Today we’d like to introduce you to Britt Abisdid.
Hi Britt, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but grew up in Stone Mountain, GA. After my 18th birthday, I moved back to Philly for college because I wanted to be close to family. When I got back to Philly, I enrolled in high school as an independent student to finish the last 6-months of my senior year. I was like most 18-year-olds, stubborn & determined to do my own thing when I didn’t have to. In 2008, I attended Villanova University for two years before moving to California for a job opportunity/life experience. I attended UCLA for one year while in California to finish my BS degree in Computer Science because my parents instilled in me that college was necessary until I discovered something different. I have perpetually taken risks and unapologetically lived my life while going through the trials & tribulations of adulthood.
One year later, I moved back to Philly, my real self-journey began. Honestly, I always had a job or two or three because that was me. I’m of West Indies Jamaican descent, so my work ethic has always been unmatched since my first job at 14. That fire within me; my hustle, drive & determination took me where I am today, running my company DONTOUCHMYCROWN: a naturally formulated haircare line for black women. For US by HER. I started Dontouchmycrown because I was tired of buying products that never worked for my hair texture with toxic ingredients. It was a problem that most black women with natural hair were experiencing too. After 2-years of research, discipline, and dedication, I formed Dontouchmycrown. In May 2019, I began manufacturing Dontouchmycrown’s natural hair care products that I released to the public in May 2020.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Smooth? Not at all. The first thing I researched was what mistakes most entrepreneurs make in the first year of business. Entrepreneurship will test your strength, limits, and patience. Most tasks came with ease for me because of my ability to utilize my resources around me. OH! but those other 88 tedious trials & error times had me tapping into a higher frequency of self to push through. You can’t be afraid of change. I faced many struggles, especially with the formulas for my products. I had to take feedback and make adjustments to avoid making the same mistakes twice. Entrepreneurship wasn’t new to my family and fear of the unknown caused my family concerns. The hesitation of understanding my concept was rocky at first but they know the real me and my capabilities. Their support came in like a wave that never left my side. I didn’t know how to start my own company but I did know planning, customer servicing & the technical aspect of it like website building, e-commerce & marketing. Researching was my number one tool, along with finding multiple mentors of people who had created their companies from nothing. It took some time to discover my niche. I learned to create a system that works for my mental health and the business, which we all know isn’t the easiest. I started my company in the middle of a pandemic which taught me how to pivot when things don’t go according to plan.
We’ve been impressed with Dontouchmycrown, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
DONTOUCHMYCROWN is more than a naturally formulated haircare line. Our mission is to empower and embrace Black women on their haircare journey using products with ingredients they can trust. Our Vision is to make black haircare natural & unapologetic. Our brand promise connects you to a community of women whose strength stems from their crown. While Dontouchmycrown was in the works, a shift began to happen. Black women started reaching out to me regarding my motivational affirmations called “Afromations,” my take on affirming black women daily in a small but impactful way. As the inquires grew, I created EMPOWER (a 4-week mentorship program) within the company that supported black women on their haircare journey by standing firm in who they are and elevating their self-worth. The EMPOWER mentorship allowed us to pour love into ourselves and unite ourselves within a safe space for black women to be unapologetic. Dontouchmycrown is known for manufacturing products using natural & raw ingredients for natural hair.
Our products are lightweight, non-toxic & nourishing. These products are formulated for black women’s hair texture. Yes, men can use our products too. Ultimately, it’s For US by HER. What makes me so proud of DONTOUCHMYCROWN is that I created it. I was crazy enough to bring my idea to life. I created this lane so that future generations of black women can unapologetically embrace their natural hair journey. It’s our journey and it just started. DONTOUCHMYCROWN has the #1 Organic Jamaican Black castor oil hair serum. Can you say lightweight & Jamaican Black castor oil in the same sentence? We can!
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Absolutely! I use the headspace app for daily meditation or when I need to take a break from working. It keeps me zen as f**k in the midst of me creating. Some of my favorite podcasts are Therapy for Black Girls, Selfcare & Chill w/ Maui, and Afromations Podcast. Therapy for Black girls is a whole unpack life podcast. I listen when self-doubt tries to creep in and I need some uplifting. Selfcare & Chill with Maui helps get me all the way together on my self-love journey & dating. Work-life balance is important, right?! so checking in with myself on what I’m manifesting in my personal life is healing and gives me a sense of peace knowing I can prioritize myself while running my business. Afromations Podcast helps me help other women with sharing my journey. They can see things from my perspective while joining me on this journey. Solo international travel, pre covid was one of my best resources. It’s eye-opening to disconnect from my daily routine to experience different cultures and bask in the scenery. It’s liberating and freeing. I love reading. It’s one of my favorite pastimes. Some of my favorite books are “It didn’t start with me” by Mark Wolynn, “Milk & Honey” by Rupi Kaur, “The courage to create” by Rollo May, and lastly, one that that I’m constantly re-reading is “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz.
Pricing:
- Mellow Mocha Hair Serum $15
- Brown Sugar Defining Gel $17
- Deep Condition & Chill E-book $7
- EMPOWER 4-week Mentorship $20
Contact Info:
- Email: inquires@dontouchmycrown.com
- Website: www.dontouchmycrown.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dontouchmycrown/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dontouchmycrown
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dontouchmycrwn
- Other: https://www.dontouchmycrown.com/podcast
