How She Launched It: Myleik Teele, Founder of curlBOX

MN: curlBOX isn’t your first business venture. You’re also the owner of a PR firm. What made you want to start another business?

Teele: I started another business because I noticed a serious need in the market and wanted to challenge myself personally and professionally.

MN: Did having a previous business make launching the second one any easier?

Teele: Yes. Having a business that not only survived a recession but also succeeded removed a lot of the fear that I probably would have had. If I did it once perhaps I could do it again.

MN: You recently mentioned that you just resigned all of your firms’ client accounts. What was the catalyst for that decision?

Teele: After two months in business, curlBOX began to demand my attention. The increased awareness and demand for the service brought me to the crossroad of making a decision a lot faster than I ever imagined. I decided that it wouldn’t be fair to my clients to not give them the attention they deserved.

MN: As someone with a PR background, what advice would you give a solo entrepreneur who is responsible for generating buzz for their start-up?

Teele: Having a PR background gives me a clear understanding of the value of relationships. Buzz always starts with a good product or service and then who says it “great” and how much influence they have. Work on building authentically solid relationships.

MN: There has been some talk within the natural hair community about new services that are similar to curlBOX. Do you feel threatened by that? Or, is it validation that you’re on to something?

Teele: Competition in any market place is great for the market. At this time, there is nothing on the market that provides the quality and value that curlBOX does. I don’t believe that there are any other brands that bring the level of service and products to our members like we do – our service is unparalleled.

MN: curlBOX has grown so much in such a short amount of time. Where do you see the business in one year? Five years?

Teele: At the end of the year my goal for curlBOX is to be established as the premiere service for curly hair while continuing to build awareness. In five years I hope to have established a brand that is the center of brown beauty conversations.

MN: Can you give us a hint at what natural hair lovers can expect from curlBOX in the near future?

Teele: Members can expect tons of surprises from some of their favorite brand and from some that they’ve been eyeing for a long time and simply haven’t gotten around to trying. We also plan on visiting many cities for some one-on-one time with our members.

Sakita Holley is the founder and CEO of House of Success, where she advises lifestyle brands on social media best practices, branding and traditional public relations strategies. Follow her on Twitter @MissSuccess.

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