Meet The SHEeo: Mimi Johnson Of Poppin' Beauty Boutique The Glamatory
With the rise of more and more black women breaking away from traditional 9-5s to become their own bosses, the CEO is getting a revamp as the SHEeo. In the Meet The SHEeo series, we talk to melanated mavens leveling up and glowing up, all while redefining what it means to be a boss.
The Glamatory is an Atlanta-based beauty boutique featuring exclusive brands, makeup artistry services, and a high-end beauty atmosphere. Inspired by Johnson's love for make-up and a desire to be her own boss, The Glamatory specializes in vegan and cruelty-free products and exceptional beauty services that compliment all skin tones and ethnicities. The company has been featured in ESSENCE and InStyle magazines, has made multiple appearances on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and boasts celebrity clientele including Angela Simmons, Kenya Moore, Missy Elliott, and many more.
In this week's feature, meet Mimi Johnson of The Glamatory.
Courtesy of Mimi Johnson
Title: CEO of The Glamatory
Year Founded: 2014
Location: Smyrna, GA
# of Employees: 6
30-Second Pitch: "Life is an experiment meant to be conducted fearlessly. The Glamatory empowers all people to embrace this bold and beautiful experiment called life with vegan and cruelty-free products and exceptional beauty services, which enhances their beauty and confidence. The Glamatory was born out of my own trials and errors, successes and failures, standing as a celebration of the grace, grit, and resilience found within us all."
What inspired you to start your brand?
My son. Though I love makeup and how it allows me to make people feel beautiful and confident, I knew that I needed to also think of my future and what my exit strategy would be. I wanted to create a legacy and wealth for my family, as well as those around me. I see that happening with The Glamatory.
"I knew that I needed to also think of my future and what my exit strategy would be. I wanted to create a legacy and wealth for my family, as well as those around me."
What was your a-ha moment that brought your idea into reality?
One of my clients always asked me to get her the makeup that I was using, and most of the time I was mixing to get the right colors! And it hit me, why don't I just have my own and also support other brands that are dope? I can make money doing makeup as well as selling the right products.
Who is your ideal customer?
Anyone who finds significant value from the products and services that we offer. From the client who is shy with makeup to the super glam faces, we embrace and appreciate them all!
What makes your business different?
Not only do I strive to produce shades that are complimentary to ALL skin tones and ethnicities, we also make a conscious effort to care about the formulations of our products and not incorporate harsh chemicals.
What obstacles did you have to overcome while launching and growing your brand? How were you able to overcome them?
Being an entrepreneur, I feel like there's always an obstacle. I think brand awareness is always a big hurdle. Getting people to organically buy-in and become loyal. There's not a perfect formula for this besides consistency and authenticity. I strive to make sure my products and services are a reflection on me.
What was the defining moment in your entrepreneurial journey?
Man, there's so many! Probably having full circle moments by working with celebs like Da Brat and Missy Elliott, or seeing a feature on ESSENCE and InStyle. Or even seeing myself on TV doing makeup on the Real Housewives! Or having people like Porsha Stewart come into the store and shop! Those moments are definitely highlights that I think about whenever I feel like giving up! I must be doing something right and God has allowed me to get this far. So I've got to keep pushing!
Where do you see your company in 5-10 years? (The ultimate goal?)
My ultimate goal is to be able to have The Glamatory brand in major stores and perhaps a few Glamatory locations in 3-5 other cities!
Where have you seen the biggest return on investment? (i.e. marketing, ads, vending, social media)
Word of mouth and networking. Nothing is more powerful than connecting with people directly and supporting one another. That's power. Second, I would say social media if you are consistent with your aesthetics, posting, and engagement.
"Nothing is more powerful than connecting with people directly and supporting one another. That's power."
Do you have a mentor? If so, who?
I have several. I have what I call my own advisory board. Where I'm weak, I have found someone who is strong and that I can be vulnerable with.
Biggest lesson you've learned in business?
That success does not happen overnight. You keep going until it's YOUR TIME!
Anything else you would like for people to know, or take away from your entrepreneurial story?
I'm from the inner city of Kansas City, MO. I don't come from money. I got myself through college. I'm a single mom of a child with special needs. And I'm still here "Grinding Pretty"! I said all of this to say, it may seem impossible, but by faith, perseverance, and a tribe of people who love and support you, you can do it too!
For more of Mimi and The Glamatory, follow her on social: @theglamatory and @mimijonline.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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ItGirl In Motion: Paige Shari Addison Shows Us Why She's The Hostess With The Mostess
Paige Shari Addison is the epitome of an ItGirl, which is why she is one of 100 ladies on xoNecole's inaugural ItGirl 100 list in partnership with Hyundai. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Paige started her journey as a host in high school by hosting parties. Since then, she has made a career in hosting, from parties to big-name events, and she launched Strictly RNB, a platform for new artists and R&B lovers. Paige reflects on her creative path in the limited video series "ItGirl in Motion."
“My first curated event at Criminal Records was incredible. It was all for up-and-coming artists,” she says. “I needed a platform for us as a collective to be able to give ourselves the platform instead of asking for it, instead of looking for it. I was like, I want to make sure I let people get this experience that I would give as a performer but enjoy the experience with them. It was a dream come true.”
The Atlanta native also has her own line of acai bowls called Soulfull Bowls. She started it during the pandemic after events and parties shut down. But it was her love for eating acai bowls and the reactions others had to them that made her want to make it her next business move. Being open to creating new ventures in the midst of uncertainty is a bold move and one of the reasons why Paige has the “it” factor.
“Being an ItGirl means you’re just authentic. There’s an air to us. We have confidence that exudes from the way we speak, the way we put our lip gloss on, the way we walk, the way we talk. I show up as myself everytime I walk into a room. I’m hospitable, I make sure everybody’s good,” she says.
Get to know more about the hostess with the mostess in the video above.
See our ItGirl 100 list in full here. Click through the gallery below for some BTS moments of Paige and our partnership with Hyundai.
Director: Mikkoh @mikkoh
Production company: @polly___studio
Producer/AD: Samuel Cho @choboi90
Producer/Tech: Paul Nguyen @paul__winn
DP: Cristian Bernal @cristianbernal
Editor: @30inthemorning
2nd Cam: Paul Nguyen
1st AC: AJ Paug @ajpaug Gaffer: Dennis Albert @dennisalbert_
Audio Mixer: Victor Chavez @vic_the__
PA: Rick Carreno @ispeakrick
PA: Tiffany Do @tivani.doee
BTS Photo: Prime @theartofprime
Car Detail: @sud_studs @slugglobal
Creative Director @hellobosco
Team Lead @kevgumbo3000
Project Manager @zakk_jullot
Creative Producer @iamkingsheyla
Designers @miacolemxn @noelspiva
@xoNecole
Director, Integrated Marketing @_vang
Campaign Manager @kingchachiii
Talent Lead @kaylawalker
Feature image by Prime/ @theartof prime