Nichole Wright is a finance professional, wife, mom, and entrepreneur, from Charlotte, North Carolina. She founded Satrell Beauty to bring beauty products that are free from harsh chemicals to all individuals, and to make everyone feel beautiful in their own skin. We talked to her about what it was like breaking into the beauty business, how coming from a family of entrepreneurs influenced her, and how she makes it all happen.
Start by giving us a quick overview of Satrell and what sets Satrell apart from other beauty brands?
Satrell is a beauty brand that allows every woman to indulge in her beauty, creativity, expressiveness, and feel confident in her own skin. What sets us apart from other brands is that we’re adaptable, boundless, and fearless.
Where did the idea come from?
I’ve thought about being an entrepreneur for a long time and I held myself back due to my own insecurities. Once I got over my insecurities, I started to move forward with my plan to build a beauty brand that is named after my sons.
And did you always know you wanted to create a career in the cosmetics industry specifically?
No, but I did know that I wanted to be part of an industry where I could be creative and expressive. I realized I wanted to pursue the cosmetic industry because I was passionate about offering products that would allow women to showcase their personalities.
What was the first thing you did after making the decision to start the brand?
I took my time to research the industry. I had to understand what I needed to do on my end to compete in a very saturated market alongside popular brands.
Yeah it sounds like a tough industry to break into. What’s your favorite part of it all though?
My favorite part of the business is naming each shade of the products I have in my collection. I also love seeing how our customers interact with my brand on social media.
The name of your brand is a combination of your two son’s names, Samual and Dontrell- In what ways did your sons inspire you to found Satrell?
They inspire me by being their mom. Satrell would not exist if they weren’t here. I’m grateful for them and love the fact they didn’t mind me using their names for a beauty brand. They are focused on sports and know nothing about beauty, but I’m teaching them that it takes hard work and dedication to build something from the ground up.
Yes that is awesome that they’ve lent their names to your brand and I bet they’ll appreciate how cool that is one day! You also come from a family of entrepreneurs yourself- How did that influence you?
As I watched and listened to family members run or speak about their businesses, it made me realize that I could build something of my own one day. What I learned then and now know helped me move forward with starting my own business.
Which parts of your professional past have helped you be an effective CEO of your own company?
My background is in Accounting and Finance, so that helped pave the way for me to be an effective CEO of Satrell Beauty.
Is there a main piece of advice that you would give to a woman looking to start her own brand?
The advice I would offer is never be deterred from building a foundation. I wished I learned how to ask for help in the beginning stages because it’s a lot to try to do everything on your own.
It absolutely is! Speaking of which, what does a day in the life of a female founder and CEO look like?
My day starts at 7:30am so I can get breakfast made for my family, get my boys ready for school (virtual and/or in person), and confirm my work schedule to see what I need to accomplish for the day. My work schedule is flexible and spending time with my family is constant.
How has your work/life balance been affected by the pandemic?
The pandemic basically forced me to work from home and not be able to interact with people in person on a daily basis. It was challenging in the beginning because I suddenly became a teacher since my kids had to do remote learning. They rely on me and my husband to help them with questions they have about their assignments while we are also trying to juggle a demanding work schedule. Once this new school year (2020-2021) began, my husband and I had a game plan on how we would manage our time between work and the kids.
What are the most supportive things others have done while you run your business?
My family and friends support me by helping out when they can, buying products from me, giving feedback on my products, and telling others they know about my brand.
Do you have any plans for the future that you can share?
I’m still in the process of building the color cosmetics line of my brand, but definitely looking forward to creating a skincare line in the future. I’ve also considered creating an apparel line. Be on the lookout because there is more to come!