Today we’d like to introduce you to Keesha Clark.
Hi Keesha, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Of course! I am a mom, wife and entrepreneur and the proud founder of Born Noir, LLC, a nail cosmetic company based here in LA. I started Born Noir at the height of the pandemic and worldwide uprisings, shortly after becoming a first-time mom and losing my mother-in-law on the very same day. To get through this very dark time, I knew as a Social Worker and Therapist that I needed to be intentional about my self care practice. And as a trained artist and nail enthusiast, I started designing press-on nails for myself.
It was perfect! Nail salons were closed and the local retailers were selling the same boring designs. With support and encouragement from close friends and loved ones, my self-care practice quickly turned into a side hustle. My side hustle grew into a passion – a craving to achieve my lifelong dream of becoming a history-making, social impacting, and world-renowned entrepreneur. I put work, time, energy and resources into developing as a nail artist, learning the trade, creating the brand and building the community. And so Born Noir was, well, born! It was one crazy coincidence that a major marketing company found Born Noir that changed the trajectory of this small little business of mine. It was the opportunity to custom design 300 nails for HBO’s We’re Here premiere! It was my first bulk purchase and the first time I had a major deal on Born Noir’s table. It was a game changer and since, we have not stopped.
This June marks three years for Born Noir and we have accomplished so much! I truly cannot stop reeling about how far we have come and how much we have grown.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It certainly has not been a smooth road. I have been in the throes of building this brand and business while working a full-time job, raising a small child with a very small village, and many times on very little sleep. The biggest obstacle has been adjusting my personal life and meeting my personal responsibilities while realizing my vision for Born Noir. It is a full and overtime job to be the CEO and lead nail designer. Both roles require so much time and energy. I am learning every day and making mistakes in every way.
I struggle most with feelings of guilt, wanting to be the best mom, the best wife, the best relative and friend, the best entrepreneur and still be the best for myself. It’s exhausting and anxiety-provoking! So to overcome these feelings, I have learned to let go of the goal of perfection and, instead, focus on growth, being present, and practicing grace and self-compassion. It continues to be a bumpy road, but I truly believe there is no limit to what I can accomplish when I put my mind and heart to it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Born Noir is a mission-driven cosmetic company celebrating Blackness and genderless beauty. We specialize in hand-designing custom press-on nails and also offer ready-to-wear press-ons, vegan nail polish and self-care essentials and merch.
Our custom press-on nails are our core product because customers benefit from a nail enhancement technique that is reliable, reusable and requires no professional support. Each set comes complete with a nail application kit and fool-proof instructions. The nails can also be custom sized to accommodate clients with wider or more narrow nail beds. The sky is not the limit with Born Noir. We ship nationwide, to the UK and Canada AND we can deliver direct to your door here in Los Angeles.
To make it even easier for our avid press-on nail gworlies, we have added a new subscription-based Monthly Nail Club to have our designs of the month shipped direct on the 1st of each month. Custom sizing available, as well.
We are proudly Black and queer-owned and operated by artists and creatives of color. Our premium faux nails are hand-painted by professional artists based here in Los Angeles. We are expanding our artist community so we can continue to deliver high-quality custom looks for brand owners, content creators and artists across the globe.
We can’t forget to mention how we stan our Born Noir luxury polishes, which are 11-free and vegan, handcrafted here in sunny Southern California! Each polish is named for an affirmation, i.e., Born Dope and Born Powerful. They are safe for anyone of any age and perfect for anyone of any gender.
Even more, a portion of each purchase is donated to orgs committed to racial and gender justice like the ACLU, Trans Law Center and Planned Parenthood.
Our mission is to uplift and support BIPOC, queer and trans artists and people.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Risk is a part of life. It is essential to success, wellness and wholeness. I am a calculated risk taker most days and others I can be quite impulsive. As someone who leads with her whole heart, I recognize that I will never know the outcome of any decision before I make it, but I am confident in my ability to survive and thrive under any circumstance. I have been encouraged since early years to be a risk taker, and it has never failed me. Have I experienced failure? Absolutely! But I believe that in the end, all will be well and if it isn’t well, then it isn’t the end.
I encourage anyone reading this to trust your instincts, follow your heart and practice wisdom. Just like boats, we were not built to remain docked. We were built to navigate the seas, withstand the storms and experience all possibilities. Don’t be afraid to take risks, be afraid to remain in your comfort zone. Nothing worthwhile is ever there.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bornnoir.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bornnoirnails
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/bornnoirnails
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/born-noir-llc/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bornnoirnails
- Youtube: www.YouTube.com/@bornnoirnails
- Other: https://pinterest.com/bornnoirnails/
Image Credits
Nathalie Rodriguez Ashley Norton Kierrah Smith Zainab Mohammed
