Finance isn't exactly the background on a resume that most people assume lead to success in the beauty industry. However, the fabulous Nancy Twine launched her beauty line while still working in finance. Briogeo is Twine's brand that is now officially being carried at major beauty retailer (and killer of your paycheck) Sephora. Twine is now the youngest black woman with a brand represented at the store!
Speaking with the Cut about her experiences, Twine elaborates on how she made the massive jump from finance to beauty. While the entrepreneur has admittedly always been a "beauty junkie," she didn't begin with a desire to move into the industry. However, Twine doesn't discount her finance background. In fact, she gives her previous career a lot of credit for making her a success. Twine explains the career shift stating:
"It was definitely a very steep learning curve. I started out in finance, but by year five, I realized that even though I was challenged, the passion just wasn't there. It’s hard to think about doing anything long term if there’s no underlying passion for what you’re doing. I always liked math and business and knew one day I wanted to branch out to pursue an entrepreneurial path. Starting my career in finance really helped me to solidify those skills and learn a lot about project management, budgeting, strategy, business planning, and sales."
Twine's brand is especially unique as she is the youngest black brand owner with products at Sephora. Not only is she providing awesome representation for women of color in the beauty industry, but she's also passionate about expanding diversity and encouraging other women of color. Twine tell the Cut:
"As a woman of color in the beauty business, an important goal for me is to encourage other diverse woman to pursue their passions and to never feel hindered or disadvantaged by gender or ethnicity. There are a number of female leaders who have helped pave the way for diverse woman to be recognized for their skills and talents and I feel fortunate to be in a place where I've never felt like my background has put me at a disadvantage — or at an advantage, for that matter. I truly believe that it's hard work, passion, and dedication that make you stand out. And within the beauty business, specifically, I feel it's an equal playing field — with creativity, vision, and work ethic being the major drivers of success."
Twine's switch from the world of finance into the world of beauty seems like a large leap, but the entrepreneur's success appears to be directly related to her hard work and dedication. Briogeo is an exciting new addition to the fantastic brands at Sephora, and we wish Nancy Twine nothing but the best as her success continues to grow. Plus, check out the seriously cute packaging on this stuff!
