SheEO Business Disruptors Episode 1: Tara Darnley
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00:00Hey, y'all.
00:08My name is Marsai Martin, and I want to welcome you to our incredible show, SHEEO, presented
00:13by Walmart.
00:14The title is a play on CEO, the acronym of Chief Executive Officer, that of course we
00:19mixed in with the word she, because around here, we think fierce women and especially
00:24powerful women of color should be profiled, lifted up, and listened to for their advice,
00:29their wisdom, and the inspiration that they bring.
00:32And you know, being a CEO myself, I might just have some things to add and some questions
00:36of my own for these wonderful ladies.
00:38And speaking of which, for our first episode, we have none other than the incredible powerhouse
00:43that is the Tara Darnley.
00:45Tara is an inventor, entrepreneur, and an innovation strategist.
00:49In her history, she's been a stay-at-home mom and made a business out of helping other
00:53companies grow.
00:54But since 2014, she has been the CEO of Darling & Co.
00:58A company she conceived with her co-founder, Carl.
01:01The company has found high success in the marketplace, including housing the very first
01:06Black-owned baby registry.
01:08Her most recent company, Made for Locks, caters to people with locks and has expanded into
01:12being available at a whopping 1,700 Walmart locations.
01:17A longtime entrepreneur expert who has been featured in Forbes, Marie Claire, The Steve
01:21Harvey Show, and Black Enterprise, the Tara Darnley is making it happen.
01:25So please welcome the Tara Darnley, the CEO by Walmart.
01:29So amazing to meet you.
01:31Nice to meet you.
01:32Hello, hello.
01:33Excited to be here.
01:34Take a seat, relax.
01:36How are you?
01:37I'm great.
01:38How are you?
01:39I'm good.
01:40I'm good.
01:41Excited to be talking to you.
01:42And listen, I want to know it all.
01:43I want to know what made you start.
01:46What's your background?
01:47Just tell us your story.
01:48Absolutely.
01:49So it was definitely not easy.
01:51I'm actually Jamaican.
01:52Okay.
01:54Coming all the way from Jamaica at 16 years old, and I moved to New York, Brooklyn to
01:59be specific.
02:00Yeah.
02:01And I remember coming off the plane.
02:03It was like April.
02:05So in my mind, I'm thinking it's going to be warm like Jamaica.
02:09Oh, girl.
02:10And I can never forget coming outside and then this cold hair just like, it literally
02:14slapped me.
02:15Wow.
02:16And then I get to Brooklyn and it's all tall buildings.
02:19And I was like, what is this?
02:20Yeah.
02:21And she was like, oh, this is how it is.
02:23And so everything just clicked and was like, oh, this is not what I thought it was.
02:27Jamaica, I missed a lot of stuff like the food, the culture.
02:32And that's what actually inspired a lot of the reasons why I created a brand for locs.
02:37I remember growing up as a little girl and in our community, we have the Rastafarians.
02:42So think about Bob Marley.
02:44Okay.
02:45Yeah.
02:46And those men are the most respected in the community.
02:49And the way they treat women, top tier.
02:52So I would be walking as, imagine a six, seven year old walking on the road.
02:56I felt safe because they were in a community.
02:59And then I would pass and be like, hey, Empress, good morning.
03:01Have a beautiful day.
03:03Every day.
03:04And so that's how I learned how a man should treat a woman in terms of respect.
03:08Right.
03:09When I came here.
03:10Listen, the stakes were high.
03:11It was like, girl, come here.
03:14Right.
03:15So from then I saw how they treated their women.
03:19I saw how they ate healthy.
03:21Like just the culture was different.
03:23Yeah.
03:24And I wanted to integrate a part of that culture into my brand today.
03:27So clean ingredients, showing women that they are amazing, they're queens.
03:34And so when you wear our products and you walk through, there's a lot of myths about
03:37locs that we don't wash it.
03:39They smell.
03:40I want when you wear our products that you're walking through a room and you're stopping
03:44people.
03:45They're like, wait, what's that?
03:46Why does your hair smell so good?
03:48With you also being a black woman, what were what were the biggest and hardest challenges
03:53that you had to overcome with you just being you?
03:56Looking back at some of the things that I went through, like working a nine to five,
04:01I got laid off when I was like three months pregnant because it's like, OK, you're worthless
04:05to us now.
04:06Wow.
04:07So I decided to start my family.
04:10And you know, I remember just even us having the idea and trying to figure out where to
04:17start.
04:18Yeah.
04:19So we actually started with Darling and Co, which is our kids brand.
04:23And that really came from having a child.
04:25Yeah.
04:26Makes sense.
04:27Yeah.
04:28So when my daughter was two months old, she started to teethe.
04:31And if you know anything about kids, everything goes in the mouth.
04:34And so she was constantly chewing on her hands.
04:37And that was what inspired the first invention that we had, which was the Yummy Teetha Mitten.
04:41And from there, we have over 100 products now for kids and just loving the ride and
04:46being able to just wake up, create.
04:49And when my kids do crazy stuff, I actually make products from that.
04:53Yeah, I know.
04:54It makes complete sense.
04:56It makes products.
04:57Like, we are able to make products from their craziness.
04:59So it's been a fun ride for sure.
05:02That's so sweet.
05:03OK.
05:04Well, how important is it for you to be the owner of your own stuff?
05:09Because I know we can create stuff often.
05:11As soon as we tell this other person, it's their hands or they are in charge of it or
05:17whatever.
05:18So how important is it for you to claim what's yours?
05:21You hear about black inventors, but we oftentimes never get credit for being inventors.
05:26And we invent a lot of stuff.
05:28And so I had those things imprinted in my mind.
05:31Like, I wanted to get credit for this idea.
05:34So the first thing that came to mind was patent.
05:36How should I get a patent?
05:38How can I get my product trademark?
05:40But I didn't know how.
05:41Right.
05:42And I remember reaching out to, like, a local small business program and not getting a response.
05:49I was nursing.
05:50So I stayed up late at night researching how to patent an invention.
05:55I was able to trademark the products myself.
05:58A lot of it was just Google University.
06:01Google and taking a risk.
06:03Yes.
06:04And taking a risk.
06:05Just not being ashamed.
06:06Because, you know, we don't get a guideline.
06:09We don't get a book that says, here's how to be an entrepreneur and do it the right way.
06:13Wow.
06:14No, that's amazing.
06:15And I don't think a lot of people know about the patience that comes with it, especially
06:19like I know for me, like even with me creating my first movie, literally, we were saying
06:26the project, we came up with the idea, and then it didn't even get made until like four
06:30years later.
06:31Yes.
06:32Because of just like, oh, whatever happened to this?
06:34You know, it is the little things that really make it just go wild.
06:39Yes.
06:40Absolutely.
06:41It comes back at the perfect time.
06:42So I guess my next question would be, throughout that time, like, what was your biggest obstacle
06:47trying to get to the place that you felt comfortable in?
06:51The biggest obstacle for me, and I didn't know it then, was funding.
06:56It's always funding for us black women starting a business, really always funding and getting
07:01people to like understand your idea and support your ideas.
07:07And so I started to reach out to manufacturers, trying to get it made, get prototypes.
07:12I didn't even know what a prototype was.
07:14So I'm like, they're like, oh, you need a prototype.
07:17What is that?
07:18You need a packaging.
07:19What is that?
07:20You need this.
07:21Like the list just kept getting, every time we crossed that hurdle, it was like, well,
07:24you need this, you need that.
07:27For kids products, you need to get it tested.
07:30What do you mean tested?
07:31Well, you want someone to choke.
07:32So it's like all these different things just kept coming up and it just, it started to
07:37get expensive.
07:38So you needed insurance for kids products.
07:42And we're talking about like 2014, that was like $20,000, $30,000.
07:45What?
07:46Where am I going to get that?
07:48So we had to figure it out really quick, finding a manufacturer that was cost effective and
07:54really finding a community in the beginning.
07:56I started to go online and I told moms what I was doing.
08:00I told them the struggles I was having and they were like, we're going to buy it.
08:04Where is it?
08:05Let's go.
08:06Like, we're going to make this happen.
08:08So really being transparent throughout the process as well and not like carrying everything
08:13on your shoulder, trying to figure it out was really key for us.
08:16But yes, funding is still an issue.
08:20It's tough.
08:21It's still an issue.
08:22Yeah, I bet.
08:23I bet.
08:24But yes, that was the number one thing.
08:30So I talk a lot about transitions because there's a lot of those periods in your life
08:34that like just completely changes it.
08:37So I guess one of them, I would think it's the fact that Walmart is selling your stuff.
08:44One of the biggest companies ever.
08:47So how was that for you when you knew that was going to happen?
08:51I actually got introduced to Walmart through a relationship that I had with a partner.
08:58They were like, well, you know, we have a pitch competition coming up.
09:01So I was like, okay, I'll pitch.
09:03So I pitched for that and I won and the buyer for Walmart was actually one of the judges.
09:11So I was like, okay, so what happens now?
09:12It's never like, you know, you tell someone about your product and you're on shelf the
09:17next day.
09:18It's a long process and you really have to prove yourself.
09:22So I won that and then a crazy thing with buyers is they change.
09:28And so the buyer changed and she was like, well, you have to pitch the new one.
09:32And I was like, well, darn, okay.
09:35So I got a meeting with the new one, I'm doing all the presentation, I'm like killing it.
09:41And she was like, amazing.
09:43That's great.
09:44I actually had locks a few weeks ago and I cut it because of all the problems you listed.
09:49And I was like, well, okay, Lord.
09:52Okay.
09:53So she understood exactly what problem I was solving, why there was a need for my products.
10:01And this goes back to why representation matters in corporations, in places that you want to
10:07be.
10:08Because if I was talking to a bald head person who didn't look like me, which I've done before,
10:15and they were like, girl, I don't know what you're selling, but we're going to try.
10:19With this case, she understood exactly what the problem I was solving, who it was for.
10:25And she was like, oh, this will do amazing.
10:27And so she was like, well, let's test 150 stores.
10:31I was like, okay, cool.
10:33So 150 is nothing, but to me, it's a lot.
10:37And she came back and she was like, you know what?
10:39Let's bump that to 450.
10:40I was like, wait, what?
10:45And she was like, yeah, I think we're going to do really well.
10:48Let's push it to 450.
10:50So our first year, we did extremely well.
10:52We just kept selling out.
10:54I have an amazing tribe, we call them.
10:59And they show up, they show out, they clear the shelves.
11:01I remember the first time walking into Walmart stores and seeing my products, and I was like,
11:07wow, this is happening.
11:10It's literally on shelves.
11:12And coming back and it's not there.
11:13I was a little bit upset.
11:14I'm like, well, what's going on?
11:15Why are my products not there?
11:16Oh, they sold out.
11:18Oh, no, they cleared.
11:19They cleared it.
11:20So that's like every city I go to, I will literally just drive to the Walmart to see,
11:26to experience that because it never gets old.
11:30And today we're in over 1,700 stores, which is crazy to me.
11:36You can literally walk into 1,700 stores.
11:39So making our products affordable was one thing, but Walmart made it accessible.
11:45And so now that representation is even on a larger scale where people that look like
11:50me and have blocks like me, they can walk into a store now and say, oh, here's finally
11:56a shampoo for my hair and pick it up.
11:59So it's been an incredible ride to have that partnership.
12:03And our goal is to be in all the stores, ultimately.
12:07We're breaking those barriers.
12:09We've tapped into a white space that was needed to be tapped in.
12:13And I'm glad to have been the person to do that, especially as a Black founder, because
12:19we normally don't get a seat at the retail table.
12:22That's so beautiful.
12:24Yeah.
12:25With you being a CEO.
12:26Hey.
12:27Oh, hey.
12:28Hey.
12:29I want to know how important is it for you and Black women in your life to help support
12:43you and vice versa?
12:46It's absolutely important.
12:48So right now I'm building a new team through a new brand, and 100% of the staff is Black
12:55women.
12:56Boom.
12:57But it takes a team.
12:59It takes a village.
13:01For me, I need a village.
13:02I have two beautiful kids.
13:04I have a village taking care of them right now.
13:07And where I could feel like I could go out into the world and I don't have to think,
13:11oh, my God, what are my kids doing?
13:13Did they eat today?
13:14I don't need to think about those things because I have a village that helps me with that.
13:18So I think it's so important to get yourself a village.
13:21It could be family members.
13:23And trust the process as you go.
13:25And I know those things sound cliche, but it's really as simple as that.
13:30Yeah.
13:31It really is.
13:32Yeah.
13:33No, that's beautiful.
13:34Now, since we have an amazing audience that will be seeing this, what advice would you
13:39give to them in wanting to start their own companies or even steps that you would advise
13:45them to do?
13:46Write it down.
13:47Write the vision down.
13:48Make it plain.
13:50That for me has been key.
13:52I have ideas every single day.
13:57Got to throw them out sometimes because you're like, wait, it's going to take a good 100K
14:03to make this happen.
14:04We're not doing this.
14:05But write it down and write out the plans.
14:09It could be a to-do list for that vision that you have.
14:13If you have to file an LLC right away, if you have to find a business name right away,
14:18just little small steps at a time, that's practical.
14:23And go for it.
14:24I'm a big believer of execution.
14:27And I'm also a big believer that God gives us ideas.
14:31And if you don't act on them, he's going to pass them on to somebody else.
14:35Yeah.
14:36No, that's dope.
14:37I have like 12 journals.
14:40Girl.
14:41I have like about 12 journals that are active.
14:42We're not doing a journal shame today.
14:43No, we're not journal shaming.
14:44Please don't.
14:45Please don't.
14:46We all have a few.
14:47Yeah.
14:48Because my thoughts constantly spill over and over again.
14:53But I think it's also very important that you organize your thoughts as well.
14:56Yes.
14:57Absolutely.
14:58Because thoughts can be thoughts.
14:59But making sure that you create a plan for yourself and you never forget them.
15:05Even if they're like as crazy or as dumb as they seem, or look, I'm a kid, so I'm just
15:09starting to think about the money part.
15:11But I used to have ideas where my parents would be like, no, no, because of this.
15:18But I think being able to journal things down and having a journal for work or family or
15:25even like therapy notes or just really being in tune with yourself is very important.
15:32And it can feed into your work life as well.
15:35Absolutely.
15:36And when you look back at those notes, when you've accomplished those things, it just
15:40feels much more better.
15:42It's like I could go back and I could see the chicken scratch drawing that I did of
15:46a product.
15:47And I'm like, ooh, girl, what was that?
15:51But now I can see the product on shelves.
15:53And I'm like, oh, okay.
15:55I didn't have all the tools because I'm not an artist.
15:58I can't draw.
15:59But I can do my whatever concept I have of a droid of doodles.
16:04And I could give it to someone who will take that idea and actually make it something.
16:08And it's like, yes.
16:09When I'm talking to my designer, I'm like, yes, this is what I meant.
16:13She's like, well, that's not what you drew.
16:15But I get you.
16:17That's hilarious.
16:18So I mean, I feel like to even just wrap this up, I want to know, what advice would you
16:24give to your younger self?
16:26Or even advice that you would give to your kids about just being or creating a seat at
16:32the table?
16:33Yeah.
16:34So there's a phrase that I actually trademark is, dream big, execute hard.
16:40Dream as big as you can, but you have to do the work to execute on that dream.
16:45No matter how small it may seem, how big it may seem, because these are all big dreams
16:51for me.
16:52They're still a dream.
16:53I'm still living in a dream.
16:54Being on this couch is a dream.
16:57But I try to also be present for all of it.
17:00And because of our skin color, it's harder.
17:03And that's just being transparent, that's being real.
17:06Because we're a black woman, it's super hard.
17:09Don't be afraid of no's.
17:11We're going to get plenty.
17:12I'm sure you got no's.
17:13Plenty.
17:14Plenty.
17:15That one yes is the only thing that matters, though.
17:16Right.
17:17We're going to get plenty of no's.
17:18But just keep knocking down those doors, keep going, and find out what success looks
17:24like for you.
17:25Because it's not always about money.
17:27Okay.
17:28Yeah.
17:29For me, success is having freedom to be with my kids whenever I choose.
17:34That's something, having a job I wasn't able to do.
17:37So define what success means for you.
17:39It could be something as simple as time, that money can't buy, peace.
17:44Yes.
17:45So yeah, those are my biggest advice to anyone looking.
17:49Dream big, execute hard.
17:50No.
17:51And I think that's going to help so, so much for the amazing women listening to this today.
17:55Thank you so, so much.
17:58Zara, I have loved talking with you today, and I just wish you so many amazing successes
18:05in your journey.
18:06More beautiful transitions.
18:08And man, this has been amazing.
18:09Thank you so much.
18:11Just want to give you your flowers.
18:12And you too.
18:13Keep doing what you're doing.
18:14You are inspiring so many women.
18:15You are a real boss.
18:17You are a CEO, girl.
18:18You're a CEO.
18:19Keep doing your thing.
18:21You're welcome.
18:22Appreciate it.
18:23Wow.
18:24What an amazing time talking with Datara Darnley, CEO and co-founder of Darling & Co.
18:25and Made for Lux.
18:26Thank you so much.