To gear up for our Summit21 Conference this year in Atlanta, 21Ninety has scored exclusive interviews with some of this year's participants.
According to Jasmine Lawrence, creator of EDEN BodyWorks, her business aims to provide all-natural haircare products that combine wellness and beauty inspired by nature to restore and maintain the hair and body's original design.
Read 21Ninety's exclusive interview below:
21Ninety: Can you give us a little of your background?
Jasmine Lawrence: I currently serve as a Technical Program Manager on the Portal (formerly Building 8) team at Facebook. This team is building products that make it easier for people to connect with the ones they love most. I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, with concentrations in devices and artificial intelligence, from the Georgia Institute of Technology. I also hold a Master's degree in Human Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington.
21N: What inspired you to create EDEN BodyWorks? What was the vision behind it?
JL: At the age of 13, after attending a NFTE BizCamp, I founded EDEN BodyWorks to meet my own need for affordable natural hair and body care products. After almost 15 years in business, my products are available at Target, Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, Amazon.com, Kroger, HEB, and Sally Beauty Supply stores, to name a few.
Photo: EDEN BodyWorks
21N: How long have you been creating hair and body products? Was this always your chosen career path?
JL: I’ve been creating products for over 15 years. I originally wanted to be an engineer then learned about entrepreneurship as a teenager. I decided to pursue BOTH careers and focus my life on creating products that help people live their best lives.
21N: What was the process like in building the business and how long did it take to get it up and running? What inspired the name choice?
JL: The process started with making a business plan and doing research to understand people’s needs. I already had a few products created before formally starting my business, so the next steps were creating branding and packaging for them. It only took a few months to get started. The name is inspired by the Garden of EDEN from the Bible.
Photo: EDEN BodyWorks
21N: What kind of work goes into the process of creating these products? What types of ingredients do you use?
JL: There is a lot of research and learning involved. We learn about the useful properties of different ingredients and create different combinations to meet a person’s specific need. We use different parts from around the world. We also work to build a meaningful message around the product line that will resonate with a person beyond just talking about the benefits of the product.
21N: Which products were the most fun to create? Any favorites for clients?
JL: The most fun for me is styling products and seeing what styles are made better or possible due to a new product. One of my favorites is our Coconut Shea Curling Jelly for wash ‘n go’s.
Photo: EDEN Bodyworks
21N: What do you love most about the work that you do?
JL: I love connecting with the people who use my products and hearing about the way the products have positively impacted their lives. I also enjoy that it allows me to travel the world and be creative.
21N: What do you hope to gain from attending Summit21?
JL: I hope to be inspired by other incredible women and to be recharged by learning how others pursue their passions.
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