Dawn Myers Helps Women Of Color Style Their Natural Hair With Tech-Enabled Tools
1. One sentence that describes what you do…
I am the Founder and CEO at THE MOST. I am an inventor and entrepreneur who engineers and manufactures new tech-enabled tools to help women of color style their natural, textured hair faster and easier.
I started THE MOST because, for black women, basic hair hygiene and grooming are excessively complicated and cumbersome.
Embracing my natural hair has given me a sense of self-worth too profound to describe here, but the world unfortunately still does not bend to our phenotype.
We’re changing that by making hardware that major industry players lack the cultural competence to develop.
2. The first thing I do when I wake up…
Right now I’m gearing up for a crowdfunding round with Indiegogo (visit us here), so I wake up and immediately check the conversion rates on my ads.
It’s really important for me to be as efficient with my funds as possible, and I have to constantly check to make sure I’m not wasting money on ineffective promotions.
I obsess over those metrics and constantly check to see how my ads are performing. Sure enough, it’s the very first thing I think about when I wake up every morning as well.
3. The quote I live by…
“Fear loses its power when you remember that you have a track record of surviving.”
This quote speaks to my soul because running a business is 1 part physical work and 3 parts mental work. It’s so hard to stay centered and optimistic, but it’s absolutely vital to your business. This quote gives me solace Every Single Time I read it.
I’ve been through so much and I’ve survived and thrived through it all. I bring at least at much diligence to my startup as I have everything else in my life. That doesn’t guarantee success of course, but if my track record is any indicator, I’m giving myself a strong shot.
Fear loses its power when you remember that you have a track record of surviving.Click To Tweet4. My favorite business tools are…
- Slidebean is a platform that lets you make compelling powerpoint decks quickly. I love this platform because it has all kinds of features that help founders monitor, track, and protect their information. Also, their founder, Caya Cayasso, offers lots of relevant startup advice through their blog that complements their product offering.
- Fiverr is another go-to tool. As a founder, time is the most valuable asset I have, and it’s invaluable to be able to unload lots of small tasks at an affordable price. Fiverr is an online marketplace where you can find freelancers for just about every task your business might need. I’ve been able to find quality service at very affordable rates. It’s helped me move the ball forward quickly without sacrificing attention to the details.
5. On my bookshelf, you will find…
The Penguin History of the World. I love history and I think the human story is endlessly fascinating. I’ve read it three times at different periods in my life.
Lately, this book has served as an awesome escape from the pressure of building my business and it reminds me that even the biggest problem I’m facing is hyper trivial in the grand scheme of things.
6. Every woman needs to try this at least once…
Leave home. Move to a random country. Make it on your own without an easily accessible support system.
You’ll learn a ton about the world and the universality of the human condition, but more importantly, you will learn a lot about yourself — what you can handle, how much or how little you need to live comfortably, and how quickly and how much you’re capable of learning.
Entrepreneurship is like moving to a distant country in that you have to learn a new language, it can be debilitatingly isolating, and it opens you up to a new world of possibilities.
7. My favorite beauty brands and items…
- THE ORDINARY – AHA/BHA peel. It’s as good as (if not better than) higher-end products with a 10x price tag. This product addresses uneven texture and eliminates blemishes fast. Your skin will be brighter and glowier after the first use; you’ll see a real difference after a few treatments.
- Briogeo – Don’t Despair, Repair Deep Conditioner. It’s pricey but so worth it. When my hair is a knotty mess, this stuff helps me detangle and hydrate fast.
- Sunday Riley – Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment. It smells like an actual dream and it brightens my skin up so nicely overnight.
8. The best piece of advice I’ve ever received…
“You’re only as good as your greatest failure.”
I’ve always been terrified of failing and disappointing the people around me, but I’m learning to see things differently. Failure is just a stepping stone to a higher plane. You can’t get there without it. Now I try to fail big so I can win big!
You're only as good as your greatest failure.Click To Tweet9. Daily things you do in your business…
My days vary, but they usually start with an early morning ballet class. Ballet get me focused and prepared for the day. After that, I usually have calls in the morning, meetings in the afternoons, events in the evenings, and then I spend the later evening hours on paperwork and deliverables.
Right now we are working toward launching pre-sales through crowdfunding. Most people don’t realize how much work goes into a successful crowdfunding campaign. If you’re interested in learning more, follow our blog where I map out the journey -> www.themostcurls.com/blogcast.
10. List all your social media platforms…
- Instagram @themostcurls
- Facebook Group @themostcurls
- Podcast @themostcurls
- Business Website www.themostcurls.com
- Personal Website www.dawndoesthemost.com
- Business LinkedIn The Most Brands
- Personal LinkedIn @DawnDoesTheMost
- Personal Twitter @_TheRisingSun_
- Business Twitter @TheMostCurls
Emily Madison says
Nice and useful information. Thanks.