Ardean Miller, pioneering entrepreneur Mah Melaninis breaking barriers because the founding father of the primary Black-owned gift wrapping brand, partnering with Hallmark and Lowe’s across the country. With a concentrate on cultural representation, she founded Mah Melanin to fill a niche available in the market for products that commemorate the wonder and variety of black culture.

“When I started Mah Melanin, I wanted to create something more than just beautiful gift packaging. I wanted to start a movement — a place where our stories are told, our beauty is celebrated, and our community is uplifted,” she says. “Partnering with these iconic retailers is a testament to the growing demand for products that reflect our experiences and heritage.”

Breaking down barriers and empowering communities

The partnership with Hallmark and Lowe’s represents a big step toward greater diversity and inclusion within the retail space, reflecting a broader cultural shift. This groundbreaking achievement highlights the growing recognition of the importance of culturally authentic products that encourage and empower.

Under her leadership, Mah Melanin has developed from a small start-up right into a nationally recognized brand. The company has gained endorsements from industry icons comparable to Teddy Riley, Master P and Denise Boutte, and has been noticed by major organizations including an NBA feature and a finalist on QVC’s “The Big Find.” These awards confirm the brand’s commitment to quality, creativity and resilience.

Inspiring the subsequent generation of Black entrepreneurs

He is devoted to not only the success of his brand, but in addition supporting the expansion of other Black entrepreneurs by offering mentorship, sharing resources and creating opportunities for collaboration. Through his efforts, he wants to construct a legacy that can encourage future generations to interrupt barriers and achieve greatness,” he adds.

Mah Melanin’s journey reflects a commitment to celebrating Black culture and amplifying Black and Brown voices through its products, making a profound impact available in the market and beyond.

Discover their products at MahMelanin.com and remember to follow the brand Facebook AND Instagram

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The WNBA plans to add an expansion team to its current roster, and NBA champion Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics plans to grow to be an investor in bringing the team to his hometown of St. Louis.

According to , Tatum is connecting two billionaires who want to bring the league’s sixteenth team to Missouri City. The ownership group is headed by billionaires Richard Chaifetz and David Hoffman. Chaifetz’s previous investments include the Alpine F1 team, Major League Pickleball and the Drone Racing League. Hoffman is a developer and owner of the Florida Everblades, a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Blues.

But despite interest in having a WNBA team in her city, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert says at the least 10 other teams will pose stiff competition.

“The good news is that we have a lot of demand from many cities,” Engelbert said before the WNBA Finals. “I might say about 10 or possibly even plus at this point because I believe the more people watch the WNBA and see what we’re developing here and see these players and the product on the court, the more persons are interested in having it in their cities “.

Tatum has informally agreed to invest in a potential WNBA team. He wants to present the group’s offer to other potential investors and the league itself behind the scenes.

The presentation shown to other potential investors outlines town’s basketball history, dating back to the times of the St. Louis Hawks, which won the NBA championship in 1958. The team can have a home at Chaifetz Arena, where the University of St. Louis is home. The 10,600-seat arena was named in honor of Chaifetz, who donated $12 million to his alma mater in 2007 just over 15 years ago in 2007.

Yandy Smith-Harris is not any stranger to breaking barriers, making a seamless transition from entertainment mogul to beauty entrepreneur. Her latest enterprise, YELLE Skin careis greater than only a cosmetics brand; is an organization with a mission, specializing in meeting the unique needs of melanin-rich skin. In this exclusive interview with BLACK ENTERPRISESYandy shared her skincare journey, the vision behind YELLE, and her empowering advice for girls of color pursuing entrepreneurship.

Like a lot of probably the most successful entrepreneurs, Yandy’s entry into the sweetness industry was inspired by her personal struggles. She revealed TO BE“During a difficult period in my life, I struggled with depression, which clearly affected my skin.”

In search of solutions, she visited Sephora and located several reasonably priced options for dark skin using clean ingredients. This gap out there and her need for effective, reasonably priced skin care solutions motivated her to create YELLE Skincare.

“I wanted to build a brand that not only met these unmet needs, but also promoted holistic well-being,” she explained. “My previous experiences in branding and entrepreneurship have been invaluable in shaping YELLE, allowing me to create products that truly resonate with and serve our community.”

Yandy’s vision for YELLE was clear from the start: to create a brand that really understands the precise needs of melanin-rich skin.

“I wanted to create a skin care line that addressed issues like discoloration and sensitivity to harsh ingredients,” she said. “My goal was to use plant-based ingredients to create safe, effective and nutritious products.”

Representation can be crucial element of YELLE’s mission. “I wanted YELLE to be a brand that speaks to our community – those whose beauty is usually ignored by the mainstream. We offer solutions tailored to darker skin tones while promoting self-love and self-confidence.

Entering the sweetness industry was not without its challenges. While Yandy’s entertainment profession gave her a platform, she needed to prove herself in a brand new field.

“Coming from the entertainment industry, I had to gain knowledge about skin care, formulas and the beauty industry as a whole,” she said.

“The next challenge was constructing credibility in an industry I used to be recent to. However, I overcame this problem by working with experts and dealing closely with my team to make sure the prime quality of YELLE products.

Her persistence paid off.

“Leveraging my existing platform to build brand awareness was key,” notes Yandy. “Staying true to my vision and creating something that fills a gap in the market has kept me focused.”

One of the standout elements of YELLE Skincare is its holistic approach, combining topical products with ingestible supplements. Yandy explains that this decision got here from her belief that skin care should transcend surface solutions.

“Skin care is not just what you put on your skin, but also what you put in your body,” she says. “Healthy, glowing skin often starts from the inside, so including supplements made sense.”

YELLE supplements work with topical products to comprehensively address skin concerns.

“It’s about the well-being of the whole body, which is the basis of the YELLE philosophy,” adds Yandy.

As a successful entrepreneur, Yandy offers worthwhile advice to other women, especially women of color, who wish to enter industries through which they could haven’t any prior experience.

“First, believe in yourself and your vision, even if others don’t,” he emphasizes. “It’s incredibly important to be confident in your ideas and the value you bring.”

Yandy also emphasizes the importance of education and networking. “Take time to learn the ins and outs of your industry, connect with individuals who can make it easier to, and do not be afraid to ask questions. Finally, be patient and chronic. Success won’t occur overnight, but stay focused in your goals and be willing to alter when needed.

Looking ahead, Yandy is happy about what’s next for YELLE. “We are constantly improving YELLE to meet the changing needs of our customers,” he reveals. “Right now I’m particularly excited concerning the recent product rebrand, keeping the identical formula and refreshed look – and the fun 5^vol– an anniversary event that you’ll should follow to seek out out more.

YELLE also focuses on accessibility. “We are working to increase access to YELLE by entering more retail spaces and expanding our digital presence,” he says. “The goal is for more women to experience the benefits of our products.”

Combining her roles as mother, entrepreneur and tv personality, Yandy admits that maintaining the balance is at all times a challenge. “I try to focus on what is most important — my family and health,” she shares. “For me, the most important thing is self-care and I take time for myself to recharge.”

Her advice to other women balancing multiple roles is to hunt support. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help, delegate tasks when you can and take time for yourself without feeling guilty. You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

Yandy’s approach to constructing YELLE is predicated on maintaining authenticity and understanding the audience. “One of the most important strategies was to build a strong brand that would resonate with our target group,” he explains. “Understanding the needs of my community and creating products that serve them has been critical to YELLE’s success.”

She also emphasizes the importance of influencer marketing and partnerships in the event of her brand. “These strategies have been a game changer in terms of spreading the word and building trust with our customers,” he says.

As Yandy continues to construct YELLE Skincare and empower women of color through her brand, her story serves as a robust reminder that with perseverance, passion and a transparent vision, success is within sight – even in recent and competitive industries.