Viola Fox CEO, Erica Hardy, celebrated her fifth anniversary on July 7, 2019. Erica has shared her story with Minority Report featuring Black Owned Businesses in a prior blog post and since then, she has been working diligently to grow her brand and embrace the roll of a CEO.
Erica and her supporters are overjoyed by the milestone! Erica came back to Minority Report to share the insight she has gained through her determination to create an exceptional line of cosmetics as well as how she has stayed the course over the last 5 years.
Photo Credit: Viola Fox CEO, Erica Hardy
"It is my mission to inspire, and create a beauty culture that embraces love, to unify us by allowing us to discover and accept the beauty in ourselves and others. My mission is to continue to provide quality afford products while placing stores around the country which will in turn will provide jobs across the country," Erica stated. "Let's take back control of what beauty is, how its demonstrated, and how its perceived."
Erica's has always had a flair for fashion, an enthusiasm for cosmetics and a desire to succeed. She has persevered, after overcoming homelessness all while caring for her children. How... how did she find the strength to step out on faith and start Viola Fox Cosmetics?
She answered, "5 years later I'm still asking myself that same question. I didn't know what I was doing I just know what I wanted. I had no guidance, no one was willing to share advice. I did a lot of research and I just started."
"The very first thing I did 5 years ago was ordered Thank You ink pens and notebooks that I still have and will give away during the grand opening. They were the first things I held in my hand with my logo on it. I made a list of everything I wanted and then I circled everything I know I was going to stand firm on no matter what. Then I did more research but with my list I had more clarity as to what I was looking for and here we are, I literally feel like I jumped in the deep end of the pool and I just started floating."
Photo Credit: Viola Fox CEO, Erica Hardy
With her pens and pads, sis began to write her vision. Her plan came with its challenges , which she faced with authenticity. "I challenge myself to better than I did yesterday and refuse to stray from my values," Erica shared.
Photo Credit: Viola Fox CEO, Erica Hardy
Erica believes she has grown as an entrepreneur and with growth comes valuable lessons. "I have become a better person, I pray more, I [have] learned the true meaning of patience and perseverance. I can honestly say I've matured with my company personally and professionally. Things that used to bother me before about support from Facebook friends and having a better Instagram following don't bother me anymore," said Erica. "I realized that as long as I keep my head up and continue to focus on the growth of my company, those things will come."
Hardship. Doubt. Lack of experience. Friends who fail to support. These are some of the reasons many never pursue their passions. Erica didn't let those things stop her, she wants her story to inspire others as well.
"I also realized that my journey or my story isn't just about believing in myself; its about believing in something bigger than myself inspite of myself. I'm a woman with no makeup experience or background, a woman I thought was so ugly that children would pick on my son's for having such an ugly mom. Now I'm building a beauty empire with plans on changing lives by providing jobs and leaving a legacy behind for not just my grandbabies but one day someone will tell my story that will inspire a little brown girl."
Photo Credit: Viola Fox CEO, Erica Hardy
Forbes magazine reported that the beauty industry is a gold mine for self-made women. With Pat McGrath surpassing a billion dollars in sales and Wuzzam Supa selling a million dollars of her product in under 90 minutes, make up is clearly making a killing.
So where does Viola Fox fit in among the competition? When asked, Erica said plainly, "That's an interesting question and I'm not really sure how to answer but the first thing that came to mind was at the top with other top beauty brands. I may not be the best but I'm right up there. And comparing company backgrounds I wasn't popular or wealthy and yet I know the quality of my products deserve a spot at the top with the other top brand names."
Erica Hardy admires Pat McGrath Cosmetics, Ka'oir Cosmetics, and The Crayon Box Cosmetics and has the upmost respect for them. "This is not a game of competition among my own; it's about knowing where I belong and maintaining that position," she explained.
Now I'm building a beauty empire with plans on changing lives by providing jobs and leaving a legacy behind for not just my grandbabies, but one day someone will tell my story that will inspire a little brown girl.
No one is a success on their own and behind every success are advisers and mentors, advocating for their protégés and mentees - or so we are told. Many entrepreneurs start out fending for themselves with few willing to share their knowledge or expertise with potential competitors. Since starting her business, Erica has garnered beauty industry know-how and wanted to share exactly what she has learned.
1) Leave room for growth.
AND
2) Don't be afraid or ashamed to stand by my decision to make sure it's known my company is black owned.
What Erica has held onto as she has sojourned as a solo-preneur were not nuggets of wisdom from a master-mind group but instead were words from her great-grandmother, Viola. She instructed Erica by saying, "if you cant ride a horse, then ride a mule."
Photo Credit: Viola Fox CEO, Erica Hardy
Erica applied these words to business in various ways. "I couldn't afford to keep paying someone to create my graphics so I learned to do it myself. I couldn't afford to keep paying models so I modeled my own products. And so on and so on."
Erica was also told by her great-grandmother, "If they won't speak to your front, then you speak to their back," meaning if they won't speak to you in passing, you speak anyway after they pass you. Erica stated her grandmother's words helped her to keep my head up. She is aware of those who may not acknowledge her or Viola Fox products at first. She insists on pushing past the naysayers and presenting her brand.
"I do what I'm setting out to do I'm accomplishing my goal, rather they buy now or later I'm still accomplishing goals."
Five years and counting, Viola Fox's die hard customers can anticipate Erica Hardy to go hard or go home. Expect to see Viola Fox Cosmetics in malls located in major cities across the country starting later this year. Beginners and experienced MUA's will continue to enjoy Viola Fox's standard for quality and affordability, with an introduction to trendy, new, exciting, and innovative products in the future.
Erica never leaves home without her Peppamint Lipbalm or a Viola Fox Lipshine and you shouldn't either. Viola Fox cosmetics are 20% off with your coupon only found in the Ultimate Black Love Gift Guide.
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