Raised in the South by hustlers, Melody Shari’s success as a business owner of over 10 years comes as no surprise. Being a natural-born leader and risk-taker is practically in her DNA. As a beauty boss, real estate educator, fashionista, singer, and TV star, she has built an empire that refuses to be boxed in. From humble beginnings to becoming a household name, Shari is creating generational wealth and exemplifying how Black women can dominate every industry they enter.
In this interview with BAUCE, Shari reflects on her entrepreneurial journey, which began at 25. She shares how those experiences shaped her and led to the creation of her game-changing skincare brand, Seventh Avenue Beauty.
Where It All Started
Growing up in Alabama, Shari was brought up by parents, grandparents, and uncles—all go-getters who created their own opportunities. With a mother who ran a cleaning company and later a trucking business, Shari was surrounded by business-minded individuals who shaped her perspective from a young age.
“To think that I’ve literally been working for myself since I was 25, sometimes I think I forget because I’m 39 now, but I am blessed to say that entrepreneurship is something that is strong and huge in my DNA,” she says, reflecting on how she’s carried the spirit of her great-uncle, the first self-made millionaire in the family, into her business endeavors.
“I would say that growing up in a smaller environment, where everybody knows everybody, there was definitely a sense of having a bunch of mamas, daddies, aunties, and uncles. Everybody’s making sure you’re on the right track. I will never ever ever ever regret growing up in a small, one-red-light city,” Shari recalls. The tight-knit nature of her small town kept her grounded and focused on developing a strong sense of leadership in her community.
Early on, she knew that to live the kind of life she envisioned, she had to create her own opportunities just as those who came before her did. Shari is an educator at heart who reflects on her teaching career and her longing for something greater. “I taught for three and a half years. I love teaching and students, but I knew that the salary wasn’t going to give me the kind of living and allow me to even do the kind of giving that I wanted to be able to do.”
“Your income matters, so if that means going out here and creating your own space where you can create your own dollar your own way, then that’s what you do,” she adds, recounting the decision to become her own boss.
Entrepreneurship is a way of life for Shari, one that’s been passed down through generations and is now influencing the next. “My prayer is that I am passing that same spirit down to my family and children.”
The Birth of Seventh Avenue Beauty
As a Black woman, walking down the beauty care aisle of a store can be quite the experience. Our skin, hair, and bodies are unique, and finding product lines that cater to our specific needs can be a challenge. Shari understands this from firsthand experience in her battle with pityriasis. It was her great-grandmother’s remedies and wisdom that motivated her to turn them into a full-fledged beauty brand.
“Growing up, I had this skin condition called pityriasis rosea, and my great-grandmother gave me some secret ingredients for when I had these inflamed breakouts. It would start on my back with what we call the mother patch, then almost like a tree, it just spread,” she explains.
“My great-grandmother is where I learned a lot about the importance of skin, beauty, and hair care, so I took some of those amazing things that she taught me and incorporated them into Seventh Avenue Beauty.” Headlining TikTok’s Shop Black Owned campaign, Seventh Avenue stands out as a beauty brand formulated for us and by us. “I have an amazing Black female chemist. She’s been a chemist for over 19 years, and with that in mind, we’re able to know what the main issues are in our community, and we’re creating products that help resolve issues,” Shari shares.
Seventh Avenue is more than a brand—it is a connection to Shari’s lineage. She has now gifted the world with it, helping thousands of people overcome some of their biggest skincare mishaps with confidence.
Thriving in Every Industry
From reality TV to real estate, fashion, and even music, Shari’s drive for success is fueled by the belief that entrepreneurship is not a one-trick pony. “At one time, seven streams of income worked, but in 2025, you better have more than seven streams of income, okay?” Shari says with a laugh, yet seriously.
“I am always looking to solve a problem because once you tap into that, then you tap into creating a successful business that you’re also able to scale,” she continues, drawing from several years of experience. Her love for fashion is as deeply embedded in her DNA as her beauty ventures. Her personal style is a reflection of her individuality. She’s been known to dip her feet in the fashion industry, modeling in Fashion Week and collaborating with celebrity stylist J. Bolin, further solidifying her place as a multi-faceted creator.
Shari has also made a name for herself in real estate, using her business to educate and empower Black women to build wealth. “I’ve created over 900 entrepreneurs in a white male-dominated industry. Most of my students are African American females, and I’m putting them in the game of an industry that had typically been withheld from us.”
Shari is not bound by a singular definition of success. She is constantly evolving, with each path serving as an extension of her creativity and desire to make a lasting impact.
The Hustle Is Real, But So Is the Healing
When I asked Shari what core philosophies tie together her various business ventures, her answer was put into two simple yet powerful words: “Risk-taker. Innovator.”
“The way to be successful is by choosing things that resonate with you, choosing things that you truly care about. I don’t hop on every trend. I create my own trend. If you think about it, trends are things that are temporary, and then in a few weeks or months, there’s a new trend, right?”
“When you’re talking about building a business that is sustainable and that’s going to have longevity, you can’t hop on every trend. You have to stick to your mission and the goal of your company,” she explains, emphasizing the importance of being innovative and staying true to your brand to yield success.
While Shari is known for her relentless ambition in managing multiple businesses and being a mother of four, I wondered how she fills her cup while giving so much to others. “For one, I’m a huge advocate for self-care. So you’re going to see me get my massage. I’m getting it every week. I’m going to travel and get away and enjoy other places. And when it comes to my children, I give them experiences too. That really has been a part of my healing journey for sure,” she shares.
“I also spent a lot of time alone and with myself because if you can’t learn to love you, if you can’t pull back the layers and see in the depths of it all, you’re going to be influenced by the people around you. After that, I was able to open my heart chakra back up again.” – Melody Shari
Creating From Peace Instead of Chaos
With everything Shari has accomplished so far—building Seventh Avenue Beauty, creating a space for aspiring entrepreneurs through her real estate masterclass, and becoming a leader in multiple industries—she has quite literally done it all. So naturally, I asked the question everyone wants the answer to—what’s next for Melody Shari?
“Fortunately, at this time, I am blessed to be in a position where I can take some time away if I want to and just enjoy life, focus on the things that I really enjoy, and focus on my babies. They’ve always been a priority for me, but just having that kind of mental stress removed allows me to create in peace versus creating in chaos,” she says, reflecting on the fruits of her labor.
Melody Shari keeps her foot on the gas, but finally, after everything she has been through, she is creating from a place of peace and looking forward to continuing to share her gifts with the world. Keep up with Melody Shari on Instagram @melodyshari, and visit the Seventh Avenue Beauty website for a collection of high-quality products that cater to all your beauty needs.
