Episode Description
In this episode of Be Anomalous, Melissa joins me for a conversation about identity, motherhood, and what it really looks like to build a company that challenges an entire industry.
Melissa is the founder of a K-beauty brand designed specifically for melanin-rich skin, but what she’s building goes far beyond skincare.
It’s about representation, science, and rewriting who beauty is actually for.
But the way she arrived here wasn’t linear.
Melissa grew up between cultures, Caribbean, Italian, and French, moving across countries and learning to adapt to different environments from a young age. That exposure shaped her curiosity, her worldview, and ultimately her ability to bridge gaps that most people don’t even see.
She started her career in high fashion, working closely with brands, models, and creatives. From there, she launched her first startup in swimwear, learning the realities of building a business from scratch, from sales to logistics to partnerships.
After stepping away and going back to school to sharpen her business skills, Melissa began connecting the dots that would eventually lead to her current company.
It started with a realization:
K-beauty, one of the most innovative industries in the world, wasn’t built with melanin-rich skin in mind.
And then it became personal. When her daughter told her, “I’m not pretty because I’m brown,” everything changed.
That moment became the foundation of what she’s building today. But this conversation goes far beyond beauty.
We talk about what it means to build something rooted in purpose, the realities of fundraising, and how to navigate entrepreneurship while raising a family.
Melissa also shares how she approached product development from a scientific perspective, why she chose to work directly with Korean labs and the government, and what it takes to build credibility in an industry that wasn’t designed for you.
This episode is for anyone building something that challenges the norm — especially if you’ve ever felt overlooked by the very systems you’re trying to enter.
If you’ve ever questioned whether an industry was built for you… This conversation is a reminder that sometimes the answer is to build your own.
🎧 Listen to the Episode
[Spotify] | [Apple] | [YouTube]
What You’ll Learn
Why K-beauty hasn’t historically worked for melanin-rich skin
The science behind skin differences and why “one-size-fits-all” products fail
How Melissa validated a global market gap before building her brand
What it really takes to fundraise in a competitive, saturated industry
The importance of representation in both branding and product development
How to build a team that truly understands your customer
Why being close to your market matters more than online data
The reality of balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood
Favorite Quote
“You can have everything — but not at the same time.”
—Betty Friedan
A powerful reminder that balance isn’t about doing everything at once, it’s about being intentional with where your energy goes in each season.
Favorite Book
📖 Pachinko — Min Jin Lee
A deeply moving story that follows generations of a Korean family, exploring resilience, identity, and the strength of women who carry everything forward.
In This Episode, We Cover
(00:00) Melissa’s identity beyond work and growing up between cultures
(05:00) Discovering K-beauty and realizing the gap for darker skin tones
(10:00) The moment her daughter said, “I’m not pretty because I’m brown.”
(15:00) Building a brand rooted in science, not just marketing
(20:00) Why representation in beauty still falls short
(25:00) Lessons from her first startup and learning business the hard way
(30:00) Building the right team and choosing the right co-founder
(35:00) Moving to Korea and working with labs + the government
(40:00) Understanding where customers actually shop and how they behave
(45:00) Fundraising, strategy, and building in a saturated market
(50:00) Balancing entrepreneurship, motherhood, and personal life
(55:00) Final reflections on purpose, impact, and building for the next generation
Referenced in This Episode
K-beauty and global beauty standards
Melanin-rich skin and dermatology insights
Startup fundraising and early-stage strategy
Building a beauty brand from scratch
Representation in consumer brands
Entrepreneurship and motherhood
Global market expansion and cultural positioning
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