Like most hair and beauty-based firms, Kreyol Essence started off with a beauty disaster. Yve-Car Momperousse was having her hair done at a salon, when the stylist, using an overheated iron, burned her hair. Momperousse found herself with a hair dilemma and couldn’t help but think back to lwil maskriti, the Palma Christi oil her mother used on her hair when she was a little girl. The Philadelphia resident made the rounds of the natural and Caribbean stores in her area, in search of the product, but turned up empty-handed. She wanted to make the organic product available to herself and other women facing hair who needed it. Creating her own product line seemed to be the solution.

Yve-Car Momperousse and Stephane Jean-Baptiste showcase Kreyol Essence products at an event.

From the outset, Momperousse knew she wanted a name that would embody the essence of Haiti. She and her fiancee Stephane Jean-Baptiste had a pressure-filled debate over whether they should choose a French name, or a Kreyol name. Some individuals advising them, were clamoring for the former, arguing that it would have a more elegant and luxurious image in the minds of potential customers. The entrepreneurial team decided to go with their gut feeling. “As a lover of history,” says Jean-Baptiste, “I’ve always seen the elegance and luxury of the Haitian heritage. While the French roots are part of our culture, it’s certainly not the core of our history.” Thus, the name Kreyol Essence was born. “For me, the term Kreyol Essence is the culmination of the spirit of the Taino people, the will of our African forefathers and the regal tradition of our French imperial vestiges. We wanted to show that not only can pride be conjured up from an authentically Haitian brand, but also a strong sense of sophistication and Caribbean elegance.”

What started off as a one-woman operation, then a two-person operation focusing on hair, has expanded to a skin care line as well and now employs an estimated 400 people in Haiti. It is of utmost importance to Jean-Baptiste and Momperousse that their business help grow Haiti’s economy, and help repair its environment. The Kreyol Essence team in Haiti are heavily involved in a seeding and planting program, raw ingredient cultivation, and overall sustaining women entrepreneurs on the island.

Although Kreyol Essence is based in New York, you have a castor oil farm in Haiti that employs people there.
Kreyol Essence is an agri-business that endeavors to tackle the socioeconomic disparities plaguing Haiti by developing a business model that benefits the country economically and environmentally.  We currently produce the Haitian Black Castor Oil on our own farm in Thiotte, which is in the South Eastern department of the country. We purchase seeds at above market rate from small farm holders in the area and employ local women to clean, hull and extract the oil by hand. Additionally, we have a strategic partnership with the Organization for the Rehabilitation of the Environment (ORE), a grassroots organization established in Haiti in 1985, who hires and manages a network of local women in Camp-Perrin for the production of our Castor Oil. By hiring local women and sourcing castor seeds from small farm holders, we are on track to creating 400 jobs in 3-4 years.

Can you tell us more about your products?
I truly love all of our products because they are practical, luxurious and affordable. Most of our products came from a need that we, as busy professionals, had for personal care maintenance routine. Through Haitian Black Castor Oil, I feel as though we are letting the world in on our little secret of Haitian vitality and hair growth. As you know, it is an amazing curative and therapeutic solution for a variety of hair and skin ailments. Developing products anchored by Haitian Black Castor Oil was an amazing journey of discovery as we learned all the different medicinal uses.

When Yve-Car proposed the creation of the Palma Shea line, I thought it was genius! Our Palma Shea: Organic Hair and Body Butter is the perfect union of Haitian Black Castor Oil, West African Shea Butter and essential oils. The inspiration for this product line is based in the idea that you don’t have to shuffle between multiple products when getting ready in the morning. This organic blend is perfect for the entire family because the combined power of the two ingredients rejuvenates and rehydrates hair and skin. We also have a Pomad Kreyòl, Goat and Coconut Krèm ak Lèt and Savon Kreyòl.

Above: Entrepreneur Yves-Car Momperousse, the Founder of Kreyol Essence, flashes a smile as brilliant as the castor oil that her company is founded on! Photo: Nouveau Concepts LLC ]

What aspects of your background was especially useful in starting Kreyol Essence?
I’ve called upon a myriad of experiences to help me launch new creative ideas, plan and coordinate shipping logistics, and provide need based analysis for each step of our growth. We spent this past summer on our Launch Tour, which provided our customers the opportunity to experience our brand through our celebrated Beauty Bar. Having started my professional career as a recruiter and marketing coordinator for the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, I’m no stranger to being on the road engaging various communities. The skills that I gained developing marketing strategies for Penn Graduate School to attract and recruit ambitious leaders nationwide is at the foundation of what I do every day. My experience as an Account Executive for Azuna, a media firm based in South Korea gave me an immediate advantage in understanding the often complicated world of supply chain management and the much needed patience when dealing with international shipping logistics. Understanding the passion, culture and uniqueness of the Haitian community came as a direct result of my work as Communication Director for the National Haitian Student Alliance and Community Development Chair for the Haitian Professionals of Philadelphia. Both experiences rekindled my drive to mobilize and bring about systemic change within the Haitian community. I draw on this same drive every day to remember our mission at Kreyol Essence.

From the feedback you’ve gotten from your customers, which of your products are the most popular with them?
We in the Haitian community, complain a lot about us needing to do a better job supporting each other but I can actually say that that I am overwhelmed by the support of Haitians from the U.S., France, Canada, the Caribbean and the Middle East. Our bestseller is, by far, Goat and Coconut Krèm ak Lèt Moisturizer. Customers rave about this rich and creamy remedy that boasts the power of organic goat’s milk and coconut cream that effectively hydrates. The one and only, Pomad Kreyòl is another fan favorite – folks love the unique and exotic Haitian ingredients.

What have you learned along the road of entrepreneurship that you would like to share with others who are contemplating becoming travelers along that same road?
Wow, there have been so many lessons, but if I could narrow it down to my top three it would be: follow your instincts, believe in yourself and just get out there! When I didn’t follow my instincts or believe in myself, I think I’ve made many mistakes and missed out on many opportunities because I “faked” myself out. I have learned to go with my gut. Often, if you take that leap, you will make it through the journey.

What’s the one thing about having your own company that you’ve observed, that no one told you?
No one told me how much of a personal journey and exploration that comes with being an entrepreneur. Furthermore, when you have partners no one really tells you how to pick the right partner and that it is a marriage. Strengths and weakness need to be discovered so you can have good partnerships and vendor relationships. It’s hard work to maintain these relationships. You realize what makes you really happy and discover self. You realize what you are capable of.

Launching Kreyol Essence is a big risk that’s paid off. Where do you think the strength of the company lies?
Our core strength can be found in our founder and CEO. I’m truly inspired by Yve-Car’s keen instincts and the lucid vision that she has for the company. I’m constantly amazed of the precision that she has for understanding the needs and interest of our customers. Because this endeavor is so personal, her shrewd business sense is magnified by her innate compassion for helping others. Her leadership in business and the galvanization of others is truly innovative. Too often she’s in the driver’s seat pushing me creatively and providing a platform for me to explore my crazy ideas. Over the years we have developed a kinetic energy that seemingly wills me the ability to carry out and conceptualize her creative ideas that are sometimes obscure notes. This force was birthed when we first came together to organize the National Haitian Student Conference in Pennsylvania seven years ago. Our shared passion and dreams for Haiti was our relationship matchmaker and continues to be a core that drives and strengthens our company. We wake up early in the morning believing that our shared aspirations and sacrifices is part of that transformational movement that our generation can support in order to resurrect Haiti.

There are people out there with huge ideas, but little faith on what might await them if they take the plunge and start a business of their own. What’s your advice to them?
Having passion and conviction are certainly the catalysts needed to get a business idea off the ground. But what I’ve learned along the way is the importance of proper planning and having a good effective strategy in order to have a sustainable business. Take the time out to do the research – interview friends and family in order to ensure that your idea is meeting a need, a solution or a demand. We live in the information age so a quick Google search will provide you with information needed to learn about market trends and the viability of your idea. It’s also important to slow down in order to speed up, meaning take the time out to develop your system. To often we rush into a business idea without thinking about how it’s going to work; this leads to a fast burn out. Try to setup your business to run effectively even if you aren’t there. It took us about two years of research and development in order for us to bring Kreyol Essence to market. Both Yve-Car and I are perfectionists, so we are always tweaking and making enhancements, but I feel because of we took time out in the beginning we will never stray away from our vision.

Kreyol Essence is a venture of your company Nouveau Concepts LLC. Are you branching out to other arenas as well?
At the core our missions are the same, but the medium for disseminating our values are slightly different. My vision for Nouveau Concepts has always been to be a key storyteller in the development of multi-ethnic narratives, especially that of our Haitian culture. We have lost control of our visual and historical narrative and I’d like to help reclaim that with whatever mass media tools I have access to. Nouveau Concepts, has given me the ability to develop visual communication and marketing strategies for various clients using the creative palette that has been molded by my cultural lens. We are doing the same thing through Kreyòl Essence. Our sourcing of natural and organic ingredients from Haiti and crafting a luxury brand is our way of starting the paradigm shift and rewriting our narrative. The fact that our packaging has been inspired by the vibrant and bold imagery of tap-taps that zip through the lively streets of Port-au-Prince is a testament that we are capable of expounding upon the notions of what we have traditionally considered to be beautiful. Rather than branching out, I consider this an opportunity to develop new marketing strategies to help me visually communicate our multi-cultural perspective with all people.

What’s next for Kreyol Essence as a brand?
I can’t give away all our secrets! As we grow we strive to continue to be a brand that continues to provide unparalleled service and continue to have an intimate relationship with our customers. We are thrilled to know that our community embraces our mission and takes ownership in the type of products we develop. To that avail, we will continue to develop products based on the demand of our customers. The one piece of info I’ll share is that we plan on taking this initiative global! We are obsessed with reinventing old and unique ingredients. Not only do we want to source the great agricultural wonders of Haiti, but we want to bring Haiti to the rest of the world.

[Photos Credit: Nouveau Concepts LLC ]

Get to know the Kreyol Essence products. Visit the company’s website HERE.

Every blogger wants to be Karen Civil. Why wouldn’t they want to be her? She is an influential new media princess and the head honcho of her own digital media marketing agency, Always Civil Enterprise, and the creator of Living Civil bracelets. And her empire doesn’t stop there. She launched her own clothing company Civil Clothing, already touted as one of the best urban wear brands on the market; and she founded a lifestyle property, Living Civil. Oh, and Karen Civil TV, in which she shares exclusive video interviews—with such rappers as Big Sean, Tyga, Meek Mill, 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa—should also be mentioned. No wonder so many look up to her. They may want her success, but it’s doubtful that they want to put in all the hard work that catapulted her to the highly coveted station where she holds court. Hard work…now that’s something that is in embedded in Ms. Civil—the way hemoglobin lines up blood.

Her hectic work days days consist of one meeting after another, trips to industry events, planning photo shoots, fielding phone calls and emails from industry folks and rappers vying for her attention. She also manages the editorial staff at KarenCivil.com. Based in Los Angeles, the civil-living entrepreneur can minimize the existence and importance of a rapper by ignoring him (or her) on her website Karencivil.com, or make him (or her) an overnight sensation by merely mentioning him or her on the website. Indeed, Karen Civil is that powerful.

In the late 2000s, most of the popular urban blogs had already been established. It seemed unlikely that there was place for new blood. But either Karen Civil was not dissuaded by this, or thought she could bring something different to the blogging game. Where there’s will, there’s a civil way. She had interned with some of the biggest radio and music brands in New York, and had made more than a handful of connections with talent and shot-callers in the music world. When rapper Lil Wayne went to serve a jail term, Civil teamed up with web designer Karla Moy to create a website to help the star keep in touch with fans.

Civil had assisted Wayne in keeping his brand intact. Now, the Brooklyn-born, Elizabeth, New Jersey-raised gal wanted very much to bring her own venture to life. She knew one of the primary principles of starting a business: start with what you already know and have a passion for. She knew she loved music, especially hip-hop…and she had some contacts. She didn’t want to be a digital sharecropper, as Nicholas Carr would call it…you know one of those types who help big brands build content, but don’t benefit in the long run. No, Karen Civil wanted to build her own brand. There were several highly-trafficked hip-hop blogs, but none were helmed by a female. She turned on the ignition on KarenCivil.com and has been driving on the success highway ever since, landing on Black Enterprise’s Top Blogger list, and being whisked by Dr. Dre to head the social media of his headphone brand. When big conferences want an expert on their panels, Karen Civil is one of the first names that pop into their heads.

Hanging out with Lil Wayne.

K. St. Fort: What are your memories of growing up Haitian?

I guess it would start in Brooklyn when I’d go to family parties and get-togethers. I have a very big family and getting the chance to spend time with them and see my cousins are some of the best memories I have. We had traditional foods and Haitian music playing when we would all come together.

K. St. Fort: Musical memories…?

At family parties, my cousins and uncles were always playing T-Vice’s music.

K. St. Fort: An internship was instrumental in getting you to where you are. When one gets an internship, what is the best way to stand out?

You basically let your grind speak for itself. You have to put in that extra work to show how dedicated up are… You have to stay longer and don’t become a crop watcher, so to speak. Let your grind and ambition show.

K. St. Fort: In the mid-2000s, you gave props to artists like Drake, Nicki Minaj, long before the mainstream knew them. Or rather acknowledged them. Why did you try that approach, when maybe other bloggers weren’t really trying to touch anyone that hadn’t already gotten mainstream validation?

That’s what I built my site—for the purpose to showcase music that I like—not what necessarily has a large following yet.

K. St. Fort: You breathe music. Heck, it’s dripping from your nostrils. But who are your favorite artists. And no girl, this isn’t a trap question.

I mean it’s a variation of music that I listen to…everything and everyone. It’s hard to pick just a few, but I do love Andy Suzuki, Pink, some old school artists, and many many more.

K. St. Fort: What do your parents think about your career in the music world? Are they like, “Se sa Karen, se sa!”

They are proud that I am pursuing my dreams. I came from a family of hard-workers who all have good yet regular professions, so they are glad that my career in music is actually working for me.

K. St. Fort: Were you ever tempted to go the celebrity bashing direction with your blog?

No, because I have been that kid that was picked on. I never want to be that person.

K. St. Fort: So while you’re heading KarenCivil.com, you get tapped to be Social Media Director for Beats by Dre. How did they ever pull you away, chile?

They didn’t pull me away from anything. I am just doing more than one thing. It lets me be creative and I get the best of both worlds.

K. St. Fort: Studying the history of your brand, it surely grew quite fast. And it grew at a time when most thought that music blogs, urban blogs had hit their apogee. What do you attribute that to?

I’ve been doing it for a few years now. I have tried to be consistent, but I still don’t feel like it is where it needs to be. I try to give you a vision of the artist with interviews and new music exclusives.

K. St. Fort: How important do you think image is to a blogger?

I can’t speak for the next blogger, but for myself I take care of my body and mind. I try to get out more often and love to stay in shape. I can’t just throw on sweats if I want to. I have always cared about my appearance, but now I especially take extra care of my personal image.

K. St. Fort: You tend to emphasize a vision board a lot. Out of all the dreams and goals that you had on your board, that you have since accomplished, which one proved to be the most astounding—even to you, who believed so ardently that you would accomplish it?

I think making the Ebony Power 100 list last year with amazing women like Oprah was incredible to me because I wasn’t expecting it at all. I definitely can’t just pin-point one thing, but every day something new is happening for me and I am being acknowledged by my peers which is accomplishing.

Interviewing Wiz Khalifa for Karen Civil TV.

K. St. Fort: You made a statement once about the U.S. music industry: “Everybody got a Haitian on the team. It’s the standard.”

I mean our work ethic is like no other! We are all hard-workers, just think about Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliot had Mona Scott. [Rapper] 50 had Sha Money XL and so on.

K. St. Fort: Do you feel some sort of partisanship with others of Haitian descent in the music industry?

Of course, I love Sha Money XL, and have so much respect for Mona Scott. We all have that bond and it feels like we are family.

K. St. Fort: What Haitian artists and bands do you like?

Rap-wise I like Jeezy and [konpa-wise] T-Vice. Usher—whenever he decides to admit his roots.

K. St. Fort: In web world, there is sometimes slander, and it’s spread like nothing else in the world. How do you handle rumors and online slandering?

I mean—I am human and it does affect me, but I have amazing friends who remind me that certain people don’t matter and you can’t take anything personally.

K. St. Fort: Do you have plans to work with Haitian artists in a genre like konpa?

No, not that I know of—yet.

K. St. Fort: The music industry is known for being fast, and for being artificial. Some might even use the word “plastic” to describe it. How do you keep yourself civil and real?

It comes with any business, and you’re going to have to face the phonies. I come from a well-rounded family—which is why I have remained grounded.

K. St. Fort: Speaking of which…Can you spot a user from a mile away? Or is face contact required?

It takes time to spot a user because they tend to blend in.

K. St. Fort: Out of all the honors you’ve gotten, industry-related or not, which one means the most to you?

My mom’s blessing is what means most to me.

K. St. Fort: You have Civil Clothing and Civil bracelets. At which point did you realize it would be a good idea to expand your brand?

I think there comes a point in every business person’s career when you need to create those tangible items that set you apart.

With rapper Drake. Karen Civil was among one of the first bloggers to give her stamp of approval to Drake before he blew up in the mainstream.

K. St. Fort: Did you have any qualms about having your name as your brand? And putting your face in front of your brand?

No.

K. St. Fort: When was the last time you went to Haiti?

About two-and-a-half years ago, when my aunt graduated from college.

Karen Civil and rapper Nippsey Hussle.

K. St. Fort: It’s no doubt mentally taxing to be at the head of all these brands. How do you make sure you take care of yourself?

I meditate daily. I love to stay in shape and I am into yoga and my daily workouts. Som I make sure I am mentally, spiritually, and physically alive.

K. St. Fort: It would seem to most that the next big step for you would be for you to head a record label division or something along that line.

You never know what the future holds.

K. St. Fort: What’s next for the Civil Brand?

I will continue to look for new ways to grow. I am working on my book that is coming out next year and planning the annual Live Civil Brunch.

Karen Civil kicking it with Rick Ross at an industry event.

Be sure to visit Karen Civil’s flagship site by CLICKING HERE.

This has been another segment of Yap Mennen/They Ballin’—in which overachieving boys and girls of Haitian origin and their accomplishments are highlighted.