Black Business Live Podcast · All Things Black and Beautiful

The CEO Who Said, 'I'll Do It Myself'

·41 min·4 clips

After her mother died from breast cancer, Kim Roxy discovered 75% of beauty products marketed to Black women are toxic.

Kim Roxy, the founder and CEO of Lameek Beauty, joins the Black Business Live Podcast to discuss her journey in the cosmetics industry. The hosts, Tolu and Belva, engage her in a conversation about building an inclusive brand from the ground up. Roxy is a Black entrepreneur operating from Tulsa, Oklahoma, the historic home of Black Wall Street. She founded Lameek Beauty after her mother passed away from metastatic breast cancer, motivated by a statistic that 75% of beauty products marketed to women of color were toxic. The brand's name is an acronym for "love and makeup and kindness," serving as a personal affirmation Roxy used after being diagnosed with a form of alopecia. Her initial experience in beauty came from opening a makeup shop in a Houston mall at age 21 with $10,000 in savings. Lameek launched nationally in March 2020 via direct e-commerce and live shopping shows on Facebook. The brand secured placements on Ulta.com, JCPenney.com, and Nordstrom.com after winning a pitch competition. It also launched in 35 Hy-Vee stores in the Midwest and conducts trunk shows, a first for JCPenney Beauty with an independent brand. Roxy raised $50,000 through a rewards-based crowdfunding campaign on iFundWomen in 2019, as she cites the extreme difficulty for Black women in raising venture capital. She defines Black Excellence as a normal, everyday reality exemplified by the community in Tulsa, not a rare fantasy. A memorable moment involved her calling a stranger in San Francisco for a makeup artist referral, only to discover the woman was an early contributor to her crowdfunding campaign. She hosts delegations and walking tours in Tulsa to educate visitors on the history of Greenwood and Black Wall Street. Her contract manufacturer is based in Houston, Texas, allowing her to produce in the U.S. and offer lab tours to young girls for STEM exposure. Roxy actively shares business strategies, grant opportunities, and tips on her social media platforms under @kimroxie. She participates in community initiatives like the Buying Black Marketplace event on Martha's Vineyard. The tone is inspirational and conversational, focusing on grassroots community building and practical entrepreneurship. The style is educational, blending personal narrative with actionable business insights. This episode would resonate with aspiring beauty entrepreneurs, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds seeking a community-driven model. Listeners interested in U.S. manufacturing, crowdfunding, and the historical context of Black Wall Street would find it valuable. Those looking for a highly technical or venture-capital-focused business case might find the community-centric approach less relevant.

As heard by us

Community, capital, and beauty brand building, told with clarity and warmth.

Kim Roxy, founder and CEO of Lameek Beauty, comes across as a steady presence in a story that starts with a college makeup-counter job and moves toward retail growth.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Hear how Kim Roxy turned a mall makeup counter, $9,500, and community-backed crowdfunding into Lameek Beauty.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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