Jennifer Rhodes was born with albinism, a rare congenital disorder that is marked by a reduced amount of melanin in the body. In addition to causing pigment in the body, melanin plays a role in the development of the retina. So, a lack of melanin can lead to a variety of eye problems. In Jennifer's case, she has been legally blind since birth with extreme nearsightedness.
Because people with albinism typically have light hair and skin, it can be challenging for women to find beauty products that look natural with their coloring. Jennifer decided to do something about it and founded Ivoree Beauty in 2020.
With the tagline, "for the fairest of them all," Ivoree Beauty’s mission is to provide beauty product options that did not previously exist for women with albinism. A beauty influencer and former make-up artist, Jennifer is extremely knowledgeable about the field.
Jennifer launched Ivoree Beauty with an assortment of light color lashes and has expanded to include hair extensions, wigs, lip gloss, and eye makeup. While her target market is women with albinism, she has also had interest from others looking for these types of products.
Today, Jennifer is the sole owner and operator of Ivoree Beauty. She works with vendors who produce the products customized to her specifications. Products are sold online through the website. She also designs the packaging, illustrates the artwork, and assembles and ships the items.
Jennifer started learning with Hadley in 2012 and has taken a number of courses over the years, including some on business in hopes of starting her own business one day. While working on Ivoree Beauty, Jennifer completed Hadley's Starting a Business program. She found the curriculum helpful because it provided a framework for organizing her thoughts, exploring considerations, and making a plan.
The competition judges were impressed by Jennifer and her business plan sharing," Jennifer has proven that she has the creative grit to grow her business into something bigger. Her niche is well defined, and she has a natural instinct for marketing. Even though her business is still at an early stage of maturity, Jennifer is forging ahead, and nothing seems to be stopping her."
With the $7,500 award, Jennifer will purchase an updated computer, expand inventory and create promotional social media content to take Ivoree Beauty to the next level. She is excited about this opportunity and shares, "I learned a lot through the application process. It has given me confidence."