A Letter From An Entrepreneur: Jamal Abdulrasheed

My name is Jamal Abdulrasheed and I am the Co-founder of Magnolia Green, a grooming company based out of Indianapolis that is focused on changing the narrative surrounding men’s grooming and self-care. Made with nothing but authentic ingredients, our products represent real people with real stories.

Who We Are

Our small, family-owned business began in February of 2021 when we realized we hadn’t been taking care of ourselves as well as we could. The COVID-19 pandemic woke us up to the importance of self-care and self-prioritization, which leads to ultimate self-preservation. We set out to help men establish and rejuvenate their self-care routine with products they could take pride in.

 Long before the pandemic, our story began when we, two brothers, were only boys. We learned of love, perseverance, and hope while being raised beneath the cool shade of our late grandmother and her Magnolia trees. Our grandmother and family matriarch, Z.L. Robinson, left Mississippi and the Jim Crow South and pursued a new life in the Haughville neighborhood of Indianapolis. She was a lover of good music, and despite her struggle with Alzheimer’s and Dementia in her old age, she never forgot the words to a classic Al Green song. We have fond memories of enjoying Al Green music with our grandmother until her final days. Like the sturdy Magnolia trees and the power of Green’s soulful music, we strive to always celebrate our rich origins and familial legacy.

I think it’s important to share this background information on our brand, because it provides color and context for many of the initial considerations (and struggles) my brother and I faced and continue to face with Magnolia Green. From day one, we understood that branding is everything and that to build something that would last, we needed to be candid about who we are, where we come from and how we intend to provide value to customers beyond selling them another product.

In this short article, I’ll discuss how important branding was for us, how patience is a virtue, and how you should think of entrepreneurship and getting started.

Branding, Branding, Branding

I can’t emphasize how important it was for us to nail the branding aspect of our business. We spent weeks upon weeks choosing the exact color codes, the fonts on our labeling and website, our custom logo design and the names of our products. My brother and I wanted our products to feel nostalgic, while serving as a constant reminder that wellness was an important aspect of a man’s day, every time they walked to their bathroom sink to begin or end their day. This goes a long way because you never know what opportunities will present themselves to you, and when you’re branding is already A1, life is easier. We’re in talks with a major grocery retailer at the moment, and branding wasn’t something we worried about because we know we already nailed it. Branding is everything.

Patience is a Virtue

I am now a proponent of the idea that “the devil is in the details.” This was an early pain point for my brother and I, because paying close attention to detail required us to spend nearly nine months getting this business off the ground. Designing our labels was a painstaking activity, and required many prints and shipments until we got it right. Now, nine months may seem like a short period of time for some, but time can be relative when starting a business and in my head this seemed like FOREVER. But as a first-time entrepreneur, I quickly learned that there’s something to be said about picking up a project, putting it down and reflecting, and then picking it up again with a fresh set of eyes. We could not have come up with the ideas, and changes to existing ideas, if we hadn’t taken every day of those nine months to scrutinize every aspect of our business.  Patience is truly a virtue.

Getting Started

Many people want to be entrepreneurs but can’t seem to find a business idea that sticks. I’ve wanted to be an entrepreneur for years but could never think of that one “bright idea.” But through starting Magnolia Green I learned a key lesson that all entrepreneurs should take heed to. JUST START SOMETHING AND START LEARNING. I say this because honestly, I can’t promise you that Magnolia Green will become some massive success, that we’ll be sold in retailers nationally, or that we’ll bring in six-figure revenues each month. But what I can say is that I know how to build a business from the ground up. I know how to run the numbers, market the business, hire independent contractors, file sales tax forms, create and design a Shopify website, work collaboratively with a business partner, and more. And the list goes on and on. You can’t take these experiences and skills away from me. My point is that entrepreneurship is about the reps or shots you put up in the practice gyms. Maybe you needed to put up more shots to realize what that big business idea was! Because when an opportunity presents itself, you’ll know you have the arsenal to see it through.

You can shop our natural beard care line at MagnoliaGreenCo.com. You can also join us on Instagram live for Magnolia Mondays where we have important conversations regarding men’s health and wellness. You can hear from us, other men, and experts discuss how we can increase wellness in our lives overall. If quality beard products and an improved lifestyle are what you seek, Magnolia Green is for you. Together we will become the best versions of ourselves one step at a time.

Good luck with your entrepreneurial journey!

- Jamal Abdulrasheed, Esq. – Co-founder, Magnolia Green Grooming Co.

Follow Magnolia Green on Instagram and check out their website for products.

A Letter From An Entrepreneur: Lisa Slook

If you are, or are aspiring to be, an entrepreneur I know you feel me here when I say, “Entrepreneurship is like riding a roller coaster.”  Sometimes you’re up.  Sometimes you’re down.  You may scream, get butterflies, throw your hands up and may even want to throw up (maybe sometimes do!).  All along the way is the thrill of the coaster.  The feeling of breaking free and doing something that isn’t for everyone.  But – You…Are...Doing..It. You are there, hanging in from the first climb, dip, and launch around a corner, into the first loop through the twists and turns to the end of the ride.  Some maybe can’t handle the launch and retreat to the deck, some only hang on for one ride, while others ride this roller coaster until the end of days.

Hi! I’m Lisa and I freaking LOVE rollercoasters!

I took my first leap of faith as an entrepreneur a few years ago.  I ventured out on my own with an idea after experiencing so much stress, frustration, and resentment in my day job.  After a big breath and a solid support system, I went for it, had faith, and jumped right in.  I fell forward.  HARD.  In my mind, I didn’t succeed and get to where I wanted to go. 

It takes more than just an idea to propel you forward.

So I dusted myself off, learned a lot along the way, and went back to a “real” job.  Don’t get me wrong, I still love the people I worked with but there was always an underlying pull of – this is really not what I should be doing.  Do you know why things didn’t work that first time around?  It wasn’t my purpose.  It was something I was good at — as I have a knack for explaining really complex things to others — but it wasn’t my purpose.

            My other half, Allan, and I decided 4 years ago that we wanted to find a space to help other entrepreneurs grow while we grew the Real Estate Brokerage. YES!  Now, this was my language! How many lives could we impact and change?  Spent three years finding the space to have a beautiful office that we could not only run the Brokerage through but could also expand opportunities for other entrepreneurs in our community. 

In 2020, we opened a coworking space, The Ant Space, powered by Atlas Red Realty in Sparks, Nevada.

Our purpose is to elevate others helping them achieve their goals and purpose.  We are on a mission to help those in our community with a product, idea, or service expand their opportunities and businesses. 

We provide the space, support, and tools necessary to launch and grow. From providing a business address to maintain the privacy of using your home address, to fully utilizing the space and connecting with others, networking, and maybe even birthing a new venture through those connections. 

Our space is community-driven, open to those with a passion that is ready to be unleashed. 

Future events are planned to draw the rest of the community in to explore the businesses of our members and discover artists by showcasing their work on our walls. 

We created the space for people to connect. This is the space we dreamed of.  We have a passion for service and are fulfilled when serving others.  We are the support structure under the coaster car.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it.  It took a huge leap of faith to take out a mortgage for an acre of land and 15,000 square feet of space to make this into a reality.  Who am I kidding – it still IS faith we are relying on to get us to the next step.  We have had setbacks, gains, celebrated, and shed some tears.  You see, we went on one of those roller coaster loops over the last year hanging tight to our harnesses. COVID shut us down just weeks after we opened. We have never had an opening day celebration for The Ant Space, or an open house for the Brokerage. Soon friends, soon. 

Not only do I still rely on faith and the knowing that we will be ok, but we know that what we have created IS needed as we come out of this pandemic – I am learning to “lean in” to myself too.  Sometimes, it’s really tough to hold strong, to hold onto that faith, and then I teeter.  Then, I grow. 

I think that truly has been the lesson of the COVID year.  It has been a year I used to “grow”. 

Grow strength, grow my mindset, grow my faith, grow my trust in myself.  We grew our faith in our strength as a couple too.  I needed to grow and become more open before I could truly help others succeed.  To be real here, to those still reading – thank you – you are part of the growth process.  I have stepped out of my comfort zone (seriously) and grown through this writing.    

We are still growing as a business and have a lot left that we want to implement in our space.  We thought we had tackled every twist, turn, and loop in our business plan.  HA!  Were we wrong!  And, you know what?  Being wrong helps you grow.

            So, if you think you aren’t “made” for the entrepreneurship roller coaster, maybe you’re wrong and just need to “lean in” to what makes you tick and what your passion is.  You need to grow.  Take that leap of faith, move off the deck and hop in a seat.  Come along for the ride and enjoy yourself because there isn’t anything else like it.  We will see you in the front of the coaster!