Today we’d like to introduce you to Nyakio Grieco.
Nyakio, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a first-generation American of Kenyan descent, born in New York and raised in Oklahoma. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the Entertainment Industry. I began my career as an assistant at a large talent agency, and after working at various companies and studios ended up working at a Management company.
I really loved working with actresses but found that my favorite part of the industry was actually the fashion and beauty aspect. I also felt that the continent of Africa was very underrepresented in prestige beauty.
Because I had learned some incredible beauty secrets from my grandmother Nyakio, who was a Kenyan Coffee Farmer and had the influence of my maternal grandfather who was a medicine man, I set out to celebrate the sophistication of Africa, using timeless natural ingredients, bottle my family beauty secrets and share these formulas with everyone.
In the beginning, I operated as an independent brand and learned how to be an entrepreneur by working as a founder, customer service, shipping, and receiving … teaching myself how to be an entrepreneur.
I launched my business in my 20’s before I was married with children, and created nyakio out of my apartment.
Several years later the business has grown, and in 2015 I was acquired by Sundial Brands, LLC (makers of Shea Moisture) and in 2017 Sundial Brands was acquired by Unilever where the brand lives today.
I still work on my brand every single day and am deeply passionate about clean and green beauty, sharing beauty secrets passed down to me by my family but also sharing the beauty secrets I have learned from my girlfriends and in my travels.
The brand is currently sold at ULTA Beauty and at Ron Robinson at Fred Segal Melrose, where I launched my original brand 18 years ago.
Has it been a smooth road?
In my entrepreneurial journey, I have had a lot of stops and starts. I have a real trigger to the word “failure” and look at those stop moments as a time to get up and try again. Although those moments have been deeply painful, they have also provided the opportunity to redirect my path and quite often into a better scenario for myself and my business. Those “stop” moments are a true time for growth, and it makes me have a greater appreciation for those happier times in business.
The majority of my struggles have really stemmed from not listening to my gut in making certain business decisions. I’m sure I could have saved myself from some of that “pain” I referred to, but in retrospect I choose to spend my days living in the present and learning from my mistakes, honoring my choices and trying to do better for myself in the future.
I’m sure, as an entrepreneur; I’m bound to have a few more “stops & starts.” It’s not the easiest journey in the world, but it’s one for me that brings me some element of excitement, enlightenment, and happiness, every single day…even the hard ones.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the nyakio Beauty story. Tell us more about the business.
nyakio is a clean and green skincare line that celebrates global beauty secrets from my family, my girlfriends, and beauty secrets I’ve learned in my travels. We ethically and sustainably source ingredients from 13 different countries around the globe. I believe that beauty comes from the inside out, and who you are on the inside truly radiates to the outside. I believe in celebrating those of us who have been underserved in beauty for so long. It’s empowering to be a woman of color, creating skincare for all women.
I also believe that this career of mine is bigger than “skincare.” I know that I was placed on this journey not only to learn but to inspire young girls, that they can follow their passion as well. nyakio is partnered with Girls Inc., an organization I am so honored to work with. I am deeply passionate about mentorship, as my mentors inspire me every day to follow my dreams. I am a mentor for Girls Inc. in their Operation Smart (STEM) programming because all girls should know just how great we are at math and science, and science jobs are FUN! I also serve on the board of Girls Inc. Los Angeles and am so proud of the work Girls Inc. does to inspire young girls to be strong, smart, and bold!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I believe the beauty industry will continue to move forward in creating clean and non-toxic beauty standards. My hope is that there will be even more women of color thriving, creating and succeeding in the beauty industry.
I look forward to the day nyakio is a global beauty brand sharing even more of what this world has to offer in clean and green ingredients. I see this brand doing great work for our charitable partners and creating jobs for many others. I also look forward to celebrating more women and their timeless beauty cultures with an even larger audience.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nyakio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nyakiobeauty/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com › Pages › Other › Brand › Health/Beauty
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/nyakiobeauty/status/1095085619167019008
Image Credit:
Photos taken by Jimi Patterson
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