'Inclusion is key': Minnesota entrepreneur creates new brand for Black girls
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - After working years in the retail marketing industry, entrepreneur Audra Robinson is working to fill a void.
"Rocky Robinson" is an animated character and a brand specifically made with Black girls in mind.
"I saw a gap and opportunity to create a brand that was unmistakably a black girl, with deep skin tones, highly texturized hair," Robinson explained. "When you walk down the shelf in those aisles, you don’t see brands that really are authentic and speak to that consumer."
On her website, digital content is structured to build confidence. And with a focus on personal care, each t-shirt and container of shower gel, lotion, and lip balm offer words of encouragement.
"On the back of the label, it reinforces girls, telling her that she’s beautiful and smart, so those messages are there so that she feels seen and she can see herself," Robinson said.
As a Black brand that's part of the start-up ecosystem in Minnesota, Robinson says inclusion is key.
"In addition to me being Black and the experience from a cultural standpoint - the cues that I take be it from music, entertainment, fashion, all of those things that make me - helps me bring a different perspective to the table."
In a competitive marketplace, Robinson carving her own path, hoping to inspire all young girls to dream big.
"There’s something about when you see yourself reflected be it in media, television, the products you use. When it honors you and it speaks to you, I just think that it really resonates."
For more information about "Rocky Robinson," click here or visit this website.