Ashley Redwood - 1st Place Winner
Ashley Redwood is the Founder of Trap Cardio. Trap Cardio became an idea because she had struggled with weight issues as a child. When the time came to focus on her health, she couldn't find instructors that looked like her. They were either non-Black or very fit. Ashley felt they couldn't relate to her story. Trap Cardio started when Ashley weighed 280lbs.
It's a dance fitness class that mixes strength training with cardio to the hottest Hip Hop, Afrobeats, and Caribbean tunes. Beyond fitness, they create a safe atmosphere to encourage those looking to shed weight. They believe that to feel better about oneself means to begin from a place of love and not self-pity. In their classes, they refer to each other as "cousin." Trap Cardio promotes body positivity and encourages class participants to love their best selves. You'll find them working out in sports bras and leggings and often enter a "no t-shirt zone." They are planning their first retreat this October in Punta Cana. With a community of 15k+ followers worldwide, Trap Cardio is becoming a household name.
Jeannell Darden - 2nd Place Winner
Jeannell Darden is the Founder of Moisture Love. Moisture Love is a beauty brand that helps women love their curls more than they already do. Their high-performing vegan and cruelty-free formulas are created with a proprietary Hydralure Technology, which extends moisture that lasts for three or more days, that re-activates with a steamy shower.
This unique property reduces the time women otherwise would spend hydrating and restyling their hair. Jeannell is on a mission to educate women on adequately caring for their curls, thus helping more women confidently embrace their beauty. Moisture Love is not only a product but also a community. They've created a haven and a sisterhood where Black women can connect, support, and be themselves without judgment. They provide natural hair advice and encourage their community to focus on self-care and self-love.
Camille Banks - 3rd Place Winner
Camille Banks is the Founder of The Muted Home. The Muted Home is a collective vision of luxury home decor products meant to enhance and reimagine every area of a home. They're a family-run and operated business specializing in bringing their customers unique handcrafted luxury home goods intended to inspire families to reimagine and rediscover their surroundings and create Simple, Subtle & Stated touches from their family to yours.
The Muted Home started when Camille decided to showcase her personal home renovation and small details that they would add to their home. From there, her social media followers wanted the same for their home. Within six months, The Muted Home made $70k. In 2021, their revenue exploded to $351k. They plan to elevate and introduce more products by increasing their functionality.
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