Why the Motto 'Better Not Bitter' Changed Everything for Beauty Bakerie Founder Cashmere Nicole

After overcoming challenges at a young age, the makeup mogul is living the sweet life with her cruelty-free cosmetics brand.

learn more about Kristen Aldridge

ByKristen Aldridge

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Afeature interviewon Beyoncé's website gaveBeauty Bakeriefounder and CEO Cashmere Nicole the push she needed to expand her beauty brand, but Nicole's entrepreneurial spirit had been years in the making.

When Nicole became pregnant at 15, she worked tirelessly to put herself through school, relying on food stamps to keep her small family afloat.

While working full time as a nurse, Nicole decided to dive into the cosmetics industry, creating the brand's now-signatureLip Whip, a favorite with celebrities like Cardi B. and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas. However, her budding business was thrown a curveball when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. As a 26-year-old single mother, she battled constant fear, but her resilience would later inspire her company's motto: Better Not Bitter.

"I just hope to continue to spread the mission of being sweet and sweeting the lives of others," says Nicole.

Since her recovery, she has channeled her energy into creating products free of harmful chemicals that represent all skin tones and gender identities.

In 2017, Beauty Bakerie received $3 million in funding fromUnileverand has since expanded its products to online shops in over 120 countries and 750 brick and mortar stores, including Ulta and Forever 21.

Nicole's mission to spread love and give back is the key to her brand's success. "All of us contribute to that beauty of the world, and there is no one standard for beauty," she says. "Representing that in the brand really gives the customers a sense of home…They feel loved for just who they are."

In this episode ofHow Brands Are Born, follow Nicole's journey to sweet success and see how she overcame the odds to build a beauty empire.

How Brands Are Bornis presented byCardone Ventures, in partnership withOriginal Stories Media. Learn howGrant CardoneandBrandon Dawsoncan help your business transform and scale to 10X levelsHERE.

Kristen Aldridge

Founder of Original Stories Media, Journalist, Producer and Storyteller

Emmy-winning journalist and brand storytelling expertKristen Aldridgeis founder and CEO ofOriginal Stories Media,一个职业duction company that specializes in capturing the origin stories behind the world’s most impactful brands. With over two decades of experience in the media industry, she has created content garnering millions of views for hugely successful platforms including Entrepreneur, ESPN, ABC, CBS, Yahoo!, and SHAPE.

Passionate about all things entrepreneurship, Aldridge created the original digital seriesHow Brands Are Bornto shine a light on all the remarkable people changing the world one big, bold dream at a time. Her mission is to help leaders reveal their most authentic selves so they can more effectively unleash their vision, inspire their culture, and bring deep value to the marketplace.

Related Topics

More from How Brands Are Born

Why the Motto 'Better Not Bitter' Changed Everything for Beauty Bakerie Founder Cashmere Nicole

This Jewelry Company Is Using the Power of Words to Change Lives

The Future of Food: Beyond Meat Is Changing the Way People Eat

Editor's Pick

Meetthe Man Who Is Suing Meta for Trademark Infringement— and Isn't Looking to Settle
It's Black History Month. Here'sHow to Show Black Employees You Care.
Is Franchising Right for You?Ask Yourself These 9 Questions to Find Out.
If You UseAny of These Coded Words at Work, Your Colleagues Probably Don't Trust You
Business News

Rare Penny Sells at Auction for $1.1 Million. Here's How to See If You Have One in Your Swear Jar.

A 1958 penny with a minting defect had one collector shelling out a whole lot more pennies to add it to their collection.

Business News

Starbucks' New Secret Drink Ingredient: Olive Oil

Beginning this week, you can buy three beverages with olive oil as an ingredient at Italian Starbucks locations.

Business News

I'm a 'Ring Girl' at High-Profile Boxing Matches. Here's How I Landed the Gig and Use It as a Second Income.

Ring girls walk across the ring in boxing matches with flags that tell the crowd what round is next.

Health & Wellness

Want to Be More Productive? Stop Trying to Finish Every Task, and Do This Instead

If you only focus on your to-do list, you'll run out of the energy to complete it, says psychotherapist Katherine Morgan Schafler.

Business News

I Live on a Cruise Ship for Half of the Year. Look Inside My 336-Square-Foot Cabin with Wraparound Balcony.

I live on a cruise ship with my husband, who works on it, for six months out of the year. Life at "home" can be tight. Here's what it's really like living on a cruise ship.

raybet app

Don't Say It: These Are the Most Annoying Corporate Buzzwords, According to a New Survey

Over 1000 people were asked what office jargon they find bothersome (and bearable). Here's what they said — so that you won't.