The Brains Behind The Beauty Business: Desiree Verdejo x Vivrant Beauty

Big risk often lead to success, and owner of Vivrant Beauty, Desiree Verdejo is proof of this. After seven years, the former attorney and Harlem native decided to leave corporate America to open the beauty boutique in the heart of her own community. The beauty retailer has created a buzz in the industry, offering both a brick and mortar and online retail experience catering to the hair, skin, and cosmetic needs of women of all skin tones. 

So how does Desiree juggle it all? Read on to get the details on transitioning to entrepreneurship, the process of starting a business, and what goes into selecting a brand to put on the shelves.  Desiree shows no signs of slowing down, and we are totally here for it. 

Name: Desiree Verdejo

Location: New York, NY

Title: CEO and Founder of Vivrant Beauty

Education: BA International Business at Fairfield University; American University, Washington College of Law

What was your first job out of college, and how did you land it? How has your career path changed since then?                                                                                                   

I graduated in 2004 with a degree in International Business and I thought jobs would be lined up. I’d also toyed with the idea of going to business school or law school. Ultimately, I ending up getting a position as a marketing assistant at a pharmaceutical marketing company through a staffing agency. I realized early on that that wasn’t the field I wanted to be in so I enrolled in law school after a year there with the goal of focusing on corporate matters.

Your background is in corporate law. What initially interested you in beauty industry?

I’ve always been interested in beauty. My family is filled with women who are very lady-like and beauty oriented, so I’ve always generally known beauty. I had an interest in products at an early age and when I was a teenager I really got into skin care products. Five years ago I went natural and that was a whole new journey of me discovering a ton of new products. I’ve always liked discovering new products and ingredients. Beauty has always been a hobby for me, and a few years ago I realized this is something I really enjoy and really love talking about. So everything kind of worked together and pushed me in this direction. The industry is really cool right now. Women and people of color are taking their space in the market.

Describe the process of starting Vivrant Beauty. What were you doing before you started the company? What led to taking the leap into the entrepreneurial world?      

This has been a slow journey. I’ve had this idea for at least five years. I was working at a large law firm then I joined a smaller firm and at that point I wasn’t mentally or financially ready to take the leap. While still at the firm, I started a blog and constructed my business plan. The blog allowed me to network with different bloggers. It was a way for me to focus on ingredients, trends in the market, and attend different conferences in the field. Those were the little things I started to do while at my firm to feel like i was getting close, and remind myself of my interest.

What hole in the market are you hoping to fill?                                                                               

As a woman of color, if I fill no other holes I need Vivrant to be a place where women of color can come in and feel catered to. Women of every color. I think there are a lot of great beauty retailers but there isn’t a place I can go to purchase my shampoo, curling creams , and find options that suit my skin tone. I think we need to bring quality beauty to Harlem generally – so that’s what I’m hoping to do.

Owning your own business can be a huge risk financially. What steps did you take to get yourself ready for this new venture?         

I moved really slowly for that reason. It’s hard to leave a stable job at times. I took out a loan. That was the biggest thing I did to give myself a cushion. I also did it at the right time. My husband and I planned to make sure that we were ready to take the jump. There’s such a hard balance between not taking the leap and being very prepared.

Tell us about the logistics of opening Vivrant Beauty. How did you go about finding your space (in the crazy real estate market)? How much time did you need between signing a lease and opening doors to customers? Were there any major hiccups in construction or design that, looking back, could have been avoided? What would you do differently if you had the chance?      

Harlem is so expensive. I live in Harlem and I’d been paying attention to different areas in the neighborhood for years. What’s funny is, despite all that preparation, I hadn’t considered the space I ended up in. Despite all my planning I kind of stumbled upon this space.

The process of securing a lease was another challenge.  Fortunately,  I was able to sell being a lawyer and understanding business to my current landlords but I still had to leave a hefty security deposit because of my lack of direct retail experience.

Construction was very stressful because I’m a very detailed person. I had a six-week time period that I gave myself where I wanted to be finished with construction. It was a process! If I did it again, I’d certainly hire a designer. Some of the mistakes I made were costly. The details didn’t start to come together until the end and that was a scary feeling. My advice to anyone decorating their business, especially if you’re doing it on your own, is try to do your planning and make materials purchases before you begin because once it happens you’re just moving full speed ahead.

How do you see the business evolving in the next few years?                                             

I’m trying to sit back and let some of it be organic. I hope that Harlem continues to embrace Vivrant Beauty. Also,I’m really focused on growing our online shop. New York women have been very supportive of our business but so have customers from the South and midwest so I’m enthusiastic about that growth.

You were born and raised in Harlem. Why was it so important for you to open the store here instead of elsewhere?                                                                                                                        

I know Harlem so well – I was raised here. I’ve lived here with my husband for six years. I know what’s changed and what stays the same. I pay attention to the restaurants that are opening, I see what people like and what we Harlemites don’t respond to. It was easy for me to evaluate Harlem because I have a strong connection to the neighborhood.

What is your staple beauty product?                                                                                                

I have to give you a staple hair and a staple skin product. One of my staple hair product right now would be Davine’s Love Conditioner- it’s really hydrating and perfect for dry, curly hair.

It’s a line I just discovered this year. It treated my curls really well. As for my go to for skin care, I’m really loving the Ren Glycolic Lactic Mask. Glycolic acid is great for treating hyperpigmentation and fading dark scars and I love the noticeable results from this masl.

How did you learn about running a business such as budgeting, filing taxes, marketing,web development, store planning, etc?                                                                          

I’m learning on the job. The website, for example, I built by myself but I’m learning tidbits about coding and SEO as I go along. Thankfully, I have a great network of people to reach out to because there are more things that you don’t know than that you do. In the beginning I was scared and embarassed to ask for help but now I reach out and ask for everything (and I love sharing the lessons that I’ve learning in exchange).

How do you go about picking the brands that are featured in your store?                           

I care about effectiveness overall. I love packaging – the products should jump off the shelves.  I love the stories behind the brand – my customers always ask me about the owners and where a certain product is from.  Vivrant Beauty is also committed to filling its shelves with natural products, women-owned brands and products created by people of color – things that we need more if in the beauty market overall.

Can you tell us more about your team? Do you have people on your team or are you a one woman show?                                                                                                                                

The team is mostly me but it’s certainly not me acting alone. We have two eager interns and a beauty-loving sales associate with entrepreneurial ambitions.

What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about branching out and taking that leap into entrepreneurship?

My advice is do it and do it now. It’s not always easy to quit your job but there are steps you can take like planning, researching, and seeking advice from others. There may be something holding you back but start planning and doing it now. When the time is right you want to be ready for it.

What advice would you give your 23-year-old-self?                                                                        

I would say girl, it’s going to be okay. I was in law school. I enjoyed law school but there was so much pressure to be number one. There was always this feeling that you’re not doing enough. There was a lot of questioning “am I going to be able to succeed?” so I would definitely tell myself – “Girl, it’s going to be okay.”

Desiree is Black to Business…

Dream splurge:

I did a lot of traveling as a student. I traveled to Thailand during my last year of law school, very much on a budget so my dream splurge would be to go back to Thailand stay for two weeks and not have to think about prices.

Happy Hour or Brunch? 

I love brunch. I’m a brunch person. Happy hour is a nice idea, but I’m never done at 5 so definitely brunch!

Happy hour drink of choice ?

I’m usually a rum girl but right now I’m enjoying tequila and mezcal so I’d say a good mezcal  margarita.