's just sort of like, oh,

Unknown Speaker  12:57  
they were like, didn't work for the other guys. So we're not gonna bother with you either. Next thing except what they did with me, because it worked for them was they got tired of me. See, I don't know if you've noticed, but I tend to talk a little bit. They would tell me to, you know, children should be seen and not heard. And my first reaction would be why? And it would be okay, fine. Go to your room. Time in my room.

Unknown Speaker  13:23  
And that's, and that's when you got so confident with speaking so much, because you probably did a lot of it even to yourself and that, but that, but that grew a certain level of confidence. I think even you know, it's interesting. It's interesting, because interesting, I think, for me, I actually took a lot of time to try to stand out. So the so what I do now, and how I do things. You know, my my siblings, particularly my sisters always, like, you know, when it's time to go talk, you go here, you know, they always pushing me because they know, I don't you know, they see me facing all the time, and it's not so much that I'm looking for the attention. But what growing up, I had to do something to make me stand out, you know, from the pack. So

Unknown Speaker  14:21  
that is that's a really cool observation. Because you did it because you weren't the oldest or the youngest. You had to be you had to create your own identity. And that's, that's that's a really big deal. I wanted to also ask you, as when you were in the mall, I assume you were in a mall in the kiosk. Is that right? Yeah, yeah. So and when you were 21 years old, and you were sitting there from mall opens at nine o'clock at night or in the morning, and it stays open till nine o'clock at night. And you're sitting there working 12 hours by yourself and Were you thinking that you were going to? Did you have a dream? Was it like, you know, this isn't going to be like this forever, I'm going to grow this thing, and it's going to be great. And so did that cross your mind? Or were you kind of thinking that this was going to be what you're going to be doing for the rest of your life?

Unknown Speaker  15:17  
Actually, so it was supposed to be a kiosk, it ended up being a store, I end up having a little store in an area where all the stores were abandoned around it. So they put me in an area because they thought I was going to fail the mall. So the mall owner, because they didn't want at least to me, but the mall owner ended up leasing to me and put me in an area where basically, he was like, all the stores are abandoned over here. So basically, you know, when you got to business, it'll be fine. It'll blend and it'll be fine.

Unknown Speaker  15:44  
And holy crap, really. So you were put into a you actually got to build her? None of building but storefront. Right. Yeah. And but all the businesses next to you were all shuttered up. And

Unknown Speaker  15:58  
yeah, they were all abandoned. Yeah. In the mall. They were like, oh, close. And he's like, Yeah, so basically just go over there. And, you know, don't worry about it, we'll be fine, the center of the mall, all that other area, it was set full of stores, you know, all the popular chains, and all that. And so I bring that up, because when you talk about that, I think I was just going to be doing this. And that was it. I think, to be honest, I wasn't thinking past that month. I wasn't thinking past, just surviving for the next day. Yeah, yeah, yeah, making rent was a big deal. So for me, I had that whole month to make the rent. And so that's what my goal was, my goal was getting enough customers to make that rent. And so I didn't know exactly how far I could go on what this was going to do. But believe me, I always was trying to do the next thing, always. So I stay at that location for maybe like, three months, three or four months at the most. And because he came down there, the owner of the mall, he said, You're really making this work? And I said, Actually, yes, because I will walk down to the food court to get customers and bring it back to my store. And he said, You really making this work? And I said, Yep. He said, There's a vacant spot down about Victoria's Secret in the center of the mall. Do you want it? And why? I say yeah, I should do. And that's when we went down there and sort of, you know, really made a splash there no Mall. But yeah, like, and then from there, I moved to another space that was even more valuable. And then I moved from there to a standalone brick and mortar retail space and stayed there for us. Like, it's always been about for me to continue to, to grow and expand. And then I caught a new vision in 2018, and then sort of totally transformed everything. And then now I'm on that path. So I think, you know, if it wasn't, I never looked at, you know, oh, I'm doing to something and I still don't look at things like that now. And I kind of deal with everything on a quarterly basis versus, you know, I make plans, and I have a vision for where I want the company to go. But execution wise, I really look at things from like a three month, sort of basis, or quarterly basis. And really stay in there and continue to because I believe that if I have a shorter amount of time to focus in on as a team, and we have a shorter amount of time, we actually can get more done, versus looking at time going, Oh, we got a full year. We got all this time to try to do this, this and that. To be honest, we're like, we're like sprinting, like we're, we're sprinting and we're getting these things done within this amount of time. And then we'll take a break and go back, get back up there. You might call it a circuit training in fitness, they call it circuit training. When you do high impact for this amount of time you take a break, and that's almost how we are.

Unknown Speaker  19:18  
That's actually brilliant. When's your book coming out about management?

Unknown Speaker  19:26  
You know, I've been I've been hearing a lot of people, I was just doing a speaking engagement. Somebody asked me about my book I did in different types of audiences. So I guess it's something coming one day, one day soon,

Unknown Speaker  19:38  
because because what you're just describing is a brilliant way to run a company. First of all, I want to mention that he the owner of the mall, came down there and saw that you were making it worth through your hard work and your hustle and your you are grabbing people from the food court and bringing them down. So he stuck you next to him. Victoria's Secret, so you could go get your 90, and then you could get your face done at the zoo right next to each other that worked out really well, I would think

Unknown Speaker  20:08  
really well. I mean, it's kind of the same my frame at the time Victoria's Secret is well known for like, their body sprays and mist and lotions and you know, and potions so you can get all that get you some makeup, you know, get you some lingo Ray, you know, and you know, have a good time.

Unknown Speaker  20:27  
I walked in there one time I left. Why? Because if a guy walks into the Victoria's Secret, it's like, who you bind for? I'm gonna buy for myself, what do you think? No, I'm kidding. You're buying for your wife or whatever? And what size is she? I don't know, I never I didn't know I earthly idea, any of that stuff. So it's very, for a guy walking into that kind of environment. It's, it's highly stressful,

Unknown Speaker  20:56  
highly stressful.

Unknown Speaker  21:01  
See, but your story is so cool, because and then, yeah, as you grew your company, and then in 2018, you had an epiphany, tell us about your epiphany.

Unknown Speaker  21:13  
Yeah, I had an epiphany. For me, for entrepreneurship, I had never seen entrepreneurship done past someone owning like a beauty salon, or something like that. A barber shop. And so when I was in business, I started to meet women who owned businesses, where they, they were in different industries. And they were actually running a business. And then I started to read about how to build a business and all of that, and I just had a huge epiphany in 2018, that the products that I had started that we had started to make, and were using on our customers, and some of them weren't like buying, especially like in Houston, that that could be a whole makeup brand. And that I could really go build a beauty company that could change the beauty industry. And really bring equity, to the ones that have been really left out when it comes to beauty selection, and beauty choice and beauty equity. And so I just decided that, you know, I was gonna go out and do that. And so through being a small business owner, it prepared me to be, you know, a startup founder, you know, a high growth, sort of, you know, founder who was working on this type of company. And so, I just had a huge epiphany in 2018, that there was more, and that, you know, because back then I was, you know, maybe 75% services, 25% products, you know, so then I decided, you know, really to build this makeup brand. And so I closed my store in 2018 Because I saw this vision for more. And I remember having a conversation with someone and saying, and she'll tell you, I said I'm gonna build a makeup line for 2020 And I said, I'm gonna build a makeup company for 2020 and this was in 2018. And I explained to her that I did not have the skill set or the knowledge to do it. So I had to go out and go become a student and I had to get it so I applied to a tech accelerator in Austin, Texas div Inc. I got in and that began my journey, really creating a makeup brand that made it easier to buy makeup online than even in person and bringing inclusivity through E commerce to the beauty industry. And so that's where I started on the journey of doing working on that. From learning how to get invest like you know what investment look like do I want that do I not how you know how to scale a company like all these different things. And in 2020 hours, I launched Let me just the makeup brand and and we were launching with augmented reality where you can virtually try on your makeup products. We made it so you have a quiz on our website that you fill out. It's only like five questions but it recommends the right brow kit for instance for you that you need the right bra duo. We just literally de it we basically launched the makeup brand that was like COVID like ready. But I didn't know it was coming but I knew what 2018 I had to get prepare for something in 2020 and that's what I did.

Unknown Speaker  24:53  
That's that's pretty brilliant. As a matter of fact, you were just talking about what Holly was going to and wanted me to ask you which was did you? Obviously you went to small business resources and you had and got some tips on how to grow your business and scale it and do all of that. Is that? Is that kind of what you learned in that process?

Unknown Speaker  25:15  
Yeah, definitely I learned, you know how to how to scale how to grow, how to use different marketing hacks, how to how to basically utilize him in your store and sell your products, how to, you know, monetize this, like I learned a lot. And I was working on that as well as like from a technology standpoint as well. And I utilize several different programs to do that.

Unknown Speaker  25:48  
Is there anyone that you will put in particularly recommend one versus another?

Unknown Speaker  25:54  
Yeah. I recommend dev Inc. That's one.

Unknown Speaker  26:00  
Dev Inc. is that d IV,

Unknown Speaker  26:02  
I NC. Okay. I recommend the I recommend Sputnik ATX. SP UT. In ik ATX. I recommend SKU SKU ATX. I recommend founders first. Founders first. They're out of California. But they have programs across the country. I recommend them. I recommend black girl ventures, which was an excellent program. I have so many that I've utilized that have been so helpful. Impact Ventures is another good one, I recommend impact ventures. And then also like the Goldman Sachs 10,000. Small businesses initiative, I think is also another good one. But, but yeah, I've utilized several different programs, to really shop or my skill set and to also get me prepared and also continue my journey.

Unknown Speaker  27:17  
I got to ask you, in 2018 when you went to your siblings, or or some other close friends, and yeah, and you said, Well, you know what, I've got an epiphany, I've got a vision and I'm going to close my store. And I'm going to reframe and rework everything. And and did you get a bunch of oh, now Kim, Kim, Kim, Kim, slow down, slow down your move too fast. You got to make the morning last girl, you ain't gonna make it if you know. And so you know, stay in your lane and don't don't try and do too much and stuff like that. Did you get any of that? Or did you get people saying, You go girl, let's make it happen.

Unknown Speaker  27:57  
You know, I think I just got a more puzzle. So they didn't say much of anything. Because I think that because of my reputation, because of you know, people, I don't think they would, to be honest, I'd be afraid to say out so they couldn't say You go girl because I didn't understand the vision. So you didn't say that. But they didn't say anything else. Because they would have probably been like, you know, just start asking some questions. But then I was like, Yeah, well, I don't really have the answer to that. I gotta go out and go see what the answer is. And that's what a puzzle look. So when the family is asking, also, you're going to close the store. To do what now? I gotta go figure out what that one is. I've got to go figure that part. That's the part I need to get the wood.

Unknown Speaker  28:54  
So now you've been doing you opened the reopen in 2020 went through the pandemic, survive the pandemic, and you're here. And

Unknown Speaker  29:05  
really, really, we thrived during the pandemic,

Unknown Speaker  29:09  
because you have the style of business that you were that you were bringing to the table and you could do everything virtually.

Unknown Speaker  29:16  
Absolutely, everything was set up, everything was set up for it. It was almost like as if it was made just for you.

Unknown Speaker  29:24  
And that's that's really is cool. And then 2022 Olympic is doing very well. Is that am I correct? And yeah,

Unknown Speaker  29:31  
we're in a building vein. So we're we're we're out here trying to meet the demand of what was happening. So that's what we're that's what we're doing. Yep.

Unknown Speaker  29:41  
That's a really cool statement to have to make. I'm here to meet the demand and the demand is substantial.

Unknown Speaker  29:48  
Absolutely.

Unknown Speaker  29:49  
So that's it. So what do you see happening in the future where what what are you how are you going to grow this to a mega brand and, and to so that you can help two things. By the way, if you go to the Make beauty.com You can find out all about what they do. Their their products are all natural. They're all designed, they don't have any of the talc and I learned this because I talked to somebody who's really intelligent on Friday about it was you by the way, they don't have any talc in the products, they don't have any things that's going to hurt you. They're they're all designed to be natural and to keep things like the big C word away. And stuff like that began because most cosmetics are, are, you don't even know what's in them. So you can you can guarantee what's in these? And stuff like that. So, so in 2022, you are growing? And do you see yourself just continuing to do this? Or what are you going to do next?

Unknown Speaker  30:50  
Yeah, I think for me, I do things in conjunction with so I'm about living a whole, a whole beautiful life, I'm about you know, that's why I love your show. Positive life radio, like I believe in like this, this, this, what I would call, sort of touching on those different areas that I feel are priority, you know, for me, and in this whatever season I'm in. And so building one week, making it a title titling of a company is definitely what we're working towards. We want to gain market share, we want to become definitely a mega brand, we have such a big vision for me. However, at the same time, I have a big vision for who I want to be. And who I am as a family member, like, you know, who I am to my family, who I am and how I show up for my sisters for my daughter, you know, for my husband, like, all those things matter to me too. And then who I show up for my community, I do a lot of events, and I participate with a lot of things. You know, at this point, when people call on me, you know, they they call on me because they know that I'm have influence and that they want to bring me on to help, you know, whatever that is within my community that I have reached with. And I'll continue to do that. And I continue to just, you know, also, you know, be the person that needs kindness just like anybody else. And when I receive it out to a person, thank you and live in the present moment and and be excited about that and understand that that all happened for a purpose. So like, I'm, I'm just, you know, I'm into it all. Like I dance. I have fun. I like I laugh a lot. Yeah, I'm into it all.

Unknown Speaker  33:02  
I mean, yes, you do. I can even make you laugh. And that's pretty Yeah, you

Unknown Speaker  33:06  
You make me laugh a lot though, Kevin, like, between you and your impersonations. And your don't think I didn't hear earlier when you were talking about the oldest systemically responsible?

Unknown Speaker  33:22  
Eggs? Exactly. Well, you know, it's one of those things, and I but I got it, I gotta ask you because and because I'm so I'm so taken with, with the person that you are. And that, that you, you in your, in your work and in your when you talk about your business, that kindness is involved taking care of people, you have balance in your life. You take you have a daughter that you take care of and, and husband that you take care of and so, so it's all working for you, because you're making it that way. Rather than then you could say I want to have the biggest, the biggest makeup company in the world, and you lose your life and your family and everything in the process of doing that. What have you gained in the end?

Unknown Speaker  34:15  
Right. Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. And, and that's not you know, that's sort of not the seesaw that I'm looking for, right? And not saying that I'm all I'm going to hit all these areas perfectly. But how about I'm just going to participate in all these areas.

Unknown Speaker  34:36  
So you're now you know, you started in a store. I started first of all on kiosks. We went to a store where all the other stores were closed. And then then they moved to next to Victoria's Secret, which almost ensured your success kind of at least at that point. And so you've gone from step to step to step to step what makes you not have big britches and think that you're all that in the bag of chips.

Unknown Speaker  35:01  
cuz I know how hard it is to ground it to the, to the, to the hardness I guess I don't know, I'm just, it's still hard now, I mean, I'm still pushing through now just different issues, different challenges, I mean, it's deal, you know, but it's a choice, you know, that a make, not to feel, not let the hardness weigh me down or anything like that, but ya know, like to like to, up at or to, like big for my britches, like, I'm definitely confident, I'm definitely bold. But, um, I definitely know, for me, is by God's grace, how I got here, you know, from starting this, again, start, like what you just talked about, like, everything has been built from the ground up, like, so from with that being said, being in the accelerators I were in, I was in and being around guys, that, you know, who they would go have a meeting with a potential investor, and they get the check, and I go have a meeting. And the investor is looking at me, like, how do you know how to run a business and just like asking me all these questions that they didn't ask them, and the guy that was in the classroom, and he never ran a business, he always been an employee at least had a, you know, sort of, so like, you know, I'm experiencing those kind of things, you know, always sort of keeps me grounded. You know, what I come from and what it takes, but also doesn't take away from my confidence, I think you can be confident and be aware at the same time,

Unknown Speaker  36:51  
you in order to accomplish what you have accomplished, you have to be bold, you have to be confident, you have to have an a feeling that you can accomplish something. And because, quite frankly, I don't know a few of you probably have noticed that number one, you're a woman. I'm sure that came into into your life.

Unknown Speaker  37:14  
That was a big one.

Unknown Speaker  37:18  
But and the problem is, is in our country and our society, you and you just said it, when a guy could go in and never run a business. It was an employee and they'll sit down and and say, I can do this I can do that. I'm just wonderfulness. Oh, really? Here's a check. Okay, go and you go out, you literally go, what the hell makes you think you can run it? You know, I mean, so you have got a glass ceiling. That is like no other because and that's that's in you have defeated that. And you're moving past that you are a shining example of what I what I call authentic grit.

Unknown Speaker  38:00  
That's one of my favorite books. Great. I read that book. I love that book. One of my favorites.

Unknown Speaker  38:05  
And authentic read is even more important because it means that you also have value, and you value other people and you're kind and you're considerate. And you take care of yourself, your family and everything about you. Because that's that's the person that you are. And it's amazing, you know, so and so when are you going to start your motivational speaking business?

Unknown Speaker  38:30  
Well, I do actually, I actually do speak.

Unknown Speaker  38:35  
You speak quite well, by the way.

Unknown Speaker  38:37  
Thank you. I do speaking engagements. I just did a speaking engagement. The other week, I'm trying to think about where I was because I have another speaking engagement coming up this weekend on Saturday for the Houston Community College system, but I do speaking engagements. You know, that just came about by me naturally expressing myself and what you just noticed, Kevin, you know, other people identified and heard and it you know, the message seemed to resonate. And I have a good time from doing that too. Because when you think about it, when I was working in that makeup shop, as a makeup artist, you're a motivational speaker, you know, like you are, you know, taking and motivating women to one take care of themselves to take knowledge, their beauty to apply their makeup in a certain kind of way. All that takes motivation to get people to do that. So your motivational speaker is just that, you know, I took it from just like, you know, store to app to the public.

Unknown Speaker  39:50  
Well, you know, I don't know if you've watched this I saw this just the other day. Disney has a remake of The Little Mermaid with her liberi I believe Yeah,

Unknown Speaker  40:01  
Haley Bailey.

Unknown Speaker  40:04  
Yes. And I was watching a video of a little girl sitting there watching. Did you see it? Have you seen that? Yes. Watching the the, the arc erielle. Yep, The Little Mermaid. And she, and she was and she's black. Yeah. And this little girl was so taken with the fact that there was a hero that was on the screen that look like her. And that made her feel so special. And stuff. And that's, and that's where I see you is, is because you can help a lot of young black women who, who may not for whatever reason, their past or the problems they've gone through? Or the what they've been told that they can, you can you can help them understand that. Hell yes, you can.

Unknown Speaker  41:02  
Yes, absolutely. And, and I think the most powerful thing, and I learned this from being a makeup artist, and being in the beauty industry is letting some notes letting someone know that you see them. So the most powerful thing is to be seen. I think that's like one of the most powerful things. And, and, and being seen, you know, even when we say that, it doesn't even just talking about like I seen, it can be something that you say or what have you just resonates with a personal note, or they see me Oh, I'm that. I'm here. And so when you talk about the reactions, these these reactions are going viral. So I'll tell you, I, I need to let my daughter see the trailer. But I have, there's a woman by the name of Tabitha Brown. She's a social media sensation. She now has a show on YouTube for kids called Tap time. So you know how when you first got on the call, and you were like, it's a good day in the neighborhood. Everybody remembers Mr. Rogers. So now the kids have tapped Tabitha Brown. And it's called Tap time, she has a whole song she does. And you know, she just goes around, talks to the plants talks to the fruit, you know, all this kind of stuff. And my daughter is six years old, and my daughter has an afro. And, you know, one thing I teach my daughter is that her hair grows to the sun. Right? It doesn't grow down, it goes up and out. And I tell her it goes to a grow to the sun. So every room you're in, you can light it up. And oh, that's beautiful. Yeah. And I remind her of that, because of what you just talked about the images, from the frozen to the princesses, all the stuff, all their hair grows down. And so what we have to realize is, if a person continuously sees an image that doesn't look like them as a standard of beauty, you don't tell the person they're not beautiful. You just never show them themselves. So you know, they never feel seen. Right? And so the power of being seen and that part. So when my daughter saw Tabitha Tabitha has an afro, and she does tap time. So I saw her in Atlanta recently. And I was like, Oh, my gosh, Tammy, can you please make a video for my daughter? Just tell her Hello. I just actually say hello to her because she loves her. And she gets on the video. She's like, hey, Loretta, I heard you got her like me. Oh, keep loving yourself. I mean, she just like told her all these words of affirmation, and just saw how beautiful she was. Because I showed her a picture of her. And oh, my gosh, I showed it to my daughter. She had a bit. And she was just like, oh, my gosh, she I like me. And she's getting I'm noticing more and more empowered around her afro. And so yeah, I think it's important in what you just say it what I'll be able to do for girls. When I was in Austin, often there's only like 4% Black. So it wasn't many black girls there. But what I noticed was when I would go out and pitch and talk about my business there when I was doing those programs, all of the East Asian girls would come up to me, all of the Indian girls would come up to me and say, oh my gosh, they I mean, they would just show me so much love. They said they feel seen because we have a certain complexion. Right? And so they're just like they feel seen, you know, and I think that we just have to know the power and it was like, you know, usually they didn't see business owners that were there, same complexion. And so I think there's just a power and feeling seen and being seen.

Unknown Speaker  44:49  
You know, one of the things that I love to do on positive talk radio is to talk to people who are actively making a huge difference. In the world, and are really trying to make to be seen and to see other people as they are. And I sense you're young woman. I'm a way bunch older, new, and I see the next 30 years for you, being just got a wonderful smile, you've got a great personality, you've got your driven, you know what you're doing, you're smart, you're going to help a lot of people. And that's why I'm glad that you are here talking with us today, because you are going to help people break down some of the barriers that have existed for way the friggin heck too long. And we can grow people to be all equal, and all one and we're in regardless of what we look like, regardless of who we love, but we can take care of each other. That's That's our mission here.

Unknown Speaker  45:54  
That's it. That's it, Kevin. And I love how dedicated you are to this mission. You say over 700 shows. And, you know, you're so dedicated to this. And I hope that you continue to have all of the energy and fuel and enrichment that you need to continue to do what you're doing because you're in your open arms. Tours. Everyone is also a minister too. So I appreciate that.

Unknown Speaker  46:27  
I have to tell you that we're doing these shows with people like you actually energizes me. It's not it's not it's a labor of love. A lot of this I funded myself.

Unknown Speaker  46:40  
Yeah, yeah. I heard I heard him radio.

Unknown Speaker  46:45  
Yeah, I'm a cell. I'm a self funded thing. So if you if he ended up having to like, run across a check somewhere. That would be Yeah, yeah. Yeah. But it's, but it's important. And it's important that people recognize that we can all do great things. And you can do great. You are doing great things. And that's why we love to talk about people like your you know, we've almost gone like 15 minutes, it seems like it's been like 10

Unknown Speaker  47:12  
I know we get so we get so lacks. I told you I could talk to you. In town last time. Yeah. be laughing this time. We haven't heartfelt conversation, like you say making go. It's so good. It's so comfortable. I think you're from the south. You so?

Unknown Speaker  47:32  
Yeah. And at times, I feel like it. So the cool thing is we haven't really talked about let me much, but I

Unknown Speaker  47:40  
have talked about it. Right? Like, we haven't talked about it, but we have talked about it because people people want to support you when they know who you are. Right? And who what you stand for. And so, you know, love and makeup and kindness and everything we talked about today, you know? Yeah, it's probably the best, the best pitch to be honest.

Unknown Speaker  48:05  
Well, I'm honored that you have come on the show a couple of times, and I would love to have you on a bunch more. Because you need your story needs to be told. Because it's not because it's your story. But it can also be somebody else's story. Absolutely. And, and that's, you know, all they need to do is to, and there's a belief system and a belief thing, when you were 21 Sit in the first day that you were sitting in the shop that he gave you and there were closed businesses all around you, and you're going, Okay, I got 30 days to make rent. And eat, I got to eat and I got 30 days to make put gas in my car. How am I gonna get this done? And so instead of sitting in the shop waiting for people come coming to you. You win and got them. Yeah, that was brilliant. That was simply brilliant. Yeah. And you've and you continue to move forward and continue to do what you do. You're going to have an impact a big impact in this world. And I want to I think thank you for coming on and and when you do have big britches down the road, where you still come and talk to me.

Unknown Speaker  49:13  
Heck yeah.

Unknown Speaker  49:18  
Because this is way too much fun. So but I, by the way, we've been talking with Kim, Roxy and if you go to meet beauty.com, and now this is the L A M i k rather than lumea, which would normally be L A M E K. Now is that there's a spelling have significance?

Unknown Speaker  49:43  
Yeah, is the acronym it stands for love and make up in kindness.

Unknown Speaker  49:49  
Oh, see now. I'm glad I brought that up because I missed that altogether. I'm glad so that's that's really cool. Say that again.

Unknown Speaker  49:57  
Love and make up in kindness. is the acronym love and makeup and kindness and you notice the eye is a little bit taller. Because it's all made up. And you it's all made up and I so love and makeup and kindness. And when you think of makeup, it's actually not just thinking about the outward part this is the whole part is loving kindness is your true makeup, and is to add love and kindness is made up in you. And that's what reveals your beauty.

Unknown Speaker  50:29  
And your beauty begins from within.

Unknown Speaker  50:34  
Beauty is revealed not applied.

Unknown Speaker  50:38  
Oh, now there's a bumper sticker. Yep. Yes, that's so now that needs to go, you know, you got a little store on your website. And so you can put, you know, the bumper sticker, that could be a t shirt as well. And because, you know, everybody recognize that beauty is more than skin deep is the person that you really are. And you have the ability to do anything and be anything that you choose to be.

Unknown Speaker  51:08  
Absolutely.

Unknown Speaker  51:09  
So, Kim, I'm going to step aside. And I would like you to take the next couple of moments to tell our audience, the ones that are going to be listening now. And we're having listening now. And the ones that will be listening later, anything that you would like them to know.

Unknown Speaker  51:27  
Well, I just want to say thank you so much for listening in today. And if you ran across this, you didn't run across it by accident, you ran across it for a purpose. And I want you to know that you are loved. You have the ability to give kindness and you deserve it as well. And that everything that's made up inside of you all have the heart all of the disappointments, all of the victories, all of the trials make you who you are. And it's worth honoring. And it's worth sharing. So have an amazing, rest of your day. But more so think about how you can make it amazing for someone else.

Unknown Speaker  52:16  
That is just perfect. That is just perfect. That's a great, great way to end the show. Kim, I want to thank you again. And you're welcome back anytime. Thank you, I would love to talk with you more. Because there's, there's, we've just, it was all the way to the end of the show. And I didn't even know let me look for how we got got to that point. So that's really, that's really cool. Say that one more time. Let me because an acronym for

Unknown Speaker  52:42  
love and makeup and kindness. That is

Unknown Speaker  52:47  
just awesome. That is just awesome. Thank you for being here. Your business is gonna grow you her products are are natural, they're vegan. For those of you that don't want to put like, I don't know, steak on your face or something. They're vegan. And so they're, and they're high quality. And they're all natural. So, so go to the meat beauty.com. And you can find out all of them and take the brow quiz. I don't have any idea how that works, but somebody does. So take the brow quiz. And, and Kim, thank you so much for being here. It's been my honor to to have have you here on the show and to interview you. It's been great fun.

Unknown Speaker  53:30  
Thank you.

Unknown Speaker  53:31  
So if you'll wait right there. I'll be right back. Hey, thanks for enjoying this episode all the way to the end. Please give us a like and subscribe to this channel. This has been a production of positive talk radio.net Please visit our website oddly named positive talk radio.net For more details about us and our mission, which is to provide great positive programming designed to inspire us all. I'm Kevin McDonald and I'm proud of these shows, and I truly hope that you'll like them and share them with friends and family. So on behalf of our entire team, remember Be kind to one another because each other's all we got

Unknown Speaker  54:08  
to do

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Kevin McDonald

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Creator and Host of Positive Talk Radio and its Parent Company KMmedia.pro