becoming a boss how myleik teele started her curl box empire

Becoming a Boss: How Myleik Teele Started Her Curl Box Empire

She’s Not Bossy; She Is The Boss

If you are not following this inspirational gem on social media, then are you really living your best boss life right? Myleik Teele, CurlBox CEO, marketing genius and podcast queen is everything you need and more when you are considering potential business goals. To backtrack a little bit, CurlBox is the premier natural hair care subscription box that compiles all of your favorite brands for one low value each month. CurlBox is so popular that within minutes the monthly boxes sell out quickly. Talk about a beauty game changer! But I am sure the bigger question is, how did Myleik Teele start her CurlBox Empire? The answer to that is consistency and dedication. If you follow her on social media, then you already know that this new mama drops gems, truth and a tough word for aspiring business owners everywhere. One thing Teele makes clear is that if you are going to own a business, then you have to be about your business because ownership is not for the weak hearted.

It Was All A Dream

Or so Myleik thought during her tenure in college when she decided that she would drop out while sitting in her beautician's chair. After confessing her dreams and aspirations to the stylist, she took heed to the question that stands the test of time, “why not go after them?” If you are a business owner, then you know that dreams are only 5% of the business makeup, and the actual work will get you real time results. In other words, turn those dreams into a reality! Myleik is the prime example of knowing the difference between hustling and eventually becoming the CEO. Both are possible, but hustling cannot take you everywhere. To fully understand how she integrated her idea into a multimillion-dollar industry you have to hear her story, all who are integral parts, some big and some small but all matter when understanding the nature of CurlBox. So how does she do this? Brand partnerships, understanding her audience’s needs and marketing of course!

Putting CurlBox on the Market

On the networking side, Myleik and her CurlBox team have found a way to market specialty boxes to particular audiences. For example, in January CurlBox curated a baby box with shea moisture baby products that are meant to soothe your baby’s skin and protect it at the same time. In another specialty box that is for your skin, CurlBox body is a gamechanger in the world of subscription boxes too. These items, though not disclosed unless you purchase it are a big ticket item for the CurlBox audience. So how does she do it? Myleik studies her market to perfection. There are for sure are not many business owners like Myleik because she aims to make her brand important for the people who need it most. Myleik knew that she needed to saturate her appearance in the beauty market on behalf of black women as much as possible. By attending hair and beauty shows, working in PR, and of course networking she found her place and knew that she could not only monetize in the industry but create something that will make her money work for her. Since its 2011 launch, she has been able to secure brand partnerships with Proctor and Gamble, Target, Shea Moisture, Carol’s Daughter and more. Monetizing off of an already saturated industry did not come easy. Before going full-time entrepreneur and starting CurlBox, Myleik worked as a public relations executive, locking in marketing trends and landing her dream clientele in fashion and entertainment. There is no one and done formula to creating the perfect company or enterprise for your passion, but there are a few notes that Myleik lends out on her social media page and podcast. Stay reading for all of the major keys that Myleik uses to take her brand national.

Key #1: Taking CurlBox to the Next Level

CurlBox is an individual brand within itself but its one that has set the tone for aspiring business owners and beauty gurus everywhere. Upon its original emergence, we saw nothing else of its kind. Aside from launching this box, one major key to note is that stopping at the box is not the only mission. Playing up on the box’s strengths is what has made it become the social commodity that it is today. When launching a business, having more than one outlet to promote and capitalize off of its popularity is something to pay attention to. Soon after the business launch, she made sure that everyone knew what CurlBox was outside of its Atlanta bubble. Yes, Atlanta is a hotspot for business, beauty and entertainment opportunities but it is not the only place where people seeking high-end natural hair care products reside. Knowing your audience is so important! Despite the Instagram quotes, boss pages, and quick money plans, success for your business does not happen overnight, and it is impossible to cheat the grind when you are faithful in your craft.

Key #2: MyTaught You, So Listen Up!

To add along to her boss girl brand, Myleik started up the MyTaught You podcast to not only give useful and tangible business advice but also to facilitate life lessons that she gathered along the way. If you have not subscribed yet, then it is best that you do because you are missing out on some serious lessons. The realm of business that Myleik resides in is one that is unique because we often see beauty industries being run by people who will never use the products for themselves. Myleik saw a legitimate need for people who look like her and built upon that in podcast form. So what can we gather from this? We have learned that you can also reach large audiences without having to spend your money on a flight and hotel to do so. Social media and podcasts are the biggest and sometimes free networking tools that can open up so many doors if you accurately find your niche. Setting yourself apart is not a going to be a huge concern either, because if you stay real to your brand, you will always see it thrive.

Key #3: Get on social to stay social

Myleik did not just turn into our favorite boss overnight; she used some tools to get here! By becoming engaged with your audience on platforms like Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook you can continue to build engagement over time. Now that Instagram also offers features like a business account, Instagram stories, e-commerce options and more it is beneficial to root a part of your business in the social media hub. E-commerce or online shopping is the way that Myleik primarily runs CurlBox, and this is genius for many reasons including the fact that she got into the e-commerce market early. Anywhere in the world, she can globally market herself so that her products become more visible in places outside of her central reach. Understanding social trends are not only crucial in social media but are the money maker or breaker in marketing and business. For example, if you see that there is a new trend that your company can benefit from will you adopt it as is or make it your own so that it stands out even more among the crowd? The answer, of course, is to make it your own! Myleik easily can make a line of hair care products but how beneficial is that when there is a market for brand partnerships and a want for online shopping? Basically, notice what is happening around you and on social media! You and your future empire are depending on it.

Key #4: Don’t Let Up On Your Word (Be The Boss)

When it comes to being the boss, sometimes it can be harder than it looks. Becoming the boss takes years of trial and error, a few let downs, failed attempts and then finally your ah-ha moment. Do not let up on your word or vision when you know and understand the way that you want to facilitate your brand. Being the person cutting the checks is no easy job, in fact, Myleik shared her fear of how to dish out money to her employees and how to pay herself. Her solution became more evident over time, and that is to hire people who can do their jobs flawlessly and also to understand that people are human. Human error is a thing and coming down too hard on simple fixes creates a tough work environment. That is not to say go easy on them, but it is to say build a team of people who can get back up after they messed up. However, creating guidelines to abide by are essential too. We see how Myleik takes her work seriously and if you have ever viewed a job post to be a CurlBox intern, then you know that she wants the best of the best. Rightfully so, who can blame her? CurlBox has become a staple among black women worldwide and to keep the name great; you have to want to be great.

Key #5: Game Recognizes Game

In the land of being a true girl boss, one knows that there is no such thing as competition and only allies. Myleik, after starting CurlBox decided that it was time to pay tribute to some amazing women and brands who help CurlBox succeed. In its fourth year, the CurlBox awards celebrate black-owned hair care and their founders who are on a similar journey. Many of the creators behind some of our favorite products are black women and men who find it to be their calling to give us nothing but the best. To date, CurlBox has celebrated Shea Moisture, The Mane Choice, Mielle Organics and more! Using her own power Myleik has efficiently found a way to take her empire to the next level and to bring other people with her. Thriving in the beauty industry can turn into a competitive game, but Myleik and the team surrounding CurlBox have proven that there are ways to defeat that mechanism without giving it too much attention. Building bonds and connecting with those who are like-minded not only strengthens the face of your future empire but creates a stronger connection inside. The thing to know when you are trying to stay relevant as a brand is to give credit where credit is due. What would CurlBox be without the brands who fill up the boxes every month or the team to pack them? It would not hold as much value, and it would be a lot harder to sell, but due to her strategic planning and focus it is so much more than she probably ever dreamt of.

Key #6: Celebrate Yourself, Your Girls and Your Business

Early this year, Myleik took the Travel Noir approach and created an application based personal development retreat to Mexico under her MyTaughtYou brand. The thing that I love about Myleik is that she is not afraid to make things exclusive and to pick who and what she wants to give her energy to. In business, it is all but important to have this mindset when you have a particular vision. As luxurious as this trip was, there was so much planning that went into it and so many applications to sort through. Breaking the trip down even further, selected attendees were required to put down a deposit upon acceptance to secure their spot for the trip. This is one of the more significant portions of business because the celebration is everything, especially for black women! The MyTaughtYou retreat was a time for black women to bond together, enjoy a good time, reflect and build more business connections. To say that this trip was intentional is an understatement. The lesson? Be intentional when building your empire. Be intentional when creating business plans and be intentional about who is in your space. You never know where it could take you or who you can inspire.

Build Your Empire Now

There is no such thing as having the perfect moment to build what you were destined to create, especially in the world of beauty. Take the time now to build your empire because there is always time! On your lunch break, after your nine to five and even before bed find some time. Nothing spectacular comes to fruition overnight and anything that took time to create is worth having. Myleik and her CurlBox journey are just starting, and she makes it clear that running a business is hard work! It takes not only time but money, investing, partnering and hard lessons but it is doable. Yes, there will be a lot of long nights, tough meetings, tight budgets and failures but there is also a glow up moment at the end of it all. Hold onto knowing that your glow up in business is coming and that there is nothing like being able to look back on all of your plans to see that it finally came together.
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