Fanta Kaba (MBA’21) is the founder and CEO of Golden Roots Essentials, an all-natural holistic lifestyle brand focused on infusing skincare, self-care, and African culture to provide access to healthy skincare products.

Based in The Bronx, NY, Golden Roots Essentials began in 2017 after Fanta experienced a self-discovery process in her first trip to Guinea. “I was often bullied for my dark skin complexion and resorted to an array of beauty products in an attempt to conform to society’s standard of beauty,” she shared. “During this time [in Guinea], I learned how nearly 80% of beauty products marketed to black women contain toxic ingredients. I also learned that access to clean, healthy, and affordable products was an issue for so many of us.”

The biggest lessons she’s learned as an entrepreneur thus far are the importance of believing in oneself, executing an event when fearful of failing and building a community. “Trusting in yourself will not only get you through but will allow you to soar. If you fail, you will learn. Success is not linear but is a journey.  Having a community of supporters, mentors, and other entrepreneurs to go to also makes the journey a little more joyful and wholesome.”

At WashU, Fanta has found that community during in courses like The Hatchery and Digital Marketing. She shared, “[In the Hatchery], I learned so much about being a startup and how to get going. Professor Villhard and II inspired me to partake in pitches and witnessed me doing my first one at the Olin African Business Club Pitch Competition. My time in Professor Wall’s Digital Marketing class is also a highlight of my tenure at Olin. As an e-commerce business, I gained great practical knowledge to apply directly to my business.”

From these courses and as an entrepreneur, Fanta is continually evolving as a person and creator. “Through entrepreneurship, I have become more insightful as a person and businesswoman. I often think about various stakeholders and the impact of my decisions. I also love the new creativity it has sparked in me, from marketing to product development to even finances.”

In the coming months, Fanta plans to focus on branding and relationship building for Golden Roots Essentials. Golden Roots Essentials is also launching a new collection in July. Visit the Golden Roots Essentials website and Instagram instagram.com/goldenroots.essentials/ to explore the current product line.