Some of the greatest entrepreneurs building incredible businesses are not household names. Diishan Imira, CEO of Mayvenn, appears to be on track to be one of those entrepreneurs. Mayvenn is a platform that enables stylists to supply their clients with the products they need. In Part 1 of his conversation with GHOGH host Jamarlin Martin, Diishan shares tips on being disciplined about press opportunities, focusing on the core business, and doing all the things you need to do to execute.
In the beginning of their conversation, Diishan and Jamarlin discuss how Mayvenn has not been a mainstay in the press. Diishan highlights how he likes to operate in quiet while focusing on building his business rather than running the risk of getting distracted by focusing on press opportunities. In his opinion, this has helped him to focus on growing the business rather than taking his eye off the ball.
Are you an entrepreneur and getting a lot of opportunities to do press and to be in the public eye? Here is a resource for you to filter through those opportunities and be sure you’re being strategic in pushing your business forward:
Seth Godin on How to Say “No,” Market Like a Professional, and Win at Life
Another key Diishan shares is the importance of selling. In his case, he highlights how he got his start selling hair extensions out of the trunk of his car. He believes that getting his start selling out of the trunk is foundational to what he knows about the business. In his opinion, some of the best entrepreneurs get their start selling this way.
Listen to GHOGH with Jamarlin Martin | Episode 47: Diishan Imira
Jamarlin talks to Diishan Imira, founder and CEO of Mayvenn, a platform that empowers hair stylists to take back ownership of the beauty market.
Have you developed a business idea and are trying to think through sales? Here are some resources to get you started on selling your product:
Diishan highlighted how important it was for him to build a distribution channel where he could have a platform that stylists who signed up for Mayvenn could use to sell hair to their customers. The cheat code for Dishann in building this platform was in the platform being able to sell anything beyond hair.
If you’re trying to figure out how you can build an effective distribution channel for your customers here is a resource to check out:
How to Create a Distribution Strategy That Actually Makes Money
Finally, Diishan highlights the importance of Black folks working through the trauma we have experienced over centuries so that we can look back over our history and get the tools we need to take a long-term view on building together.
Looking for resources to get a better sense of the history of Black people? Here are some to get you started:
Black people have what we need to build incredible businesses. It’s vital that we remain focused in the pursuit of fulfilling our potential and work through the things that may keep us from our potential. Diishan offers some fantastic keys that will put us in a position to reach that potential. Let’s GHOGH!
Kwame Som-Pimpong leverages relentless research, a knack for connecting dots, human-centered design approach, and effective communications strategy to help organizations realize their strategic objectives. Over a 10-year career, Kwame has supercharged grassroots political organizing efforts, assessed the effectiveness of U.S. federal agencies, managed an international program, founded a digital media startup, and advised government agencies on delighting their end-users. He earned a BA in Political Science from Davidson College and Master of Public Administration from the University of Georgia. He can be reached at kwame.som.pimpong@gmail.com.
