Spartanburg, S.C. – “Follow your instincts.” That’s what one of the country’s most successful minority small business owners recently told a group of local business leaders and University of South Carolina Upstate students, employees, and alumni.

“As an entrepreneur, you have to trust your gut always,” said Lisa Price, founder of the popular Carol’s Daughter beauty brand. “There’s always going to be someone in the room with more experience on paper. But they are not the founder. They are not you. They don’t have your gut or intuition. It doesn’t mean your gut is always right, but you have to act on it, acknowledge it, and research it.”

Price delivered her keynote speech “How I Turned a Hobby Into a Multimillion-Dollar Cosmetics and Beauty Empire” at the 8th annual Johnson Innovation Speaker Series event on Thursday, Nov. 10. The event was held at the George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics (JCBE) in downtown Spartanburg.

“I was blown away,” said Frank Rudisill, interim dean of the JCBE. “She did an amazing job weaving her personal story in with the growth of her company. It’s a powerful message. One that our students and those in attendance needed to hear.”

In 1993, Price, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., was working freelance in TV production with little income and no health insurance. She started mixing fragrances and beauty products at her kitchen sink and selling them at flea markets and from her living room.

“There’s always going to be someone in the room with more experience on paper. But they are not the founder. They are not you. They don’t have your gut or intuition. It doesn’t mean your gut is always right, but you have to act on it, acknowledge it, and research it.”

-Lisa Price, founder of Carol’s Daughter

By 2014, her company Carol’s Daughter was acquired by France-based L’Oreal in a multimillion-dollar deal that enabled the global personal care company’s U.S. affiliate to establish a multicultural beauty division.

Price said a lot has happened in the three decades since she began her trailblazing entrepreneurial journey. She became a millionaire and garnered endorsements from celebrities like Jada Pinkett-Smith, Erykah Badu, Rosie Perez, Halle Berry, and Oprah Winfrey. Price has health care. Really good health care.

She has been featured in films, received numerous awards, and served on the National Women’s Business Council. In April 2021, Price and Carol’s Daughter partnered with the world-renown doula Latham Thomas and her foundation, The Mama Glow Foundation to launch Love Delivered, an initiative focused on raising awareness about black maternal health.

However, she said she hasn’t let any of that change her.

“At the end of the day, I’m still that chick in the kitchen, with my stuff and my music,” Price said. “Maybe my shoes are on, maybe they’re off. Maybe my hair’s in a pineapple, maybe it’s not. I’m still her. I’m still the founder.”

Nikoya Shaw, a 2014 USC Upstate graduate who owns Red Leaf Artisans LLC with her business partner Laura Brochin, said she learned a lot from Price’s address.

“She really offered some great perspective, especially about evaluating prospective partnerships,” said Shaw, of Spartanburg. “We are trying to build our own philanthropic side to the business. It was interesting to hear her talk about that.”

Founded in 2014, the Johnson Innovation Speaker Series, sponsored by JCBE, is dedicated to bringing distinguished business professionals to USC Upstate for the benefit of students and the local business community. Named for the renowned Spartanburg entrepreneur George Dean Johnson, Jr., the series has hosted Dr. Derek Lidow, Esther Dyson, Dennis Hayes, David Pensak, Dr. Peter Roberts, Nicholas Glover, Robin Chase, John Rossman, and Dr. Simone Ahuja.

To view all of the event photos, visit: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAfjAi.

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