Today we’d like to introduce you to Ann-Sophie Juste.

Hi Ann, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?

My name is Ann-Sophie Juste, Co-Founder of PrideandBeauty. I am originally from Port-Au-Prince Haiti; Baltimore is where I currently reside. Small business ownership has always been the way of life where I come from. Growing up in Haiti, I remember the people in my neighborhood as well as my family having small shops out front of their homes. Selling handmade\homemade goods is extremely prevalent in my culture. Small business is the way my people make a way when we have no other options or avenues.

Despite leaving my homeland at 8 years old, the principles of the culture stayed with me well into my twenties, now 30 years old. I started making handmade, natural, hair-care products a little over 10 years ago, after being diagnosed with Alopecia Areata. When I was diagnosed, my dermatologist prescribed steroid creams as the method of treatment. When the steroid cream failed to regrow and retain my hair, I was upgraded to steroid injections.

Out of desperation, I complied with my treatments; I would have a steroid shot injected directly into my scalp, once a month for the next year. The injection site would be left inflamed, in pain, and sometimes bleeding. These injections grew too painful, so I stopped the steroid treatments altogether. Sadden and distraught by my hair loss, I began researching natural ingredients to combat hair loss.

During my journey, I came across ayurvedic herbs and began experimenting with different herbal extraction and infusion methods. The first product I created is our herbal-infused hair growth oil. This oil helped reduce my scalp inflammation and the redness that would appear in the balding area(s).

A few years later the Booster Hair Growth Serum, this serum is a concentrated mixture of herbal extracts and vitamins such as Biotin and Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) – This oil was to help regrow the hair that was stuck in the dormant phase. 3rd came the Rice Water and Aloe vera Spray – everyone’s most loved product. This hair spray is an amazing anti-shedding, scalp cooling, and hair repair treatment.

Contains fermented rice water, Aloe vera leaf extract, the perfect leafy tea blend, and much more to help grow and retain your hair. As I watched my own progress, my loved ones started asking me to see if I could make products for their hair needs.

Fast forward to March 2020, for my 28th birthday, my partner encouraged me to start making and selling my products online. We started out on Etsy in 2020 and have since expanded to Amazon Handmade and Walmart MarketPlace.

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?

As an entrepreneur, you have to be ready for change, knowing when to pivot and try something different when the opportunity presents itself.

You must also know when to stay on course because what you are doing is working. This journey by far have been the hardest, but yet rewarding experience in my life. Once you take on the entrepreneur hat, there is no clock-in-out. You work around the clock to ensure you are successful.

Some of our obstacles:

Inventory – High demand for products – Small business capabilities

Space – Our small business started out in a small bedroom in our home, PrideandBeauty has taken over the house, as well as my children’s comfort. Looking to upgrade to a warehouse.

Staffing – Seeking motivated individuals to mentor – someone with interest or already has experience in natural product formulation.

Someone who is multidimensional – willing to be involved as well as take the lead where needed for the success of the company.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Pride & Beauty LLC?

Pride and Beauty is a black-owned, family-operated business. We started our company in 2020 to make available an all-natural hair care alternative for the people. We make all of our products by hand. We use USDA-certified organic ingredients to cultivate a line of gourmet hair and skin care products.

We believe in providing the purest products, without any LYE, parabens, phthalate, silicones, colorants, and other toxins found in some products. What sets Prideandbeauty apart is our product formulation; everything is natural to feed your scalp and skin. We work for all people and hair types.

Our products are natural treatments for the hair and skin – not specific skin color or hair texture. We are big on ingredients, so we list them on our labels in a manner you can understand. We provide natural hair care consults for yourself, your spouse as well as the children.

This journey has been a roller coaster. My proudest moment is our ability to endure the storm so we can eventually rejoice in the fruits of our labor.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?

My dearest gratitude goes out to my business partner, Tesfa Neblett. With his hard work and persistence, PrideandBeauty went from averaging 40-50 sales a month to over 500 sales a month in an eight-month time span.

Tesfa expanded the brand onto Amazon Handmade and has really shaken the market. Tesfa’s search engine optimization (SEO) work, as well as his understanding of Amazon PPC management, has substantially scaled PrideandBeauty to the next level. Tesfa has always been there for me even when I stop showing up for myself. I am unsure of where PrideandBeauty would be without Tesfa.

Of course, to my supporters; As an artist who suffers with anxiety – THE WAVE of support has been refreshing as well as rewarding.

Last, but not least, to our children – halting is not an option.

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