How She Built A Million Dollar Business 125 Years Ago
Sarah Breedlove — Madam CJ Walker
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Sarah Breedlove was born December 23, 1867, in a poor family in Delta, Louisiana.
At the tender age of 10, she became an orphan. Four years later she marries.
At 21, she worked as a laundress, earning $1.5 a day.
In her 30s she began experiencing scalp problems and hair loss. This led her to discover the products of Annie Malone, a hair-care entrepreneur.
Within a year she began developing her own hair-care products.
After her third marriage, she renames as Madam C.J. Walker.
Soon after she began training sales women, also known as “Walker Agents.” She opens a beauty salon, a college for hair enthusiasts and a factory.
She had tens of thousands of agents all over the Americas.
She died on May 25, 1919, due to blood pressure complications.
One Lesson from Madam C.J. Walker
Everything is an opportunity.
Madam C.J. Walker faced immense challenges—orphaned at a young age, experienced poverty and multiple failed marriages.
Instead of allowing her circumstances to define her, she saw opportunities in adversity.
When she encountered hair loss, she saw an opportunity and developed her own hair care solutions.
This was a time when women were not even allowed to vote. A time when it was difficult being a woman. A time when it was incredibly difficult being a woman of colour.
Yet she persisted.
She kept showing up.
Challenge after challenge, after challenge.