428: How KIN Apparel’s Founder Turned a Dorm Room Side Hustle Into a $10 Million Business

This week in the guest chair I have Philomina Kane, Ghanaian-American entrepreneur and content creator. In 2017, she graduated from Princeton University and began to cement herself as a haircare YouTuber. Garnering a following of nearly 200,000 subscribers, Philomina became a guiding force, empowering Black women to embrace and care for their natural hair. After building a strong brand and loyal following, Philomina founded KIN Apparel, a brand dedicated to crafting satin lined hoodies and hats for both hair protection and comfort. In this episode she shares about:How the innovative approach of KIN Apparel caught the attention of Shark Tank landed a six-figure deal with SKIM’s founding partner Emma GredeHer desire-driven approach to marketing and how leading with offering a solution to a problem has hooked her audience Reaching over $10M in revenue while continuously navigating challenges like fulfillment centers and a changing financial landscapeHighlights include: 00:00 Intro03:15 From the Bronx to Ghana07:30 Building a following on YouTube14:50 Founding KIN Apparel20:00 Transition to full-time entrepreneurship27:00 Benefits of vulnerable marketing32:00 Financial journey- grants and funding41:00 Navigating the changing financial landscape44:00 Shark Tank experience 47:00 Challenges with fulfillment centers57:00 Tips for entrepreneurs Links mentioned in this episodeKIN Apparel: https://kinapparel.org/ KIN Apparel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinapparel_/?hl=en LEDA Program: https://ledascholars.org/ Science of Black Hair: https://www.amazon.com/Science-Black-Hair-Comprehensive-Textured/dp/0984518428 Hello Alice: https://helloalice.com/ Black Ambition: https://blackambitionprize.com/ New Voices: https://newvoicesfoundation.org/ Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rssAnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebookGuest Social Media InfoPhilomina’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@naturallyphilo Philomina’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs3xy3wpZ-d/?img_index=1 Philomina’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@naturallyphilo_  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Side Hustle Pro spotlights bold black women entrepreneurs who have scaled from side hustle to profitable business. Join Chief Side Hustler turned full-time entrepreneur Nicaila Matthews Okome for your weekly installment of Side Hustle Pro and learn actionable strategies to start small and get going–wherever and whoever you are. Side Hustle Pro features interviews with inspiring Black women entrepreneurs who started out as side hustlers, including interviews with Myleik Teele, Morgan DeBaun, Tiffany "The Budgetnista" Aliche, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.