Today we’d like to introduce you to Chasity Monroe.
Hi Chasity, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a native Memphian but have been a New Yorker for the past almost ten years prior to the pandemic. My husband and I decided to leave NY in March of 2020 to get away from all of the “Covid Crazy” that was in NYC at the time and came to “break” in Memphis. You couldn’t have told me that we would be here for two years. At that time, we also got pregnant and had a baby!
Flashback to 2017, I was in grad school at Columbia University in an entrepreneurship class. As you can imagine, the course taught us how to think about, model, and fund businesses that could uniquely fill needs. I thought of many ideas during this time, but the one that stood out the most was this idea to pursue a Black-Owned Beauty Supply and Cosmetics Company that delivered top-notch customer service AND a luxe vibe/aesthetic. I shared this idea with a small few who encouraged me to pursue it, but life happened and it fell by the wayside.
Fast forward more recently to New Year’s Eve 2021, I was on the brink of beginning a juice business and some real estate deals that my husband was interested in pursuing as a family and it dawned on me that I have my own (pretty amazing) ideas that I need to pursue and I felt the urge that it was now or never. I told my husband, who initially didn’t get it at all (but soon came around), that I was going to go for it. The rest is history.
We will now be opening Pink Noire Beauty Supply and Cosmetics in March 2022 with our first location in Midtown Memphis.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Where do I start? My husband and I founded this venture 100% from our own pockets.
We took on a location that had not been leased in quite a few years and getting everything up to code was a HUGE challenge and costly. We also had to do quite a few renovations to achieve the aesthetic that we were going for. This is all while working full time, getting pregnant, having a baby, AND becoming a new mom.
Additionally, the vendors needed to secure inventory make it extremely difficult for Black women to open accounts. This was an arduous process that I am still going through. Finding staff has also proved difficult. We’ve come such a long way, however, and for that I’m grateful.
We’ve been impressed with Pink Noire Beauty Supply & Cosmetics, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a beauty supply concept that focuses on providing the right products and brands with exceptional service in a luxe atmosphere where Black women can feel valued and well serviced.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Life is too short to not follow your dreams.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@pinknoire.com
- Website: www.pinknoire.com
- Instagram: @pink_noire
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PinkNoireBeautySupply/
Image Credits
Rapheal Baker
