Brandi Marsh is the CEO and Founder of the pon-profit, Ebony and Pink Pearls. Ebony and Pink Pearls is a faith-based organization whose mission and core values are to empower young girls to walk their purpose, seek God in prayer, and honor God in purity.
She graduated with a Master’s degree in Counseling from California State University, Long Beach and currently lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Ebony and Pink Pearls will be launching its 1st Annual Summer Mentoring Program for girls 13–18 years old this June 2018!
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
What inspired me to start my own business was the promoting of the Holy Spirit, three years ago. God put a vision in my heart to start a mentor program for girls.
The program is now called Ebony and Pink Pearls and the mission is to empower girls to walk in their purpose, walk in integrity, and seek God in prayer daily. This summer I will be launching our 1st Annual Teen Girl Summer Summit.
The Theme is “I am My Sister’s Keeper, the Beauty of Sisterhood.”
Tell us about your business.
Ebony and Pink Pearls is a faith-based, non-profit organization. Our targeted population is girls ages 13–18. Ebony and Pink Pearls is a mentoring program, and the goal is to help girls in areas of self-worth, self-value, and self-esteem.
We have Summer Summit and a mentoring program, where we have sisterhood circles and workshops throughout the year.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
This summer we will be hosting our 1st Annual Teen Girl Summit. We are almost at full capacity, only looking for 10 girls, with space for 3 more girls. If there are any moms that live in the Los Angeles area, their daughter can participate. Registration is free, and we will be hosting a parent information session on May 19, 2018.
All interested parents should register ASAP. And for those that would like to support us financially, we do accept donations as well. All information regarding registering and donating can be found on Instagram @ebonyandpinkpearls. Just click the link in our profile, and you’ll be directed to all details.
Where is your business based?
Ebony and Pink Pearls is based in California. We are presently a local program with our first event starting this summer.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
The first step I took to get my business running is doing my research. I did so by connecting with other individuals that had similar visions and successful programs and met with them weekly to help with the foundation process of starting a non-profit.
Secondly, I searched for a team of individuals that wanted to support my vision. This part required prayer. God begin to show me one by one each person that would be a part. After that we begin as a team to work on filing a tax-exemption 501(c)3 incorporation status for Ebony and Pink Pearls.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
I love the fact that we live in a culture where technology allows us to connect to people with the click of a button. My most effective way of raising awareness was through Instagram. Posting weekly messages and videos is a large part of our organization.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
One of the biggest challenges for Ebony and Pink Pearls was finding a secure location at a low cost. As a first-time entrepreneur, I am definitely finding that it will require financial investments. But I did not want our organization to spend all of our money on space.
Another challenge I had was how to effectively communicate my message. I was posting on Instagram, but for some reason I was not getting a huge response.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I reached out to the pastor at my local church, who allowed me to use the building for our program. I am learning as an entrepreneur that I always need to find resources and utilize them to help me push the vision forward.
I invested in working with a coach and social media strategist (Fearfully Fashioned, Humble and Whole, and The Launch Box). These individuals all respectfully helped me bring the vision of Ebony and Pink Pearls to life. They helped me with brand marketing and how to convey my message to reach parents and youth.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
What keeps me motivated is thinking about girls that need to have mentors. I believe mentorship is very important, especially for teenagers. I believe that having examples in your life fortifies the direction you will go and the choices you will make. So I’m motivated by the drive to want to be that example for the girls of Ebony and Pink Pearls.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
I don’t like to use the word “competitors,” because I do not see myself in competition with anyone. I believe entrepreneur collaboration will help you to be successful. As mentioned, we are a faith-based organization and our mission is to empower girls by teaching the value of self-respect and self-worth through use of biblical principles and practical life application.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
As an entrepreneur it is easy to get discouraged and want to quit. The best advice I’ve received is, “Stop comparing yourself to others.” This vision God gave you will never sound, look, or be like anyone else’s. “Keep moving forward, and do not allow fear to stop you from accomplishing the goal.”
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
The advice I would give would be the same as what someone gave to me. Do not fall into the comparison trap or look at someone else’s Chapter 15 while you are barely on Chapter 1. Trust your journey, enjoy your process, and be patient.
What are your favorite business tools/resources and why?
My favorite business resource tools are Linktree, Asana, and Canva.
Asana allows me to commit to deadlines. Using this apps allows me to put in various tasks, and alerts to keep me on track to complete assignments in an efficient manner.
I love using the Canva app, and this is where I get a lot of my design templates for my Instagram posts along with other ideas I have for my business (i.e. creating calendars and certificates).
And Linktree is a great app to use, because it allows me to link all of my most recent info on my page. It gives interested viewers large information in one spot.
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
During my coaching process a good book recommended to me was The Business Boutique by Christine Ramsey.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
We are a fairly new company. I’m currently learning about all facets of the business from recruitment to team development, from financial sustainability to fundraising.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
Our Teen Summer Summit will kick off this June. My goal in the next few months is to secure the registration and develop curriculum or collaborate with others that have same curriculum.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @ebonyandpinkpearls
Facebook @ebonyandpinkpearls
Website www.ebonyandpinkpearls.org
Email ebonyandpinkpearls@gmail.com