Meet Leslie Roberson | CEO | Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leslie Roberson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leslie, what’s the end goal, career-wise?

When I’m upon retirement, I want to look back over my career and know that I had a direct hand in creating, at least, 25 Black women millionaires.

Systemic inequities, barriers and racial disparities are the symptoms of the massive racial wealth gap in our country. That gap disproportionately affects Black women at alarming rates when it comes to equal pay, access to capital and fundraising. By investing in Black women founders, I hope to be a conduit to generational wealth and economic parity for the Black community through increased ownership, specifically those within the beauty industry.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

For the past 10+ years, I’ve worked across three areas. The first being in corporate where  I worked for several large organizations such as EY, CNO Financial and Meta in talent acquisition focusing on diversifying teams. The next area is modeling. For more than 13 years, I’ve been a catalog model and I’m currently with Chicago-Select Model Management. Lastly, I’ve been an entrepreneur. Prior to launching the Black Beauty Collective, I founded a luxury linen rental company, The Velvet Collection. I had the opportunity to sell the business to another Black woman founder.

Nearly a year ago, I launched the Black Beauty Collective. A beauty retailer that features brands that are 51% or more Black owned. I decided to launch this business because I saw ownership discrepancies in the beauty industry, largely due to the lack of funding for Black owners. We provide support by providing beauty brands access to retail space, community and resources that they otherwise may not have access to on their own.

I am most proud of the work I’m doing with the smaller business owners. I have become a thought partner, mentor, and champion for their success. I am excited about the growth the business is experiencing and we’re making changes that align with the success. We’re opening our Collective to feature more BIPOC-owned brands to highlight that we’re a marketplace where consumers from various backgrounds can find inclusive beauty options.

What do I want the world to know about my brand? That BBC represents many amazing brands and entrepreneurs that are making great strides in the beauty industry to eventually become household names..

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

OMG, Chicago is an amazing city. Hopefully, my friend is visiting during the summer – just walking the lakefront is beautiful with the city skyline.

I would definitely take my guest to hang out in the 19th coolest neighborhood in the world, Hyde Park. It’s rich with culture, the home of the Obama family prior to the White House. Also, the University of Chicago has a great influence on the community.

We would eat at Virtue, owned by award winning Chef Erick Williams. We would visit several Chicago retail staples, Silver Room owned by Eric Williams and Recycled Modern, owned by Shari Currie. Of course, a visit to Hyde Park wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Black Beauty Collective.

Outside of our Hyde Park visit, there are several brunch spots, museums, neighborhood bars, and more on the list.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my family. They have been incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout my entire journey, always believing in me and cheering me on every step of the way. I am truly grateful for their love and unwavering support.

Website: www.blkbeautycollective.com

Instagram: theleslieroberson/blkbeautycollective

Linkedin: Leslie Roberson

Facebook: blkbeautycollective

Image Credits
Darren Lykes, Erica Bracey