Mentorship can be a powerful gift. It can help build confidence, long lasting bonds, and valuable life lessons. Check out our interview with Dametria Kinsley, Cantu’s Global Vice President of Marketing, to find out how Cantu is helping to unite and empower young women.
What inspired you to want to partner with Women Empowering Nations and the 2022 Girls Leading Our World Global Cohort?
Cantu really resonated with Women Empowering Nations’ (WEN) mission and goals. The founder, Carlish Bradley, is really driven to help change the narrative and future for young women around the world which is aligned with Cantu’s purpose. We want to use our platform to amplify Women Empowering Nations’ message deeper in the communities that we serve. Cantu is all about empowering women to live their authentic lives, so we want to use our platform and resources to magnify these types of programs that uplift the next generation of women. Our partnership with WEN is the first of many initiatives to live our purpose in 2022.Mentorship can be a powerful gift. It can help build confidence, long lasting bonds, and valuable life lessons. Check out our interview with Dametria Kinsley, Cantu’s Global Vice President of Marketing, to find out how Cantu is helping to unite and empower young women.What inspired you to want to partner with Women Empowering Nations and the 2022 Girls Leading Our World Global Cohort?
Cantu really resonated with Women Empowering Nations’ (WEN) mission and goals. The founder, Carlish Bradley, is really driven to help change the narrative and future for young women around the world which is aligned with Cantu’s purpose. We want to use our platform to amplify Women Empowering Nations’ message deeper in the communities that we serve. Cantu is all about empowering women to live their authentic lives, so we want to use our platform and resources to magnify these types of programs that uplift the next generation of women. Our partnership with WEN is the first of many initiatives to live our purpose in 2022.
Can you tell us what the Cantu GLOW Global Fellowship will entail?
The Fellowship is our version of a brand bootcamp that will encompass a four-pillar approach. The fellows will gain experience in four key areas – consumer, concept, commercialization, and campaign. The goal is to expose the selects to consumer insights which will turn into a product concept to be brought to life on retailer shelves via commercialization. The first area is to study consumer needs and shopping behavior. The second area is the concept, to fill the needs of the consumer. The girls will experience the process of coming up with the concept for Cantu products. Third area is commercialization of the product and what the process entails to get products into retailers. Lastly, they will learn how to create a marketing campaign for the new products. At the end of the fellowship, there will be a capstone project to showcase their knowledge of the four pillars on product ideation and marketing. They will present their final project in Dubai with a stipend payment at the end.
What are you hoping the girls will gain from this experience?
Our goal is to create a platform to champion women of color leaders. We want to help these young women achieve and gain confidence through the curriculum to help navigate their future. They will gain a network of people they can rely on globally. One of the keys to success is networking and creating a circle of people that can provide support and accountability. This Cohort will provide them with a network to do just that – young women empowering/supporting other young women!
Why is this work so important to Cantu?
Cantu’s mission has always been and continues to be to care for the community of our consumers. WEN’s mission is to provide exposure, development, and mentorship for girls of color to help accelerate their path to executive leadership, a mission that aligns with Cantu. As a brand, we want to provide support to the same consumers who have helped us become who we are today.
So much has changed over the past two years. What are your thoughts on the state of the haircare industry? What direction what trends do you see developing?
The hair industry is an evolving industry. No longer is it, are you relaxed or natural. Now it’s more you can be anything at any time which is so liberating. Women can wear their natural hair today and wear protective styles next week and straight the next. It’s just about being authentically you however you want to be with no one standard of beauty.
Is there anything else you would like to share about this amazing initiative?
It’s a surprise but the top performer from the Glow Fellowship will have the opportunity to become a Cantu Global Brand Ambassador!
How can people stay up to date with the Global Fellowship and young ladies’ progress?
Visit wenations.org and WENATIONS Instagram for any fellowship updates.
