Whitney Eaddy leads a life of intentionality. For the past 16 years, Whitney has blazed her own path in the beauty world and she ultimately established the renowned company Juices & Botanics. This acclaimed hair care expert has leveraged lessons learned from different phases of life in order to pursue her ultimate purpose: to help people achieve their goals. Whitney is known as the Growth Guru and this moniker exemplifies her ability to help people develop and progress in a myriad of ways. Reflecting on the meaning of this title, Whitney states: “We all have that Growth Guru in us… I grew into the fullness of who I am…Everybody is included in this vision… We’re all naturally growing, and I honor growth so much. Have patience with yourself while you’re growing.” BAUCEs who also live their lives in pursuit of growth and excellence can learn a lot from Whitney’s journey, which includes the following key lessons:
Learn From Your Life Experiences
Juices & Botanics has been a labor of love. Whitney’s company has its roots in her own lived experiences. Whitney explains: “My ministry and my platform is healthy natural hair. That’s my soapbox. My ministry is also self-love and acceptance. That’s my medium. For me, it stems from never feeling accepted or loved in a salon chair. I never felt like someone was excited to do my hair. It was always, ‘Oh let me fix this, tame this, do something with this.’ It was never ‘How do we nurture, protect, and help this grow?’” Shifting the narrative around natural hair continues to be one of Whitney’s raison d’êtres as she helps people with their own hair processes.
Don’t be Afraid to Pivot
Whitney’s journey was not linear, nor was it something that her friends and family expected. At the time of launching her business, Whitney had already spent a decade working on the corporate side of the healthcare industry. So, hair care was not an anticipated next step. Whitney had to use her passion for the hair growth industry as motivation when other people in her life doubted her decisions. Whitney shares: “So many people may not see your vision because they did not receive it. When I first went to my friends and family and said I wanted to do hair, they thought I was crazy. Every person who knew me thought I was psycho.”
Operate in Stealth Mode Until Your idea is Well-Developed
There’s an old saying that goes “too many cooks spoil the broth.” This adage references the fact that sometimes receiving too much input or opinions from other people can ultimately come at the detriment of a final product. While it can be worthwhile to glean perspective from a small network of trusted friends and advisors, entrepreneurs should be wary of pivoting too much in the ideation phase. Whitney advises, “Give it a minute, everything has a gestation period. I keep my visions, my manifestations, and my new projects to myself. They have to stay pure for me because too many people will taint it with their perceptions.”
Always Trust Your Gut
Building a beauty empire is no small feat. Whitney reflects: “There’s something so strong about following your own instincts. You gotta know what doesn’t work sometimes. There are some things I have made rash decisions on. But everything always works out. So many hours, meetings, tweaks, and test trials. Once you go through that process, look at where you need to calibrate and see what’s working.” Entrepreneurs can find themselves on the receiving end of unsolicited advice as their companies grow. Therefore, staying true to your values and vision for your business is vital.
Embrace Help From Others
In the early days of her business, Whitney was balancing a bevy of different projects. She was working with clients, handling bookkeeping, developing her products, thinking through strategy, and honing her brand. As such, she had to thoughtfully curate a team of people to help lighten the load. When describing her team’s development, Whitney emphasizes: “You have to let go of control. Think about people who have massive empires. You see one person receiving that vision, lining up their energy, and being intentional enough to inspire others to join the vision.The vision you received requires way more than one person.”
Take this as a sign to pursue growth in different facets of your life. Draw upon some of your personal experiences and use that passion to fuel change in your professional endeavors. Imparting one last piece of wisdom, Whitney states: “Trust the process. Because the day you plant the seed is not the day that you’re going to eat that fruit. Just know that your time is coming.”
