As we mark National Entrepreneurship Month, few stories reflect the grit, vulnerability, and community power behind small business ownership like that of Kim Lewis, founder and CEO of CurlMix. At a time when inflation, shifting retail landscapes, and shrinking access to capital are challenging beauty brands nationwide, Lewis has chosen to fight back publicly—and invite her community to fight with her.
In a heartfelt message that went viral, Lewis revealed that CurlMix needs 20,000 orders by December 31 to stay alive. The response? A groundswell of love, advocacy, and action. Lewis launched the “20K in 60 Days” #ProtectCurlMix campaign, a call for customers, supporters, and believers in Black entrepreneurship to help secure the company’s future.
“It used to be that you could get a check from an investor or a bank. A lot of that is gone now. It’s either be profitable or die,” Lewis says. “This campaign is about earning our clean slate. More than anything, it lets me know people think we deserve to be here.”
Today, CurlMix is carried in over 400 Ulta stores, employs a growing team of 14 (plus four newly hired since the campaign began), and has seen its sales triple in just two weeks. But getting here—let alone staying here—has been anything but easy.
The Joy, the Fear, and the Breakthrough
Lewis calls the moment she hit “send” on the campaign announcement one of the most vulnerable of her career.
“I didn’t know if anyone would respond,” she says. But respond they did. “Our sales tripled overnight. It wasn’t about the money—it was the message: we care about your survival. That joy was bigger than Shark Tank, bigger than crowdfunding.”
Her Shark Tank experience remains a pivotal chapter. The offer: $400,000 for 20%, which Lewis turned down.
“It was a low valuation. And Robert Herjavec admitted he didn’t know anything about haircare,” she recalls. “We would’ve just been getting a check. Declining was the best decision.”
Instead, she leaned into her superpower: community. CurlMix customers now collectively own 15% of the brand, a rare and bold model in beauty.
A Brand Built on Community Power
For CurlMix, community is not a marketing buzzword—it’s infrastructure. The brand’s private Facebook group, started a decade ago, has grown to more than 20,000 loyal CurlMixers, who vote on product launches, share wash-and-go routines, and even meet up in person across the country.
“These women literally fly to each other’s birthday parties,” Lewis laughs. “We built a brand around care, connection, and shared experiences.”
Her commitment to community is also deeply rooted in where CurlMix is made: the South Side of Chicago. She refuses to outsource manufacturing, believing in creating living-wage jobs where they matter most.
“Keeping jobs in the community has shaped every decision—how we fund, how we grow, how we show up,” she says.
What’s Next—If the Community Carries CurlMix to 2026
If CurlMix reaches its 20,000-order goal, Lewis plans to clear short-term debt, rebuild operating cash, and invest in new inventory to stabilize production.
She envisions a future modeled after “a Ben & Jerry’s of beauty”—a brand rooted in activism, jobs, and policy impact.
“We want to create good-paying jobs on the South and West sides. We want to keep our factory here. That’s what this campaign protects.”
In 2026, the brand will also launch a new line of scientifically backed hair-growth products, bringing evidence-based innovation to the natural hair space.
Looking Back—And Forward
When asked what she’d say to her 23-year-old self—the woman who dreamed of being a nomadic entrepreneur—Lewis pauses and says, “you’re going to make me cry.”
“She had no idea what she was doing,” she laughs softly. “I wrote my dream on a yellow wall in a little café in Atlanta: to be a successful entrepreneur and travel the world. I never imagined we’d make over $40 million in revenue, raise over $10 million, or go on Shark Tank… and I definitely didn’t imagine I’d do all this with two beautiful baby boys.”
Her advice for young Kim?
“Don’t limit your mind. Be open to all possibilities.”
A Message to Other Entrepreneurs
As she continues her public campaign to save her company, Lewis hopes her journey inspires others watching.
“Sometimes your greatest blessing is on the other side of humility,” she says.
And as CurlMix fights to stay alive, one thing is abundantly clear: this is more than a haircare brand. It’s a community. A movement. A dream that thousands are refusing to let die.