“Love & Hip Hop: New York” cast member Yandy Smith and reality star Marlo Hampton have more in common than reality television. Both have millions of followers on social media, are successful entrepreneurs and had booths over the weekend at the mid-summer Bronner Bros. International Beauty Show, which was held Aug 18-20, 2019, at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta.
Hampton has launched a wig line, “This is Her,” and Smith has created a new skincare product, “Yelle.” While they may have star status, neither is exempt from facing challenges to maintain their entrepreneur status.
On Sunday, Aug. 18, Hampton and Smith participated in the exclusive “Beauty Over Brunch” event at the Bronner Bros. show sponsored by Susan G. Komen. Participants included beauty industry professionals and entrepreneurs who included Erica Dias, founder of The B Firm PR; Jesseca “Judy” Dupart, founder of Kaleidoscope Hair Products; Sierra Gates, CEO of Glam Shop; Maya Smith, master stylist and founder of Doux Salon; celebrity makeup artist Tie Cooper; and Hype Hair’s Jessica De Vault Hale. The discussion was moderated by Grind Pretty CEO/Glamatory MiMi Johnson and focused on how to break into the beauty industry and become successful entrepreneurs.
Yandy Smith had this advice for attendees: “Prepare mentally, prepare your home, prepare your family so that you do not go into a mental shell-shock,” she said. “This is a microwave society where we want everything right now. But going into entrepreneurship, just know there are going to be trials, there are going to be struggles, and before you get rich, you will probably be broke.
“Start to save money,” she added. “Know that you might have to downgrade a few things in your lifestyle. Prepare your family and prepare your children. Prepare your life for your business. Just like you prepare your life when you are about to have a new baby, you have to prepare your home for your new business.”
Hampton also dropped some gems of advice on attendees who seemed eager to snatch a page or two from her entrepreneur’s playbook.
“You are going to have so many people you give your ideas to, and they are going to say that’s not going to work,” Hampton said. “Every morning, look in the mirror and tell yourself what you are going to do and also have affirmations each morning. There is so much competition where you may feel discouraged. You are going to have bad days. You are going to fall down, but you have to get back up and keep going.
“You can’t worry about what anyone says about your past or who they think you are,” she added. “The people who are meant to help you and be in your life, God is going to see to it that happens. The people who judge you and don’t want to be in your life, they are going to watch you grow and expand, so just be who you want to be.”
