428: How KIN Apparel’s Founder Turned a Dorm Room Side Hustle Into a $10 Million Business

This week in the guest chair I have Philomina Kane, Ghanaian-American entrepreneur and content creator. In 2017, she graduated from Princeton University and began to cement herself as a haircare YouTuber.

Garnering a following of nearly 200,000 subscribers, Philomina became a guiding force, empowering Black women to embrace and care for their natural hair. After building a strong brand and loyal following, Philomina founded KIN Apparel, a brand dedicated to crafting satin lined hoodies and hats for both hair protection and comfort.

In this episode she shares about: How the innovative approach of KIN Apparel caught the attention of Shark Tank landed a six-figure deal with SKIM’s founding partner Emma Grede Her desire-driven approach to marketing and how leading with offering a solution to a problem has hooked her audience Reaching over $10M in revenue while continuously navigating challenges like fulfillment centers and a changing financial landscape Highlights include: 00:00 Intro 03:15 From the Bronx to Ghana 07:30 Building a following on YouTube 14:50 Founding KIN Apparel 20:00 Transition to full-time entrepreneurship 27:00 Benefits of vulnerable marketing 32:00 Financial journey- grants and funding 41:00 Navigating the changing financial landscape 44:00 Shark Tank experience 47:00 Challenges with fulfillment centers 57:00 Tips for entrepreneurs Links mentioned in this episode KIN Apparel: KIN Apparel Instagram: LEDA Program: Science of Black Hair: Hello Alice: Black Ambition: New Voices: Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): Announcements Join our Facebook Community If you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: Guest Social Media Info Philomina’s YouTube: Philomina’s Instagram: Philomina’s TikTok: Hosted on Acast. See for more information.