Tracee Ellis Ross: Understanding the Diversity of Humanity is Good Business
Listen to and follow the 'BoF Podcast': Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast
Background:
When Tracee Ellis Ross launched Pattern Beauty in 2019, she set out to challenge the beauty industry's lack of products for curly, coily and tight-textured hair. Despite numerous obstacles, including scepticism about market viability and systemic biases in the product testing process, Ross has built Pattern into a leading haircare brand addressing an underserved market.
'Black beauty and textured hair was not being mirrored back as a celebration but instead it was a problem,' Ross shared. '[Pattern] is to allow people to have the access to their most beautiful hair and self in their own bathroom as opposed to having to always trust a professional.'
During her conversation with BoF founder Imran Amed at The Business of Beauty Global Forum 2025 in Napa Valley, California, Ross shared her journey from Hollywood actress to entrepreneur, detailed the systemic changes she's driving in the haircare industry and emphasised the importance of humanity in business building.
The author has shared a YouTube video.
You will need to accept and consent to the use of cookies and similar technologies by our third-party partners (including: YouTube, Instagram or Twitter), in order to view embedded content in this article and others you may visit in future. Accept
Key Insights:
Ross described her early struggle with understanding and accepting her natural hair as a deeply personal and emotional journey. 'Making sense of how my hair grew out of my head was difficult,' she said. 'I had to master and understand and gain a sense of love and celebration in my hair.' This experience became the foundation for her brand Pattern, which aims to shift the narrative around textured hair from one of difficulty to one of pride and empowerment.
Ross articulated how the standard beauty narrative has often required Black women to erase parts of themselves to be seen. 'There's a part of beauty and beauty culture that has been about erasing who we are in order to fit in,' she said. Through Pattern, she seeks to change that narrative by celebrating individuality and authenticity: 'I want people to have their hair. They just need the right products to support their hair. That's what doesn't exist.'
Pattern was not an overnight success born of celebrity privilege — it took a decade of perseverance, rejection and self-education, Ross said. 'There's this myth that I was this famous actress who had lots of money to start a company — garbage,' she said. 'I'm a Black actress in Hollywood. Let's be clear about my finances.'
While products are at the heart of Pattern, Ross stressed that her brand is rooted in community, identity and purpose. 'Pattern is about allowing people access to their most beautiful hair, their most beautiful self, in their own bathroom,' she said. 'You have an opportunity to take all that wasted space not serving this customer and turn it into money, purpose, and value.'
Additional Resources:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Guggenheim Raises PT on Spotify (SPOT) to $840 From $725
Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) is one of the 13 Best Long Term Growth Stocks to Invest in Right Now. On June 25, Guggenheim analyst Michael Morris maintained a Buy rating on Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT), raising the price target to $840 from $725. The firm reported that it updated its model as the end of the second quarter approaches to account for the social charges and currency changes associated with the 36% share appreciation since March 31. A person wearing headphones listening to an audio streaming service. The analyst also told investors that the firm believes that the mid and long-term growth at 'the global streaming audio leader remains intact.' He supported this optimistic outlook for Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) by citing potential tier expansion, core pricing power, the early-stage commerce opportunity presented by app-store changes, and the expanded delivery of audio formats led by podcasts and audiobooks. Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) provides digital music services. The company operates through the Premium and the Ad-Supported segments. While we acknowledge the potential of SPOT as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money. Disclosure: None.
Buzz Feed
12 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Money-Saving Skills That Will Save You Thousands
In this challenging economy, I'm always looking for ways to save money. Whether it's taking on DIY projects or learning how to spend less, simply knowing a few valuable life skills can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. If you're looking for a few economical hacks, you're in the right place. In one Reddit thread (which you can see here), people shared the simple and inexpensive life skills that basically made them richer, and I'm honestly going to look into some of these for myself. Ahead, I've rounded up 18 of the best skills: "I learned how to cut my dog's hair during COVID, watching videos on YouTube." "Dog grooming costs a good $70 every 2 months or so over the lifetime of the animal. So my dog has an uglier haircut, but I save thousands over the course of its life."–EarlyAd3047 "Simple handyman jobs. Get some basic tools and look up YouTube videos to save you from hiring a tradesman." "Doing 20 to 30 minutes of exercise daily will save you thousands in health costs down the road." "Cooking. It's not that hard to follow a recipe to get some decent meals." –FailedMaster "Basic sewing. Buttons, turning up trousers. So many people throw something away because it doesn't fit properly or the buttons come off." "How to budget and track expenses. Knowing where your money goes can prevent surprise overdrafts and debt." "Flossing properly. No more cavities or bleeding gums." –Thin_Pitch_4515 "Downloading digital coupons at home before you go to the grocery store." "I am a tax accountant, and I'd suggest doing your own taxes. The key is understanding when you have a complex situation. Most people without businesses or rentals can just do them online." "Learning how to make your own coffee." "A shit coffee machine is less than $30, and it'll make you coffee for as long as you take care of it. A French press will run you half that, and an electric kettle will run you less than the other half of $30. Paying more than 30 cents for a cup of coffee is wild. Do it yourself and stop paying $5 a cup for it."–theBJbanditO "Basic car maintenance — oil change, tire rotation, replacing filters. Saves a ton over time." "How to Google. But I'm serious, though. Knowing how to format a word or a question is extremely important to learn if you want to find answers. Also, if you don't even know what question to ask, knowing how to find enough info to inform yourself to ask the right question is important too." "Learning how to shop — whether it's groceries or general goods." "Small things like being able to compare prices by looking at price per ounce or unit instead of total cost. Taking the time to look over sales ads. Using manufacturers' coupons. App discounts. The list goes on. So many people mindlessly shop and get into a routine, and they don't realize how much they could save if they tried to."–buckeyebob45 "Basic retirement planning. You can save yourself thousands or even hundreds of thousands with a basic understanding of investing for retirement." "Mastering the phrase, 'let me think about it and get back to you.' Saves money and regrets." "Cycling. It takes some effort to figure out how to cycle around a city that's primarily built for cars, but the economic side is so worth it." –OldCadillac "How to negotiate your salary, or more precisely, how it's okay to try and negotiate your salary. Seriously, you can learn the basics in less than two hours, and it will earn you hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars each year for the rest of your life if you apply it." "Learned to cut my own hair. I bought a $45 cutter 10 years ago, and haven't gone to a barber since. At less than $35 a pop every six weeks, I figure I've saved over $3,000." Do you have a money-saving life skill that belongs on this list? Let me know what it is in the comments!
New York Post
14 hours ago
- New York Post
This is the rudest thing you're doing everytime your meet someone new — and it causes instant dislike
It's the common question that's an instant connection killer. When meeting someone new, it's not unusual to enquire about what that person does for work — but a body language expert says it's a surefire way to get off on the wrong foot. Vanessa Van Edwards, the author of 'Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People' made the claim in an interview on The Diary of a CEO podcast, which has resurfaced after being recorded last year. Vanessa Van Edwards, the author of 'Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People' made the claim in an interview on The Diary of a CEO podcast, which has resurfaced after being recorded last year. Youtube/ The Diary Of A CEO 'Stop asking 'What do you do?'' Van Edwards declared. 'That is telling them their brain can stay on autopilot. Asking someone that question is really asking 'What are you worth?'' Because you may be subtly sizing up your new acquaintance with such a query, the expert asserted that the question is impolite. 'If someone's not defined by what they do, it's actually a rude question,' Van Edwards stated. 'You can replace it with 'Working on anything exciting these days?' or 'Working on anything exciting recently?' She explained that such questions allow people to answer in the way they feel most comfortable, possibly opening up the conversation to create more possibilities for connection. While most may choose to discuss their occupation, others will use the questions as opportunities to speak about an exciting hobby they are working on or a holiday they are planning. 'This is permission connection,' Van Edwards said. 'You ask someone that question, you are giving them permission if they want to tell you about what they do.' Diary of a CEO podcast host Steven Bartlett is pictured. Youtube/ The Diary Of A CEO Van Edwards has also made headlines for revealing the questions you need to ask a spouse if you're in a struggling marriage. 'Ask, 'What's going on? Are you OK? What are you feeling? I want to be here for it.' Because then you're giving air to whatever that contempt is so that it can be addressed,' the communications maven told The Unplanned Podcast earlier this year.
