Sharon Chuter walks a line between optimism and realism. But when she quit her job as an executive in the beauty industry to launch an inclusive line of products, it was an act of both.
Chuter was born in Nigeria, and as a young Black woman, she couldn’t find makeup that embraced her skin tone. Instead, in keeping with Western ideals, the products she came across were intended to change her—in other words, to make her complexion lighter. She could’ve written beauty off entirely, and cast its traditionally limited shades aside as emblems of a bigger problem. But she loved makeup, and loved the way it could make a woman feel like her best self. So, Chuter entered the beauty industry and learned about its structures from the inside.
She partnered with brands like L’Oreal, Revlon, and Benefit Cosmetics during an international career, but the realist inside her couldn’t ignore the disparity of products any longer. So in a spark of optimism, she created Uoma Beauty to fill a lack of Black representation in her field. Taken from her Igbo heritage as a platform for Afropolitan culture, Uoma (pronounced U-ma) means beautiful and is meant to celebrate identities that are too often on the fringes of that word. Its signature product, the “Say What?!” foundation, has 51 different shades to choose from—it’s now Ulta’s best-selling item after just a year of being on the shelves.
Given the breakout success of Uoma Beauty, it would be understandable if Chuter focused solely on building her brand. But in keeping with its message of diversity and inclusion, she started the Pull Up For Change campaign to get companies that publicly support Black Lives Matter to be transparent about the number of corporate and executive-level Black employees they have—and more importantly, to commit to hiring more. It’s a realistic act that has a feeling of optimism, too. That’s just what she needs to succeed.
How did you make your first dollar and what did that job teach you that still applies today?
I made my first dollar working for my mom in her restaurant. That taught me about salesmanship, hospitality, and that the customer is everything.
Take us back to the beginning—what was the lightbulb moment for UOMA Beauty and what inspired you to pursue this path?
There was really no “aha” moment, but more of a realization that I was spending most of my days complaining about the industry. I was genuinely unhappy with the lack of inclusivity and did not want to continue to be part of the problem. I wanted to be part of the solution, even though I didn’t know how. So I decided to take a leap and figure it all out later. And here I am!
What personal sacrifices have you made to pursue this brand and make it such a massive success?
I think the better question would be what sacrifices have not been made to pursue this path! My marriage, my friendships, and my social life all took a backseat. I am so busy that I completely forgot my mom’s birthday, and I remembered my sister’s only a month later—so I suppose it’s getting better.
2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success?
As an entrepreneur, pivoting is all we do—that's the main part of a young business. This change of life as we knew it happened at a time when we had the “luxury” of being able to pivot and not be tied to one way of doing things.
You are making a difference and pushing your industry forward with UOMA Beauty. How are you ditching unrealistic beauty ideals to redefine beauty, and how has your brand’s celebration of Afro-heritage been the key to its success?
I think it's about allowing everyone to show up as their true selves. Beauty is subjective, so it's about letting everyone be their own “beholder” and define their own beauty. That's what UOMA Beauty is: It’s a safe space, a judgment-free space, and a stigma-free space. There is no judgement and no benchmark of who you have to be. The only rule is to be respectful of everyone else.
Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams?
The word “confidence” is funny to me. I'm not sure how much of what I had before this moment was confidence and how much of it was naivety. I didn't think about the consequences, and that allowed me to be brave about decisions—had I really sat down and thought about the what-ifs, I would have been far more scared. Some call it confidence, some call it naivety, and some might even call it stupidity, but I think starting a company might be a combination of those three.
Uoma is one of the most successful new brands at Ulta and your “Say What?!” foundation has become its #1 best-selling item. But scaling so quickly hasn’t been without challenges. How have you handled that growth in such a short time? How have you built a team and a company culture that supports your vision?
It’s still a process. Especially when it comes to building a team, which doesn't happen overnight. But when you do find the right people, things get much easier. I don't get too attached to an idea, and I tell everyone I have strong opinions that are loosely held. I think this is the key to being an entrepreneur: We have to be malleable.
When you separate yourself from your job title and the bells and whistles of your business or career, who are you and what do you like to do?
I’m just weirdo. I’m a girl with a loud mouth who likes cartoons!
For those who haven’t started a business (or are about to) what advice do you have?
Really ask yourself why you want to start it. I hear a lot of people say they want to be their own boss, work their own hours, and I'm like, “What are you talking about?” You’re not going to sleep for two years. Consider if you truly want to start your own business, or you just need a hobby or a holiday from work. Because if you do decide to go for it, it's going to be really hard. That being said, it's absolutely worth the risk, but you have to understand what you’re going to be sacrificing. It takes an incredible amount of hard work to reach your goal.
What is the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make with money early on? What advice can you share?
Don't focus on how much you're making that you lose track of how much you have in the bank. You could be making millions of dollars in revenue, but the day you run out of cash you are out of business. Sometimes you're going to say no to revenue to secure your cash flow. That's so important. Cash is king!
If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now— what advice would you give yourself?
Stay on it. Do what you do and show up every day.
Fill in the blanks:
When I feel fear, I…
Keep walking.
To be successful, you…
Need to be yourself.
Three qualities that got me to where I am today are…
Resilience, optimism, and trusting the process.
The change I’d like to see in my industry is…
More fairness, quality, and inclusivity.
The craziest thing I’ve done for work is…
Quit my job! I don't think anything could top that one.
