Ndidi Obidoa and Chinelo Chidozie worked for nearly 3 years building the brand and the business behind what is now Bolden. It’s a collection of facial skin care and body care products for women of color that Obidoa and Chidozie believe will one day be well-known, affordable, and available to women around the world. Here, the beauty entrepreneurs share a profile of themselves and the brand.
Names: Ndidi Obidoa and Chinelo Chidozie, Co-Founders
Indie Beauty Company: Bolden
Launched: 2012
Headquarters: Calabasas, California
Cash flow: We are self-funded and own 100% of the Bolden business. And, our year-on-year growth is consistent: We have grown 5x in sales every year since we started selling in 2015.
Indie how? We think of an indie beauty brand as one with a unique purpose and independently owned.
Team work: The core of the business is still run by us; but we work with consultants and outsource a number of functions.
Distribution: Bolden is sold in the US and Canada, via our e-commerce site: boldenusa.com and at 200 Target stores and Target.com.
Years in beauty: about 7 years
Years at Bolden: 7
Entrepreneurial experience: This is our first company.
The business: Skincare brand making premium products that work especially well for women of color.
The wow-factor: Very few skincare brands have women of color as their primary focus; we were inspired by the absence of solutions in the marketplace that address the unique skincare needs of this segment. We are committed to making products that work really well for women of color.
The consumer: Our core customers are millennial women of color, who now have more options for their skincare needs.
Milestone moment: We made it to Target shelves in January 2019!
Advice for fellow beauty entrepreneurs: There is room in the market as long as you are solving a problem.
Just one: Asked about her go-to product, Chidozie say it’s our Bolden Sweet Vanilla Shea oil because it performs so many different functions! I use it to moisturize, remove makeup, as a shaving oil, and for my lips when dry.
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.