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LATINX
BEAUTY
ENTREPRENEUR
GRANT

VALDÉ LATINX
BEAUTY ENTREPRENEUR GRANT
PITCH COMPETITION 2023

The Latinx Beauty Entrepreneur Grant is our first initiative stemming from the Valdé NFT Collective. This grant has been earmarked specifically to support Latinx beauty entrepreneurs which are under-represented in Beauty. Yet our consumer base over indexes in their beauty investment. The Latinx consumers want to see more beauty that speaks to them and understands the nuances, to solve needs but also feel seen and heard.

3 Latinx Beauty Founder finalists will have the opportunity to pitch to a panel of judges for a chance to win $10, 000 in cash grant, PR, Legal, Social and guaranteed buyer meetings with Sephora, ULTA Beauty and Thirteen Lune.

TIMING & CRITERIA

1. APPLY (Due 11:59PM PST May 19th, 2023) Note: You can Apply in Spanish

Tell us all about yourself and your company's vision, mission, and goals.
Applications are open NOW and due no later than midnight of May 19th, 2023

All applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

- You must be a majority Latinx-owned business
- Your business must be incorporated
- Your business must be in the Beauty/Wellness space - specifically a CPG or other hard good
- Your products must be "clean" and/or "sustainable" or working towards it (Ingredients to be formulated without at minimum)
- You must have launched with either DTC or limited distribution
- You must be available to attend Pitch Day (June 22nd)
- Your business must be based in the United States
- You are at least 18 years old as of the date of your application
- You identify as Latinx - You are the owner/co-owner of the business
- You have no more than 3 full-time employees
- Employees of Valdé Beauty and other teams associated with this grant along with their immediate family are not eligible for this program.
- No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. A purchase of any kind will not increase your chances of winning
- Submit the online application.
- Limit one entry per small business
- Do not send us or tell us any proprietary information. If you do, your application will be subject to disqualification.
- By entering this contest, you agree to these official rules, which are in a contract that includes indemnities to the released entities from you and a limitation of your rights and remedies.
- The Pitch Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and is void where prohibited by law. - Winning a Prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.

*Employees of Valdé Beauty along with their immediate family are not eligible for the Initiative.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Up to three Latinx-owned businesses will be selected as finalists by May 28th, 2023.

The finalists will be contacted by Grant Sponsor to schedule a follow up 30 minute interview for the First Week of June, 2023

There are a variety of criteria our team uses to make the final selection. Some of the most important are:
• The People Factor: Tell us about yourself and your team
• Brand Mission: What is your north star, tell us the real reason why you are doing this
• Vision: How do you envision your company's growth and development in the next five years?
• The Valdé Factor: Show us/tell us how you will weave in intention and thoughtfulness into your brand launches
• Level of Impact: How do you plan on making a positive impact in the beauty community?
• Innovation: What makes your company and/or product unique/stand out?
• Business Plan: How will this grant further help you achieve bringing your business plan for life?
• Better for Beauty: Are you moving the beauty industry towards improving in some way - whether with better, more clean ingredients, sustainable materials, ethically sourced, etc. ー

Read Below

Vegan (including Beeswax, Honey, Lanolin and Carmine)
Cruelty-Free
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Cyclic Silicones- D4, D5, D6 and Cylcomethicone
EDTA
DEA/TEA/MEA/ETA
PEGS
Parabens
PFA's and PFC's
Phthalates

2.Phase Il - Presentation Period: Will take place on June 23rd from 2-4pm PST
Each finalist will have 20 minutes to present to the judges via Zoom. At the end of the Presentation Period, the Finalist with the highest score will win the cash grant along with the mentorships.

**Dates subject to change due to judges availability.

3. Winner announcement will take place on June 23rd, 2023:

The Prizes: A $10,000 award in the form of a check will be issued to the Grand Prize winner's registered name of business per the entry form.

Consulting and resources worth $200K+:

• Strategy and Brand Building services from School House Studios, including 1 Shoot Day (in-House) at School House Studios
• A three-month Public Relations retainer from The Bonita Project
E-Mail and SMS Marketing from Antidote
B2B Scale Retail Tech Tools from Landing

Application Form:
CLICK HERE

MEET THE JUDGES

Margarita Arriagada

Founder & CEO of Valdé Beauty

Margarita Arriagada is a first-generation Peruvian American with quite the beauty resume, which has nicknamed her “The Godmother of Beauty.” She has spent the last three decades discovering and cultivating many great designers, artists, and founders in beauty, fashion, and home interiors and served as Chief Merchant of Sephora USA for over a decade. She earned a reputation as an inspirational leader, mentor, and passionate talent developer. In 2020, at 67, she introduced an incredibly unique beauty brand - Valdé Beauty, a luxury and sustainable refillable lipstick brand inspired by her mother.

Sharon Chuter

CEO & Creative Director of UOMA Beauty

A leading activist, Sharon Chuter is the founder of the viral non-for-profit movement, Pull Up For Change, and the Founder, CEO, and Creative Director of one of the fastest growing beauty brands in the world; UOMA Beauty. Born in Nigeria, the 35-year-old trailblazer became frustrated as a teenager that none of the major beauty brands were sold in her country. Determined to change this, she is single handedly responsible for bringing Revlon to Nigeria. After moving to Australia and working her way up through some of the biggest multinational beauty and consumer brands - from L'Oréal, PepsiCo, GSK, and Benefit - she found herself yet again frustrated by the beauty industry's inability to create products that cater to a diverse audience. Rebellious by nature, Sharon took matters into her own hands and created UOMA Beauty in 2019, leading her on a journey to fight for representation and inclusion in the beauty industry. Drawing inspiration from her Afro heritage and infusing it with fierce modernity, Sharon created a makeup brand through which she could use her voice as an advocate for self-love, self-expression, and her deep beauty industry experience to inspire change and challenge the system with products that are not only groundbreaking in innovation, but are exceptional in quality and created for everyone. Sharon has also received multiple awards, including Vogue UK's 25 Most Influential Women of 2022 and PopSugar's Beauty Changemaker of the Year, and WWD's 50 Most Powerful Women.

Divya Gugnani

Co-Founder & CEO of Wander Beauty

Divya Gugnani, CEO and Co-Founder of Wander Beauty, spent nearly 20 years searching for beauty essentials that could keep up with her on-the-go lifestyle. A self-proclaimed 'accidental entrepreneur,' she left the finance world after selling her first business, and, bitten by the startup bug, went on to become a serial entrepreneur. She launched Wander Beauty in 2015 with Co-Founder Lindsay Ellingson and created effortless everyday essentials. With over 35 prestigious beauty awards, Wander Beauty has a loyal following of celebrities, top journalists, and notable beauty and style influencers.

Nancy Twine

Founder & CEO of Briogeo

Nancy Twine has carved her own unique path in the business world. Pivoting from her first career as a VP at Goldman Sachs, she sought a different life filled with inspiration and purpose. Tapping into her mother's roots in natural product formulation, she created Briogeo - the clean, high-performance hair care line that pioneered the "skinification" of hair. At the age of 29, Nancy became the then-youngest African-American woman to launch a product line at Sephora, and the brand has gone on to win dozens of awards for innovation, including the most Allure Best of Beauty Awards in the prestige hair care space.

Brittany Chavez

Founder of Shop Latinx

Brittany Chavez is a Los Angeles-born Guatemalan Nicaraguan entrepreneur who is passionate about building companies that celebrate and bring visibility to the U.S. Latinx experience. She is the founder of Shop Latinx, a content and media platform that amplifies next-gen Latinx makers and visionaries, and now the founder of Our Paradiso, an online beauty and wellness retailer that centers Latina-founded brands and products.

Patricia Reynoso

Beauty Expert and Executive Director

Patricia Reynoso is a beauty expert with 20+ years of industry experience. Her multifaceted career covers various sides of the business, from editorial (editor roles at Women's Wear Daily, W and Ladies' Home Journal magazines and co-authoring a skincare book with famed dermatologist Dr. Fredric Brandt) to business (communications and creative roles at Lancôme, La Mer and Bobbi Brown) to digital (branded content at Hearst Media). Today, Reynoso is Executive Director, Cultural Relevancy Engagement, North America, with a focus on the portfolio's communications and relevancy strategies for diverse consumers.

MEET THE MENTORS

Margarita Arriagada

Founder & CEO of Valdé Beauty

Margarita Arriagada is a first-generation Peruvian American with quite the beauty resume, which has nicknamed her “The Godmother of Beauty.” She has spent the last three decades discovering and cultivating many great designers, artists, and founders in beauty, fashion, and home interiors and served as Chief Merchant of Sephora USA for over a decade. She earned a reputation as an inspirational leader, mentor, and passionate talent developer. In 2020, at 67, she introduced an incredibly unique beauty brand - Valdé Beauty, a luxury and sustainable refillable lipstick brand inspired by her mother.

Alicia Romero

Vice President of Estée Lauder Companies

Alicia Romero is Vice President, Integrated Brand Communications and Cultural Relevancy at The Estée Lauder Companies. At Estee Lauder, she innovates breakthrough marketing and communication strategies that transform the way underrepresented communities are reflected in prestige beauty. Alicia was recently honored by People en Español as one of the "most influential Latinos in the world". She is a proud first-generation Mexican American and passionate about recognizing subcultures that allow individuals to see themselves moving beyond superficial stereotypes. Her life experiences have allowed Alicia to define her personal brand and affirmation, "Viva Vibrant: Life is More Beautiful in Color".

Evelyn Wang

Former CEO of Papa & Barkley

Evelyn has worked across the beauty, wellness, and cannabis industries, with broad channel experience, successfully navigating large fortune 500 companies to private founder-led companies. Evelyn was formerly CEO of Papa & Barkley, the #1 cannabis wellness brand in California. Evelyn has also led the marketing function as CMO for some of the largest beauty brands in the industry: Milani Cosmetics and wet n wild. Currently Evelyn is pursuing her entrepreneurial ambitions and working with brands as a consultant.

Rose Fernandez

Former CEO of Biotech Skincare Brand

Rose Fernandez is a dynamic beauty industry executive with broad and deep experience, having worked her way through the ranks. Over the past +25 years she has served key commercial and marketing leadership roles, most recently CEO with a biotech skincare brand. Her experience and relationships span the prestige and professional channels. Notably, her operational experience has been developed across founder led, private equity and publicly owned businesses. She is passionate about building brands through focused differentiation, financial and analytical rigor, developing strong leaders and productive retailer relationships. Internationally (NA, CN, EU) recognized for developing and executing strategies that create significant and sustainable value.

Michelle Ranavat

Founder of RANAVAT

Michelle Ranavat leverages her expertise in the pharmaceutical industry and her background in engineering to create a line of beautiful skin and hair treatments that honor her South Asian heritage. Founded in 2017, RANAVAT recently launched into Sephora to become the first Ayurvedic skincare brand to launch at the iconic retailer. The brand proudly donates 1% of proceeds to Desai Foundation, a non-profit organization in India that empowers women and children through community programs to elevate health and livelihood in India and the U.S.

MEET THE SPONSORS

Legal Counsel

Pamela Rosario Law, PLLC

Business Attorney At Law

Pamela Rosario is a business attorney at law who started her own legal counsel agency, Pamela Rosario Law, PLLC. As an Afro-Latina raised in NYC, Pamela was inspired to pursue law because of the many times she witnessed the Black and brown people of her community lack access to the resources and information they needed to run successful (legally protected) passion projects, creative endeavors, and small businesses. Through her business, Pamela guides her business owner clients to success with her trademark registration and copyright registration, contracts and partnership program services.

Brand Identity & Development

School House

Beauty Creative Agency

School House is a beauty creative agency based in NYC that specializes in cut-through strategy, engaging creative and immersive environments for the world’s most in-demand beauty brands. The agency offers an array of services including strategy and beauty branding, content creation, architectural and experimental design, and beauty industrial design. Since launching, School House has worked with some of the industry’s leading beauty brands such as MAC, La Mer, Laneige, Esteé Lauder, Cover FX and more.

B2B Scale Retail Tech Tools

Landing International

B2B Technology Company

Landing International is a B2B technology company specializing in digital tools that advance the future of retail and make the retail industry a more conscious, inclusive and empowering place. Landing provides technology and data solutions that create greater transparency to enable beauty retail sales. One of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in Beauty, Landing supports greater opportunity in beauty retail by championing brands committed to advancing innovation, representation, and ethical business. Landing works with over 450 beauty brands and nearly 100 leading U.S. beauty retailers.

Email And SMS Marketing

Antidote

Email And SMS Marketing Agency

Email & sms marketing for world-class consumer brands. Strategy, copy, design. We handle it all. The foundation of a top-notch email marketing program. Strategy, copy, design & execution for five core automation flows. Value is roughly $10k.

Ticket To Attend Weekend Fest (Value: $999)

#Weallgrow Latina

Community Platform

#WeAll Grow Latina is a 100% Latina-owned and operated community-driven platform that provides Latinas and femme Latines access to resources and connections for professional and personal growth. Founded in 2010, #WeAllGrow stands strong in the mission of connecting and fueling the power of Latinas and femme Latines through virtual and in-person experiences, culturally relevant content, business growth tools, e-commerce, and resources to heal, connect and grow. Because when one grows, we all grow.

Professional Membership (Value: $1,250)

BeautyMatter

Beauty Trade Publication

Founded in 2016 but informed by 25 years of experience. In four short years, Beauty Matter has made its mark, gaining a global following and becoming one of the most influential voices covering beauty. An essential resource for insiders filling the void, connecting the dots, and providing a perspective that is informed, analytical, and has a compelling point of view. We curate, cultivate, and create content that informs and inspires those creating the future.

Public Relations Services

The Bonita Project

Multicultural PR & Marketing Agency

Founded by PR professional Danielle Alvarez in 2018, The Bonita Project is an integrated PR, marketing and influencer agency with a mission to change how brands engage with multicultural communities by demonstrating their brand loyalty, social media engagement, and purchasing power. Since its launch, The Bonita Project has worked with various beauty, fashion and wellness brands and talent clients including Farsali, Clinique, Alamar Cosmetics, BIRDYLASHES, Treslúce Beauty and more.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Terms and Conditions:

Submit the online application.

Limit one entry per small business.

• Do not send us or tell us any proprietary information. If you do, your application will be subject to disqualification. • You must be a Latinx-owned business

• You must be an Incorporated Business

• Beauty/Wellness Business (specifically PG or other hard good, any category)
Clean and/or sustainable or working towards it - At minimum:
Vegan (including Beeswax, Honey, Lanolin and Carmine)
Cruelty-Free
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Butvlated hydroxvanisole (BHA)
Cyclic Silicones- D4, D5, D6 and Cylcomethicone
EDTA
DEA/TEA/MEA/ETA
PEGS
Parabens
PFA's and PFC's
Phthalates

• Have a product prototype or launched with limited distribution

• The Business must be US based.

• You are at least 18 years of age at date of submission.

• You identify as Latinx • You are the owner of the business.

• No more than 3 full-time employees.

• Employees of Valdé Beauty along with their immediate family are not eligible for the Initiative.

CLICK HERE FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS

THE APPLICATION

FAQS AND APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Can I apply more than once?
We are only accepting one application per business.

How do I apply?
By filling out the application below!

Do I have to do the application in 1 session?
We suggest copying and pasting the questions into another platform before you start the online submission process.

How are you choosing candidates?
Candidates will be chosen based on the following criteria

The People Factor: Tell us about yourself and your team
Brand Mission: What is your north star, tell us the real reason why you are doing this
Vision: How do you envision your company's growth and development in the next five years?
The Valdé Factor: Show/tell us how you will weave intention and thoughtfulness into your brand
Level of Impact: How do you plan on making a positive impact in the beauty community?
Innovation: What makes your company and/or product unique/stand out?
Business Plan: How will this grant further help you achieve bringing your business plan for life?
Better for Beauty: Are you moving the beauty industry towards improving in some way - whether with better, more clean ingredients, sustainable materials, ethically sourced, etc. ー 

Read Below:
Vegan (including Beeswax, Honey, Lanolin and Carmine)
Cruelty-Free
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Cyclic Silicones- D4, D5, D6 and Cylcomethicone
EDTA
DEA/TEA/MEA/ETA
PEGS
Parabens
PFA's and PFC's
Phthalates

Grant sponsor reserves the right to select fewer than three Finalists if at their sole discretion, they do not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified entries.

How will I know if my application has been received?
You will receive an email confirmation shortly after you've submitted.

Who is reviewing applications?
The Grant Sponsor

What if we have more than one founder?
Up to two of you can join if you are co-founders. Only one can pitch. You can both join the mentorship sessions.

Who do I contact with additional questions about the application?
Feel free to reach out to Askme@valdebeauty.com!

Application Form:
CLICK HERE

 

VALDÉ NFT COLLECTIVE

LATINX
BEAUTY
ENTREPRENEUR
GRANT

VALDÉ LATINX BEAUTY ENTREPRENEUR GRANT
PITCH COMPETITION 2023

The Latinx Beauty Entrepreneur Grant is our first initiative stemming from the Valdé NFT Collective. This grant has been earmarked specifically to support Latinx beauty entrepreneurs which are under-represented in Beauty. Yet our consumer base over indexes in their beauty investment. The Latinx consumers want to see more beauty that speaks to them and understands the nuances, to solve needs but also feel seen and heard.

3 Latinx Beauty Founder finalists will have the opportunity to pitch to a panel of judges for a chance to win $10, 000 in cash grant, PR, Legal, Social and guaranteed buyer meetings with Sephora, ULTA Beauty and Thirteen Lune.

TIMING & CRITERIA

1. APPLY (Due 11:59PM PST May 19th, 2023)  Note: You can Apply in Spanish

Tell us all about yourself and your company's vision, mission, and goals.
Applications are open NOW and due no later than midnight of May 19th, 2023

All applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

- You must be a majority Latinx-owned business
- Your business must be incorporated
- Your business must be in the Beauty/Wellness space - specifically a CPG or other hard good
- Your products must be "clean" and/or "sustainable" or working towards it (Ingredients to be formulated without at minimum)
- You must have launched with either DTC or limited distribution
- You must be available to attend Pitch Day (June 22rd)
- Your business must be based in the United States
- You are at least 18 years old as of the date of your application
- You identify as Latinx - You are the owner/co-owner of the business
- You have no more than 3 full-time employees
- Employees of Valdé Beauty and other teams associated with this grant along with their immediate family are not eligible for this program.
- No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this contest. A purchase of any kind will not increase your chances of winning
- Submit the online application.
- Limit one entry per small business
- Do not send us or tell us any proprietary information. If you do, your application will be subject to disqualification.
- By entering this contest, you agree to these official rules, which are in a contract that includes indemnities to the released entities from you and a limitation of your rights and remedies.
- The Pitch Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and is void where prohibited by law. - Winning a Prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.

*Employees of Valdé Beauty along with their immediate family are not eligible for the Initiative.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Up to three Latinx-owned businesses will be selected as finalists by May 28th, 2023.

The finalists will be contacted by Grant Sponsor to schedule a follow up 30 minute interview for the First Week of June, 2023

There are a variety of criteria our team uses to make the final selection. Some of the most important are:
• The People Factor: Tell us about yourself and your team
• Brand Mission: What is your north star, tell us the real reason why you are doing this
• Vision: How do you envision your company's growth and development in the next five years?
• The Valdé Factor: Show us/tell us how you will weave in intention and thoughtfulness into your brand launches
• Level of Impact: How do you plan on making a positive impact in the beauty community?
• Innovation: What makes your company and/or product unique/stand out?
• Business Plan: How will this grant further help you achieve bringing your business plan for life?
• Better for Beauty: Are you moving the beauty industry towards improving in some way - whether with better, more clean ingredients, sustainable materials, ethically sourced, etc. ー

Read Below

Vegan (including Beeswax, Honey, Lanolin and Carmine)
Cruelty-Free
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Cyclic Silicones- D4, D5, D6 and Cylcomethicone
EDTA
DEA/TEA/MEA/ETA
PEGS
Parabens
PFA's and PFC's
Phthalates

2.Phase Il - Presentation Period: Will take place on June 23rd from 2-4pm PST
Each finalist will have 20 minutes to present to the judges via Zoom. At the end of the Presentation Period, the Finalist with the highest score will win the cash grant along with the mentorships.

**Dates subject to change due to judges availability.

3. Winner announcement will take place on June 23rd, 2023:

The Prizes: A $10,000 award in the form of a check will be issued to the Grand Prize winner's registered name of business per the entry form.

Consulting and resources worth $200K+:

    • • Strategy and Brand Building services from School House Studios, including 1 Shoot Day (in-House) at School House Studios

    • • A three-month Public Relations retainer from The Bonita Project

    •  
    • • E-Mail and SMS Marketing from Antidote

    • • B2B Scale Retail Tech Tools from Landing

    •  
    • Application Form:
      CLICK HERE

MEET THE JUDGES

Margarita Arriagada

Founder & CEO of Valdé Beauty

Margarita Arriagada is a first-generation Peruvian American with quite the beauty resume, which has nicknamed her “The Godmother of Beauty.” She has spent the last three decades discovering and cultivating many great designers, artists, and founders in beauty, fashion, and home interiors and served as Chief Merchant of Sephora USA for over a decade. She earned a reputation as an inspirational leader, mentor, and passionate talent developer. In 2020, at 67, she introduced an incredibly unique beauty brand - Valdé Beauty, a luxury and sustainable refillable lipstick brand inspired by her mother.

Sharon Chuter

CEO & Creative Director of UOMA Beauty

A leading activist, Sharon Chuter is the founder of the viral non-for-profit movement, Pull Up For Change, and the Founder, CEO, and Creative Director of one of the fastest growing beauty brands in the world; UOMA Beauty. Born in Nigeria, the 35-year-old trailblazer became frustrated as a teenager that none of the major beauty brands were sold in her country. Determined to change this, she is single handedly responsible for bringing Revlon to Nigeria. After moving to Australia and working her way up through some of the biggest multinational beauty and consumer brands - from L'Oréal, PepsiCo, GSK, and Benefit - she found herself yet again frustrated by the beauty industry's inability to create products that cater to a diverse audience. Rebellious by nature, Sharon took matters into her own hands and created UOMA Beauty in 2019, leading her on a journey to fight for representation and inclusion in the beauty industry. Drawing inspiration from her Afro heritage and infusing it with fierce modernity, Sharon created a makeup brand through which she could use her voice as an advocate for self-love, self-expression, and her deep beauty industry experience to inspire change and challenge the system with products that are not only groundbreaking in innovation, but are exceptional in quality and created for everyone. Sharon has also received multiple awards, including Vogue UK's 25 Most Influential Women of 2022 and PopSugar's Beauty Changemaker of the Year, and WWD's 50 Most Powerful Women.

Divya Gugnani

Co-Founder & CEO of Wander Beauty

Divya Gugnani, CEO and Co-Founder of Wander Beauty, spent nearly 20 years searching for beauty essentials that could keep up with her on-the-go lifestyle. A self-proclaimed 'accidental entrepreneur,' she left the finance world after selling her first business, and, bitten by the startup bug, went on to become a serial entrepreneur. She launched Wander Beauty in 2015 with Co-Founder Lindsay Ellingson and created effortless everyday essentials. With over 35 prestigious beauty awards, Wander Beauty has a loyal following of celebrities, top journalists, and notable beauty and style influencers.

Nancy Twine

Founder & CEO of Briogeo

Nancy Twine has carved her own unique path in the business world. Pivoting from her first career as a VP at Goldman Sachs, she sought a different life filled with inspiration and purpose. Tapping into her mother's roots in natural product formulation, she created Briogeo - the clean, high-performance hair care line that pioneered the "skinification" of hair. At the age of 29, Nancy became the then-youngest African-American woman to launch a product line at Sephora, and the brand has gone on to win dozens of awards for innovation, including the most Allure Best of Beauty Awards in the prestige hair care space.

Brittany Chavez

Founder of Shop Latinx

Brittany Chavez is a Los Angeles-born Guatemalan Nicaraguan entrepreneur who is passionate about building companies that celebrate and bring visibility to the U.S. Latinx experience. She is the founder of Shop Latinx, a content and media platform that amplifies next-gen Latinx makers and visionaries, and now the founder of Our Paradiso, an online beauty and wellness retailer that centers Latina-founded brands and products.

Patricia Reynoso

Beauty Expert and Executive Director

Patricia Reynoso is a beauty expert with 20+ years of industry experience. Her multifaceted career covers various sides of the business, from editorial (editor roles at Women's Wear Daily, W and Ladies' Home Journal magazines and co-authoring a skincare book with famed dermatologist Dr. Fredric Brandt) to business (communications and creative roles at Lancôme, La Mer and Bobbi Brown) to digital (branded content at Hearst Media). Today, Reynoso is Executive Director, Cultural Relevancy Engagement, North America, with a focus on the portfolio's communications and relevancy strategies for diverse consumers.

MEET THE MENTORS

Margarita Arriagada

Founder & CEO of Valdé Beauty

Margarita Arriagada is a first-generation Peruvian American with quite the beauty resume, which has nicknamed her “The Godmother of Beauty.” She has spent the last three decades discovering and cultivating many great designers, artists, and founders in beauty, fashion, and home interiors and served as Chief Merchant of Sephora USA for over a decade. She earned a reputation as an inspirational leader, mentor, and passionate talent developer. In 2020, at 67, she introduced an incredibly unique beauty brand - Valdé Beauty, a luxury and sustainable refillable lipstick brand inspired by her mother.

Alicia Romero

Vice President of Estée Lauder Companies

Alicia Romero is Vice President, Integrated Brand Communications and Cultural Relevancy at The Estée Lauder Companies. At Estee Lauder, she innovates breakthrough marketing and communication strategies that transform the way underrepresented communities are reflected in prestige beauty. Alicia was recently honored by People en Español as one of the "most influential Latinos in the world". She is a proud first-generation Mexican American and passionate about recognizing subcultures that allow individuals to see themselves moving beyond superficial stereotypes. Her life experiences have allowed Alicia to define her personal brand and affirmation, "Viva Vibrant: Life is More Beautiful in Color".

Evelyn Wang

Former CEO of Papa & Barkley

Evelyn has worked across the beauty, wellness, and cannabis industries, with broad channel experience, successfully navigating large fortune 500 companies to private founder-led companies. Evelyn was formerly CEO of Papa & Barkley, the #1 cannabis wellness brand in California. Evelyn has also led the marketing function as CMO for some of the largest beauty brands in the industry: Milani Cosmetics and wet n wild. Currently Evelyn is pursuing her entrepreneurial ambitions and working with brands as a consultant.

Rose Fernandez

Former CEO of Biotech Skincare Brand

Rose Fernandez is a dynamic beauty industry executive with broad and deep experience, having worked her way through the ranks. Over the past +25 years she has served key commercial and marketing leadership roles, most recently CEO with a biotech skincare brand. Her experience and relationships span the prestige and professional channels. Notably, her operational experience has been developed across founder led, private equity and publicly owned businesses. She is passionate about building brands through focused differentiation, financial and analytical rigor, developing strong leaders and productive retailer relationships. Internationally (NA, CN, EU) recognized for developing and executing strategies that create significant and sustainable value.

Michelle Ranavat

Founder of RANAVAT

Michelle Ranavat leverages her expertise in the pharmaceutical industry and her background in engineering to create a line of beautiful skin and hair treatments that honor her South Asian heritage. Founded in 2017, RANAVAT recently launched into Sephora to become the first Ayurvedic skincare brand to launch at the iconic retailer. The brand proudly donates 1% of proceeds to Desai Foundation, a non-profit organization in India that empowers women and children through community programs to elevate health and livelihood in India and the U.S.

MEET THE SPONSORS

Legal Counsel

Pamela Rosario Law, PLLC

Business Attorney At Law

Pamela Rosario is a business attorney at law who started her own legal counsel agency, Pamela Rosario Law, PLLC. As an Afro-Latina raised in NYC, Pamela was inspired to pursue law because of the many times she witnessed the Black and brown people of her community lack access to the resources and information they needed to run successful (legally protected) passion projects, creative endeavors, and small businesses. Through her business, Pamela guides her business owner clients to success with her trademark registration and copyright registration, contracts and partnership program services.

Brand Identity & Development

School House

Beauty Creative Agency

School House is a beauty creative agency based in NYC that specializes in cut-through strategy, engaging creative and immersive environments for the world’s most in-demand beauty brands. The agency offers an array of services including strategy and beauty branding, content creation, architectural and experimental design, and beauty industrial design. Since launching, School House has worked with some of the industry’s leading beauty brands such as MAC, La Mer, Laneige, Esteé Lauder, Cover FX and more.

B2B Scale Retail Tech Tools

Landing International

B2B Technology Company

Landing International is a B2B technology company specializing in digital tools that advance the future of retail and make the retail industry a more conscious, inclusive and empowering place. Landing provides technology and data solutions that create greater transparency to enable beauty retail sales. One of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in Beauty, Landing supports greater opportunity in beauty retail by championing brands committed to advancing innovation, representation, and ethical business. Landing works with over 450 beauty brands and nearly 100 leading U.S. beauty retailers.

 

Email And SMS Marketing

Antidote

Email And SMS Marketing Agency

Email & sms marketing for world-class consumer brands. Strategy, copy, design. We handle it all. The foundation of a top-notch email marketing program. Strategy, copy, design & execution for five core automation flows. Value is roughly $10k.

Ticket To Attend Weekend Fest (Value: $999)

#Weallgrow Latina

Community Platform

#WeAll Grow Latina is a 100% Latina-owned and operated community-driven platform that provides Latinas and femme Latines access to resources and connections for professional and personal growth. Founded in 2010, #WeAllGrow stands strong in the mission of connecting and fueling the power of Latinas and femme Latines through virtual and in-person experiences, culturally relevant content, business growth tools, e-commerce, and resources to heal, connect and grow. Because when one grows, we all grow.

Professional Membership (Value: $1,250)

BeautyMatter

Beauty Trade Publication

Founded in 2016 but informed by 25 years of experience. In four short years, Beauty Matter has made its mark, gaining a global following and becoming one of the most influential voices covering beauty. An essential resource for insiders filling the void, connecting the dots, and providing a perspective that is informed, analytical, and has a compelling point of view. We curate, cultivate, and create content that informs and inspires those creating the future.

Public Relations Services

The Bonita Project

Multicultural PR & Marketing Agency

Founded by PR professional Danielle Alvarez in 2018, The Bonita Project is an integrated PR, marketing and influencer agency with a mission to change how brands engage with multicultural communities by demonstrating their brand loyalty, social media engagement, and purchasing power. Since its launch, The Bonita Project has worked with various beauty, fashion and wellness brands and talent clients including Farsali, Clinique, Alamar Cosmetics, BIRDYLASHES, Treslúce Beauty and more.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Terms and Conditions:

Submit the online application.

Limit one entry per small business.

• Do not send us or tell us any proprietary information. If you do, your application will be subject to disqualification. • You must be a Latinx-owned business

• You must be an Incorporated Business

• Beauty/Wellness Business (specifically PG or other hard good, any category)
Clean and/or sustainable or working towards it - At minimum:
Vegan (including Beeswax, Honey, Lanolin and Carmine)
Cruelty-Free
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Butvlated hydroxvanisole (BHA)
Cyclic Silicones- D4, D5, D6 and Cylcomethicone
EDTA
DEA/TEA/MEA/ETA
PEGS
Parabens
PFA's and PFC's
Phthalates

• Have a product prototype or launched with limited distribution

• The Business must be US based.

• You are at least 18 years of age at date of submission.

• You identify as Latinx • You are the owner of the business.

• No more than 3 full-time employees.

• Employees of Valdé Beauty along with their immediate family are not eligible for the Initiative.

CLICK HERE FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS

THE APPLICATION

FAQS AND APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Can I apply more than once?
We are only accepting one application per business.

How do I apply?
By filling out the application below!

Do I have to do the application in 1 session?
We suggest copying and pasting the questions into another platform before you start the online submission process.

How are you choosing candidates?
Candidates will be chosen based on the following criteria

The People Factor: Tell us about yourself and your team
Brand Mission: What is your north star, tell us the real reason why you are doing this
Vision: How do you envision your company's growth and development in the next five years?
The Valdé Factor: Show/tell us how you will weave intention and thoughtfulness into your brand
Level of Impact: How do you plan on making a positive impact in the beauty community?
Innovation: What makes your company and/or product unique/stand out?
Business Plan: How will this grant further help you achieve bringing your business plan for life?
Better for Beauty: Are you moving the beauty industry towards improving in some way - whether with better, more clean ingredients, sustainable materials, ethically sourced, etc. ー 

Read Below:
Vegan (including Beeswax, Honey, Lanolin and Carmine)
Cruelty-Free
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Cyclic Silicones- D4, D5, D6 and Cylcomethicone
EDTA
DEA/TEA/MEA/ETA
PEGS
Parabens
PFA's and PFC's
Phthalates

Grant sponsor reserves the right to select fewer than three Finalists if at their sole discretion, they do not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified entries.

How will I know if my application has been received?
You will receive an email confirmation shortly after you've submitted.

Who is reviewing applications?
The Grant Sponsor

What if we have more than one founder?
Up to two of you can join if you are co-founders. Only one can pitch. You can both join the mentorship sessions.

Who do I contact with additional questions about the application?
Feel free to reach out to Askme@valdebeauty.com!

Application Form:
CLICK HERE

 

VALDÉ NFT COLLECTIVE

INTRODUCING
THE VALDÉ NFT COLLECTIVE

Valdé beauty is known for being disruptive and at the forefront of new beauty frontiers. Ever evolving Valdé beauty is proud to pioneer the beauty NFT space with the advent of the Valdé NFT Collective. This unique NFT collective combines the power of ever-evolving, Valdé beauty is proud to pioneer the beauty NFT space with the advent of the Valdé NFT Collective. This unique NFT collective combines the power of community, the authenticity of ownership on the blockchain, and the beauty, strength, and resilience of women.

Launching in January 2022, the Valdé NFT Collective will feature exclusive digital artwork in collaboration with renowned female artists accompanied by our legendary hand-sculpted armor. The Valdé NFT drop is our way of honoring the female pioneers around us through physical and digital artwork that lasts the test of time and gets better with age - just like the woman that owns it.

INTRODUCING
THE VALDÉ NFT COLLECTIVE

Valdé beauty is known for being disruptive and at the forefront of new beauty frontiers. Ever evolving Valdé beauty is proud to pioneer the beauty NFT space with the advent of the Valdé NFT Collective. This unique NFT collective combines the power of ever-evolving, Valdé beauty is proud to pioneer the beauty NFT space with the advent of the Valdé NFT Collective. This unique NFT collective combines the power of community, the authenticity of ownership on the blockchain, and the beauty, strength, and resilience of women.

Launching in January 2022, the Valdé NFT Collective will feature exclusive digital artwork in collaboration with renowned female artists accompanied by our legendary hand-sculpted armor. The Valdé NFT drop is our way of honoring the female pioneers around us through physical and digital artwork that lasts the test of time and gets better with age - just like the woman that owns it.

THE DIVINE COLLECTION

Our inaugural Valdé Divine NFT combines our coveted hand-crafted armor with unique NFT artwork. The Valdé Divine armors are an emblem of intentionality. Each lipstick holder is made from precious quartz minerals that have been forged from the earth and artfully handcrafted into a vessel that protects lip products and elevates everyday rituals into meaningful moments of self-care and reflection.

These pieces will be made in rare quantities, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. White Quartz is the most rare of the Divine Collection, and will only be produced in a quantity of 10. The Amethyst and Rose Quartz vessels will each be produced in limited quantities of twelve.

100% of net proceeds from the Valdé Divine collection will fund the Valde Latinx Beauty grant for Latinx entrepreneurs and creatives.

THE DIVINE COLLECTION

Our inaugural Valdé Divine NFT combines our coveted hand-crafted armor with unique NFT artwork. The Valdé Divine armors are an emblem of intentionality. Each lipstick holder is made from precious quartz minerals that have been forged from the earth and artfully handcrafted into a vessel that protects lip products and elevates everyday rituals into meaningful moments of self-care and reflection.

These pieces will be made in rare quantities, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. White Quartz is the most rare of the Divine Collection, and will only be produced in a quantity of 10. The Amethyst and Rose Quartz vessels will each be produced in limited quantities of twelve.

100% of net proceeds from the Valdé Divine collection will fund the Valde Latinx Beauty grant for Latinx entrepreneurs and creatives.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

A limited edition and numbered physical armor handcrafted by master artisans using rare quartz minerals

Each purchase of a Divine Crystal Armor unlocks exclusive benefits and comes with a unique NFT digital artwork designed and made exclusively for Valdé.

UPON PURCHASE OF THE PHYGITAL NFT, YOU RECEIVE:

+ Immediate membership in the VALDÉ NFT COLLECTIVE

+ The entire collection of Refillable lip shades (11 in total, $440 value)

+ One year’s supply of owner’s favorite lipstick shade.

+ Instant access to our VIP Discord Voice and Chat Channels, where you'll connect with other women in the beauty industry, creators and artists.

+ Access to Exclusive Founder Chats + Access to Exclusive Special Guest Speakers, such as Celebrity make-up artists and Musical artists.

+ Access to other Secret Special Guests in the works!

+ An exclusive Valde Digital Wearable for your Decentraland Avatar in the Metaverse.

+ Early access to all future Valdé Collections and Events.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

A limited edition and numbered physical armor handcrafted by master artisans using rare quartz minerals

Each purchase of a Divine Crystal Armor unlocks exclusive benefits and comes with a unique NFT digital artwork designed and made exclusively for Valdé.

UPON PURCHASE OF THE PHYGITAL NFT, YOU RECEIVE:

+ Immediate membership in the VALDÉ NFT COLLECTIVE

+ The entire collection of Refillable lip shades (11 in total, $440 value)

+ One year’s supply of owner’s favorite lipstick shade.

+ Instant access to our VIP Discord Voice and Chat Channels, where you'll connect with other women in the beauty industry, creators and artists.

+ Access to Exclusive Founder Chats + Access to Exclusive Special Guest Speakers, such as Celebrity make-up artists and Musical artists.

+ Access to other Secret Special Guests in the works!

+ An exclusive Valde Digital Wearable for your Decentraland Avatar in the Metaverse.

+ Early access to all future Valdé Collections and Events.

SUSTAINABLITY

Valdé Beauty is at the forefront of the sustainable beauty movement. With those same values in mind, we launch our exclusive NFT collection. To build a sustainable NFT division, we’ve curated a limited number of unique NFT’s produced for each Valdé Beauty NFT drop. We also partner with Aerial.nft to offset each NFT purchase, making each NFT carbon neutral, from creation to purchase.

MEET " VALENTINA"

THE NEW FACE OF THE NFT VALDÉ COLLECTIVE

Valentina is a World of Woman artwork #7308 who has the unique
exclusive trait of warrior armor signifying strength and courage.

SUSTAINABLITY

Valdé Beauty is at the forefront of the sustainable beauty movement. With those same values in mind, we launch our exclusive NFT collection. To build a sustainable NFT division, we’ve curated a limited number of unique NFT’s produced for each Valdé Beauty NFT drop. We also partner with Aerial.nft to offset each NFT purchase, making each NFT carbon neutral, from creation to purchase.

MEET " VALENTINA"

THE NEW FACE OF THE NFT VALDÉ COLLECTIVE

Valentina is a World of Woman artwork #7308 who has the unique exclusive trait of warrior armor signifying strength and courage.

FAQ

What does Phygital mean?
Phygital represents a combination of a Physical item (Valdé sculpted armor, for example) paired with unique digital artwork, or a NFT.

How do I purchase and support this charitable drop?
If you would like to participate in our collective:

Join our Discord https://discord.com/invite/azs3DXyG6M Create a Matamask Account: https://metamask.io/ You’ll need this to house your digital assets. Do not ever share your secret pass phrase. You will be able to purchase our NFT using a credit card Visit our official link to the Divine Collection NFT launch and purchase!

When will I receive my physical piece and NFT?
Upon purchase, each collector will then choose lip color and submit their mailing address. Physical Valde Divine Lip Armor ships within 2 weeks of purchase. NFT Digital artwork transfer is immediate.

How do I join the digital launch event?
If you would like to join us for our Decentraland Virtual Launch event in the Metaverse, here’s what you need to do:

-Create a Metamask Account

Metamask.io is a browser plugin installed on your Chrome browser. It serves as an Ethereum Wallet as well as a gateway to other blockchain apps and websites. BEST SAFETY PRACTICES: as with any bank account information, remember to never share your seed phrase with anyone, and don’t save it on your computer. It is very important to write down your 12 word phrase on paper and store it in several places.

Here is a great tutorial on how to download a Metamask wallet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODh-bJnVp9I

Visit Decentraland.org
Click Get Started
Click Play Using your Wallet and follow prompts to connect your Metamask
You’re all set!

***Watch our Twitter page for the exact Date/Time and direct link to the party! https://twitter.com/valdebeauty

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER TO RECEIVE GRANT UPDATES

FAQ

What does Phygital mean?
Phygital represents a combination of a Physical item (Valdé sculpted armor, for example) paired with unique digital artwork, or a NFT.

How do I purchase and support this charitable drop?
If you would like to participate in our collective:

Join our Discord https://discord.com/invite/azs3DXyG6M Create a Matamask Account: https://metamask.io/ You’ll need this to house your digital assets. Do not ever share your secret pass phrase. You will be able to purchase our NFT using a credit card Visit our official link to the Divine Collection NFT launch and purchase!

When will I receive my physical piece and NFT?
Upon purchase, each collector will then choose lip color and submit their mailing address. Physical Valde Divine Lip Armor ships within 2 weeks of purchase. NFT Digital artwork transfer is immediate.

How do I join the digital launch event?
If you would like to join us for our Decentraland Virtual Launch event in the Metaverse, here’s what you need to do:

-Create a Metamask Account

Metamask.io is a browser plugin installed on your Chrome browser. It serves as an Ethereum Wallet as well as a gateway to other blockchain apps and websites. BEST SAFETY PRACTICES: as with any bank account information, remember to never share your seed phrase with anyone, and don’t save it on your computer. It is very important to write down your 12 word phrase on paper and store it in several places.

Here is a great tutorial on how to download a Metamask wallet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODh-bJnVp9I

Visit Decentraland.org
Click Get Started
Click Play Using your Wallet and follow prompts to connect your Metamask
You’re all set!

***Watch our Twitter page for the exact Date/Time and direct link to the party! https://twitter.com/valdebeauty

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER TO RECEIVE GRANT UPDATES