
Range Beauty Founder Alicia Scott Turned $300 To $300,000 By Pitching & Pivoting

It's always inspiring to hear a story of someone who has not only created their own opportunities, but has won big by doing so. Alicia Scott, CEO and founder of Range Beauty, is an avid researcher and savvy communicator who initially Googled her way into finding a solution to a problem that impacted not only her life, but the lives of other Black women: inclusive yet clean cosmetics. And her efforts took her to business and bankable success, turning $300 into $300,000 within the first three years of business.
The idea turned into a mission when Scott was working in the fashion industry and saw how Black models had to carry their own makeup kits because artists claimed they didn't have the tools to create looks on darker skin tones. "It made me think of the lack of shades available to us. On top of that I was dealing with eczema and acne-prone skin, so I wanted a line that wouldn't irritate my skin," Scott said in an interview with xoNecole.
"That was in 2014, [when] there wasn't as much of a clean beauty trend [around] as there is now. So when I would look for alternatives, a lot of the products that would come up were very fair shades. In doing more research, I found out about the issues with Black women being exposed to twice the amount of toxic beauty products due to the lack of products for our skin tone. Just thinking about how those ingredients were tied to breast cancer and hormone disruption, I just really wanting to create a solution."
Image courtesy of Alicia Scott
"I found out about the issues with Black women being exposed to twice the amount of toxic beauty products due to the lack of products for our skin tone. Just thinking about how those ingredients were tied to breast cancer and hormone disruption, I just really wanting to create a solution."
Google Me, Baby
Fast-forward to 2017. Scott knew she needed to do her research and used one of the best free resources available: the Internet. She was able to connect with a woman-owned manufacturer to help her create what she wanted to offer. "I didn't have the funds to work with a lab, so I skipped that step. I said, 'Well what can I do next?' I found a manufacturer by Googling what I wanted to create and came across a site called Cosmetic Index. It contains everything you'd need to start your brand. I knew I wanted one based solely in the U.S. and narrowed [the list] down to those that had detailed information. I then found her page, went through her website and Googled information about her. I called the number that was listed and went from there."
Scott's manufacturer already had experience in cultivating products for sensitive skin after personally dealing with the issue from a face surgery. "That was perfect because it was such a niche. I was able to speak with her and tell her what I wanted to create and the mission behind my line, and then work with her to get the line started. I was using calendula flower and chamomile extract [for the eczema] as a way to avoid having to use steroids which was recommended by the dermatologist. I want to be sure to keep oil at bay, so what can we use as an alternative. A lot of products that have mattifiers aren't great for our skin and can clog our pores so we talked about using French clay as an alternative. That's how everything started."
A starter kit with Scott's final formulation was sent to her home, and on her living room floor, she was able to create multiple shades of brown foundation. She came up with packaging, registered an LLC, and in 2017, Skinny Dip Cosmetics was finally born. The initial cost for the soft launch: $300. Revenue came in at about $1,000 in the first three months, Scott recalled.
Image courtesy of Alicia Scott
Social Media For the Win
Scott took the next step of building up a social media following, using yet another free resource to build her customer base, further launching Twitter and Instagram accounts for the brand. "One day, I took a picture of the product and posted it on Twitter, and one of the major influencers at the time saw it and reposted it with [the phrase] 'This is what you call Range,' and it just blew up."
She decided to close shop in order to rebrand and officially relaunched as Range Beauty in 2018. After the relaunch, revenues hit $20,000 and then went up to $45,000 by 2019. She was finally able to leave her 9-to-5 working in diversity and inclusion for a tech company, and by the end of 2020 she'd made $300,000 by the end of last year.
How was she able to scale in such a way to see big wins? More research, pitch competitions, and honest feedback. YouTube star Jackie Aina is behind a pivotal moment in Scott's journey to raise funds and continue building revenues. She revealed, "[Years ago,] I was following YouTube mogul Jackie Aina, and she posted that she was doing a grant competition for Black founders. I think the first prize was $5,000, and I was like, 'OK that's something cool.'"
"That was my first time applying for a grant or even knowing what a pitch competition was. From there, I looked into what I needed to have ready. I was already an avid watcher of Shark Tank, and I went online to search the commonly asked questions. After that, I applied, and I got into the competition. They flew us to L.A. and I pitched on her YouTube channel. I was one of two who won the grant."
After that, Scott said she got so much great feedback, that she kept applying for any grants she could, whether they were targeted to women-owned or Black-owned startups. It was at an event in Atlanta that she received direct feedback that led to a major pivot and more money for her business.
"[I participated] in a pitch competition with what is now called the Fearless Fund, headed by Arian Simone. At the time she was doing these individual pitch competitions. I applied, made it through the first two rounds, and then we went to the headquarters. I remember a judge saying, 'You have a good pitch and great energy, but when it comes down to your product, you're not telling us what sets you apart from your competitors.' At that time, Fenty had just launched, so me coming from this inclusive end saying, 'Oh we have all these shades,' and Rihanna launched with all these shades and had a whole campaign--- it's like, 'Oh, you can't really come from that angle anymore, so now what's next?'"
Switch Up and Level Up
Scott knew she had to shift her approach a bit to remain competitive and continue seeing success in getting capital. She knew she didn't want to get business loans, and she also knew she wanted to be able to sustain her company's growth. After much thought, she finally had a light-bulb moment.
"At the time, I wasn't speaking to the fact that I created this brand with eczema and acne in mind and with skincare benefits. There wasn't anyone doing that with inclusivity at the time. Once I switched the messaging and started applying that, everything started taking off. I joined New Voices [Foundation] family very early on after seeing Melissa Butler speaking on it. They would send emails that [informed subscribers] about different grant and pitch competitions and I'd just apply to all of them. I began tailoring my pitch and my application to the point where I was becoming a finalist. All in all I've received $50,000 in grant money, and I just received my first investment of $200,000 off of a pitch competition."
Range Beauty products can now be bought on the company's Website as well as in Target, a company whose relationship she's proudly maintained and cultivated since 2018.
Image courtesy of Alicia Scott
"At the time, I wasn't speaking to the fact that I created this brand with eczema and acne in mind and with skincare benefits. There wasn't anyone doing that with inclusivity at the time. Once I switched the messaging and started applying that, everything started taking off. All in all I've received $50,000 in grant money, and I just received my first investment of $200,000 off of a pitch competition."
"[By 2019] they saw me at the Essence + Target Holiday Market, and they introduced me to the accelerator team. I applied, and I was accepted for the March 2020 class. Going through the program and just receiving the welcoming I did--- the excitement about what I created---and having them say we want you on Target.com or in store was pretty validating. Even though I knew what I was doing was great for Black women for the community, having such an authoritative figure like Target say this is amazing...it was a huge thing for me."
Also, Scott counts the exposure her company received during the Black Lives Matter movement as a huge catalyst for her business growth. "To see our name pushed to the top of a lot of lists and receiving the exposure and having that followed up with different retailers reaching out, that was again, very validating. I ended 2019 and said, 'I want our sales to be at least 10K per month for 2020,' so ending the year at $300,000 in revenue was like, 'OK, this is what happens when I put myself behind this full force and full-time.'"
Find more about Range Beauty via their website or on IG @Range_Beauty.
Featured image courtesy of Alicia Scott
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Eva Marcille On Starring In 'Jason’s Lyric Live' & Being An Audacious Black Woman
Eva Marcille has taken her talents to the stage. The model-turned-actress is starring in her first play, Jason’s Lyric Live alongside Allen Payne, K. Michelle, Treach, and others.
The play, produced by Je’Caryous Johnson, is an adaptation of the film, which starred Allen Payne as Jason and Jada Pinkett Smith as Lyric. Allen reprised his role as Jason for the play and Eva plays Lyric.
While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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'Leave Quicker': Keri Hilson Opens Up About Learning When To Walk Away In Love
What you might call Black love goals, Keri Hilson is kindly saying, “Nah.”
In a recent appearance on Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast, the We Need to Talk: Love singer opened up about a past relationship that once had the public rooting for her and former NBA star Serge Ibaka. According to Cam, the pair looked “immaculate” together. Keri agreed, admitting, “We looked good.” But her demeanor made it clear that everything that looks good isn't always a good look for you.
That was all but confirmed when Cam asked what the relationship taught her. Keri sighed deeply before replying, “Whew. Leave quicker.”
It was the kind of answer that doesn’t need to be packaged to be received, just raw truth from someone who’s done the work. “Ten months in, I should have [left],” she continued. “But I was believing. I was wanting to not believe [the signs].”
Keri revealed to Cam that despite their efforts to repair the relationship at the time, including couples counseling, individual therapy, and even sitting with Serge’s pastor, it just wasn’t meant to be. A large part of that, she said, was the seven-year age gap. “He was [in his] mid-twenties,” she said, attributing a lot of their misalignment to his youth and the temptations that came with fame, money, and status.
“There were happenings,” she shared, choosing her words carefully. “He deserved to live that… I want what you want. I don’t want anything different. So if I would’ve told him how to love me better, it would’ve denied him the experience of being ‘the man’ in the world.”
But she also made it clear that just because you understand someone’s path doesn’t mean you have to ride it out with them. Instead, you can practice compassionate detachment like our girl Keri. “You can have what you want, but you may not have me and that.”
When Cam jokingly questioned what if there was a reality where a man wanted to have both “you and a dab of that,” Keri didn’t hesitate with her stance: “No,” adding, “I can remove myself and [then you] have it. Enjoy it.” Sis said what she said.
Still, she shared that they dated for a couple of years and remain cool to this day. For Keri, being on good terms with an ex isn’t a sign of weakness; it's a reflection of where she is in her healing. In a time when blocking an ex is often seen as the ultimate sign of growth, Keri offers an alternate route: one where healing looks like resolution, not resentment. “I think because I have such a disgust for ugliness in my life. Like, I don't do well without peace between me and everyone in my life. Like, I really try to resolve issues,” she explained to Cam.
Adding, “I think that's what makes things difficult when you're like sweeping things under the rug or harboring ill feelings towards someone. When you're healed, when you've done your work, you can speak to anybody when you've healed from things. I think maybe that's the bottom line.”
Watch Keri's appearance on Funky Friday in full here.
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Featured image by Paras Griffin/Getty Images