Monisha White is a 15-year-old high school student, but she's also the creator of a beauty product aptly named "Monisha," a 100% natural shea butter that is extracted from Ghana. Retailing for $22.95, the shea butter is used for moisturizing and softening the skin, as well as a host of other applications.
I had the chance to ask Monisha how she decided to start her own company with the help of her mother, acupuncturist and author Esther Gokhale, so here is my interview with Monisha White, creator of Monisha shea butter:
How did you decide to create your own product?
Photo courtesy of Monisha White.
Monisha: I observed my mother preparing batches of shea butter for her patients and our family every few weeks. But it was a chore for her in the middle of her very busy work schedule. Last summer, after returning form trip to Europe with my two siblings, I was looking for something to do that wasn't data entry, and it occurred to me to offer to take over my mother's shea butter operation.
I love cooking and making things beautiful and I'm pretty organized. She was happy to pass it on. I've been enjoying exploring how to whip it and add essential oils, as well as how to get it to cool without creating large crystals, etc...It's been a lot of fun.
Why did you choose natural shea butter as the product you launched?
Photo courtesy of Monisha White.
I believe that taking good care of your body is one of the most important things in life. It seems self-evident, but many people today do a poor job of it. When I was younger, I wasn't very concerned with health, but my family always avoided chemicals, pesticides, and artificial products, so I was rarely exposed to any of these.
Now that I understand more about health and the consequences of treating yourself badly, I consciously eat organic foods and use all natural products. My shea butter is wild-crafted and completely natural - it is extremely beneficial for the skin and makes up for the loss of body oils from frequent showers.
What advice would you give to other teens about starting their own companies?
My best advice for teens who want to start their own companies is to use their resources. Any family, friends, and acquaintances who have experience with business in general will probably be happy to help. At first, I was hesitant to accept help and advice from my mother and her work associates because I felt like it made my business more theirs than mine.
But I soon realized that most businesses benefit from advisors and other input, especially in the beginning. Observing my mother's interactions with her advisors helped me understand this.