Keeping a business going can be a struggle for even the most gifted and visionary entrepreneurs. Thus, creating one solid income stream is considered a win. If that’s true, Lyndsey Brantley is not just winning, she’s owning the game. The self-described “serial entrepreneur,” who was recently named by the City of Houston as a business mentor, has created seven successful income streams, headlined by Camellia Alise Spa, located in River Oaks.
But Brantley’s brick-and-mortar spa is just the tip of the iceberg. Brantley has a line of skincare products, an academy that takes others through a certification program, an annual national skincare summit, a book (“Building Your Beauty Empire”) and vending machines under her brand Melanin Radiance that feature Black hair and grooming products for women and men that will soon be placed in both of Houston’s major airports.
The Defender recently spoke with Brantley about her ever-expanding business empire and more.
DEFENDER: What was the genesis of Camellia Alise Spa?
LYNDSEY BRANTLEY: After battling with sensitive skin and ingrown hairs as a symptom of my polycystic ovarian syndrome, and seeing many of my friends do the same, the idea for Camellia Alise was born. Seeking a way to naturally prevent the ingrown hairs and skin irritations I had always dealt with, and finding nothing on the market, I used my medical aesthetics license to formulate natural skin care products that met my needs and the needs of those who also struggle with ingrown hairs, acne, scars, and stretch marks. My goal is to help them achieve radiant skin they can be proud of. As I continued in my skincare career, I recognized that lack of proper education on proper skincare and wellness was a prevalent problem for my community, so I launched the “Camellia Alise Academy” and opened the “Camellia Alise Spa & Training Studios” in 2019 to further educate and serve those in my community!
DEFENDER: Why is it important for Black entrepreneurs to have a presence in River Oaks and similar neighborhoods nationally?
BRANTLEY: The underrepresentation of Black businesses in metro areas with larger household incomes does not come from a lack of will or talent, I believe that structural racism can stifle Black businesses, and when this happens we all suffer from an underperforming economy as a result. So it is of the utmost importance that Black business owners have a presence in all communities, not only the ones populated by people who look like us. My first location was in Third Ward and I will continue to serve these underrepresented communities but it is also very important to develop economically inclusive communities and expand the presence of Black-owned businesses.
DEFENDER: Was being an entrepreneur the goal of eight-year-old Lyndsey? If not, what did you want to be when you grew up?
BRANTLEY: Eight-year-old Lyndsey wanted to be an engineer and I got that degree and built that career path; it just wasn’t my destiny!!! I was a corporate engineer for eight years before transitioning full-time into Medical Aesthetics, I have appreciated my experience in corporate America, but my entrepreneurial journey is what fuels me daily!
DEFENDER: What excites you most about the Lyndsey Brantley empire: the brick-and-mortar spa, skincare line, academy and certification program, summit, or Melanin Radiance vending machines?
BRANTLEY: The thing that excites me most about the empire I have built is the education piece, whether it’s through my academy or summit I get the opportunity to empower other budding entrepreneurs and guide them along their journey and that’s what brings me the most joy. I live by the philosophy of “Give more than you take” and that sector of the business allows me to give the most to my community.
DEFENDER: Who or what experience placed you on the entrepreneur path?
BRANTLEY: There were two experiences that placed me on the entrepreneurial path. The first was an unexpected layoff from my corporate job, after over 3 months of searching for a new job something in me clicked and said “While I am out of work I want to build something of my own so if this ever happens again I can always have a backup plan” The second was my battle with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), after battling with sensitive skin and ingrown hairs as a symptom of PCOS, and seeing many of her friends and clients do the same, I decided to formulate my first set of skincare products and I entered the Liftoff Houston Competition to obtain funding for my idea, winning that first $10,000 pitch validated my concept and gave me the confidence to go full force into the development phase of my company.
DEFENDER: How excited are you to have locations in both of Houston’s major airports and how do you project that placement will expand the Lyndsey Brantley empire?
BRANTLEY: The excitement for this opportunity keeps me up at night!!! I could not be happier to partner with the City of Houston and the Houston Airport Systems to bring a much-needed and innovative product like this to the market, as a frequent traveler I know the importance of having haircare and skincare products available to us and they are often missing from the equation so I believe that this will contribute to a significant revenue growth in our business and we will have the machines in airports and universities nationwide within the next two years.
DEFENDER: Now that you have clearly conquered the entrepreneurship space, what’s next on your world domination agenda?
BRANTLEY: Lol!!! More entrepreneurial endeavors of course! I am committed to being a serial entrepreneur now so I will continue to launch new innovative products and services based on the needs of the consumers I’m surrounded by, the opportunities are endless, it’s ultimately up to us as entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunities in front of us.
DEFENDER: How do you balance all of your incredible business/professional accomplishments with other aspects of your life?
BRANTLEY: I tell every entrepreneur that I mentor “There is no such thing as a perfect balance.” If you think of your time as slices of pie there will always be shifting requirements for example when you have a sick child you need more family time or when you have a new product launch you need more work time. When you understand that and begin to implement good time management skills things work out. I also credit my work/life stability to my amazing husband and office staff because when everyone works together as a team things run smoother!
ABOUT LYNDSEY BRANTLEY
Hometown: Galveston, TX
What brought you to Houston: My husband is from Houston so after finishing college at Lamar in Beaumont, TX we moved here!
Favorite thing about Houston: The diversity. Whether it’s diversity in food, networking, or entertainment, I am never bored and there are always so many options!!!
What are you reading these days: “More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say)” by Elaine Welteroth
What’s on your playlist right now: Lots of NeoSoul including music by Maxwell, Jill Scott and Raphael Saadiq
Mantra: “Speak what you seek until you see what you said!”
