myleik teele - The Finance Bar

t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e on the cover
myleik
teele
ON LIFE, MONEY &
sum m e r 2 015
QUICK TIPS TO
AN ORGANIZED
CLOSET
QUINTEL GWINN
THE JOURNEY
STOP ALLOWING “NEW
STUFF” TO CLOUD YOUR
FINANCE GOALS
CARRIE PINK
WHAT TO DO
WHEN YOU HAVE
“NOTHING” TO WEAR
MELISSA CHANEL
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
Marsha’s note
Hi there.
I’ve believed for a long time that less really is
more. Less of what we think we need to really
thrust us forward in life, and more of the things
that are FREE that will get us moving in the right
direction. More discipline. More commitment.
More action. More sacrifice.
learned will never be forgotten. My Grandmother
would say something along the lines of, “She
is wise beyond her years.” Tis true my friends.
Disciplined, committed, knowledgeable, giving,
and a force like no other. It is my hope that you
gain as much as I did from her story on MONEY,
Many of us hear a constant chirp in our brains LIFE, and the JOURNEY. As you read, ponder
that tell us that we need to do this, have that, be upon ways that you can move beyond remaining
here, or to be there. A pull on our life that leaves on the surface.
very little time to just sit and smell the roses. An Dive in and catch our finance, fashion, beauty,
area that personally, I celebrate. Meditation, time and home style reads on how to capitalize on
alone, and space to reflect on all the wonders of working with “Less to create More.” Make note
the world.
of the tips and put them to use.
Last month, Carrie Pink provided us with a
BEAUTFIUL post, titled “I can and I will-A
Personal Finance Manifesto.” I was so intrigued
by it that I decided to keep it as a recurring post.
Not a chance that it’ll ever get old. Not only is
it encouraging, inspiring, and motivating, but it’s
necessary. Dig deep and read it over and over
until the message clicks. Inside of our May issue
there is much more that will lead you to a place
of working with what you have now to grow
yourself a garden of a better tomorrow.
I sat down with Myleik Teele this month, Founder
of curlBOX. Just let me say that the lessons I
Ah, then there’s our life champions known to
many as Mom, Grand mom, God Mom, Aunties,
etc., that provided us with much joy throughout
our lives. Our social media circle gets social
along with our contributors,who provided some
amazing finance tips shared by the favorite
women in their lives.
Read on....
xoxo,
Marsha
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
contents
finance
A person al f in an ce ma ni f e st o
ca r r i e p i nk
college finances
A nyt h in g “Ma y” Happe n
cover story
by j a smi ne b ower s
Homestyle
Close t O rgan ization
by q u i nt el gwi nn
myleik
teele
ON LIFE, MONEY &
THE JOURNEY
fashion
“ Th e essen tials will wo r k
just f in e”
by mel i ssa c ha nel
finance
How to stop allowing “new stuff”
to cloud your finance goals
by ca r r i e p i nk
beauty
5 T ips To Add a “Pop ” t o
an ever y da y look
by j o hna t ha ca m p
i asked, you answered
Great f in an ce advice f ro m
mom, gran dma or aunt ?
by yo u, t he so ci a l b u tt er f l y
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e Carrie Pink
sum m e r 2 015
[ @ Ca r r i ePi nk ] // F i na nces
Carrie has always had a love for fashion, great food, friends and vacations, she admits
that it was more like an obsession. Carrie even had the funds to support the high life no
holds barred for a time, but when her trust fund tapped out she realized the importance of
getting creative. That’s how her journey in personal finance began. Carrie wanted to fix her
financial life, but still had the desire to look like a million bucks and live well without actually
spending it all. The Financial Stylist believes that there is hope for the aggressive spender
yet nominal saver/investor. Carrie wants to teach every woman in the world how to blur the
lines between Frugal & Fabulous.
Quintel Gwinn
[ @ Qu i ngwi nn] // Ho me Int er i o r
Quintel is the owner and principal interior designer for Charlotte, NC-based Quin Gwinn
Interiors. She is the creative director for The Olive Guide – a digital shelter magazine illuminating the work and perspectives of designers and creative of color. She also curates a
blog called The Queen’s Wreath.
contributors
Jasmine Bowers
[ @Ja smi neD Bower s]
C o l l e g e F i n ances
A native of Charlotte, NC, Jasmine Bowers holds a B.S. degree in mathematics and a
B.S. degree in computer science from Fort Valley State University. Miss Bowers is now a
graduate student at North Carolina A&T State University, where she is pursuing a master
of science in computer science. Upon graduation in May, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in
computer science. In conjunction with her academic pursuits, she has facilitated various
financial workshops while an undergraduate at FVSU, and plans to continue to support
the vision and mission of The Finance Bar.
Melissa Chanel
[ @ M el i ssa Cha nel ] // Fa shi o n
Melissa Chanel is the creator/voice of MelissaChanel.com, a fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog that offers hair, fitness & styling tips for the average girl. Aside from providing
inspiration, the blog also offers a peek inside her world. She takes her readers virtually
everywhere, including her travels and shopping excursions. When Melissa is not writing
for MelissaChanel, she is working full time as a social media specialist, which goes hand
in hand with her brand.
Johnatha Camp
[ @j ca m p mu a ] // Bea u ty
Johnatha Camp is a Professional Celebrity MUA and loves the beauty industry. Johnatha is a multi-talented Charlotte native who is taking makeup artistry to new heights. She
launched her business, J.Camp Makeup Artistry in January 2009. Her work has been featured in Black Enterprise Magazine, Sister 2 Sister Magazine, Today’s Charlotte Woman
Magazine, and Creative Loafing.
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
CONVO FROM OUR CONTRIBUTORS:
Every time I’m in the store looking to purchase an item I hear my mom’s voice,
“Melissa, is that a need or a want!” That was my advice from her early on, letting
me know to think through every purchase and put money to the side for a “rainy
day.” –Melissa Chanel
My lovely mom has always said, “It’s not all about how much money you MAKE,
it’s about how much money you KEEP!” With this advice, it taught me the importance of saving money and making wise decisions on purchases. The power of
a financial plan will enable you to have the resources to not only take care of
needs, but wants as well.
–Johnatha Camp
The best finance advice I ever received was pay yourself first. A portion of every
dollar you receive should stay in the home bank. Read that in a book in my early
20’s and the lightbulb went off, it just clicked! I watched my grandmother tuck money away under mattresses, dresser drawers, and under armoires. Everywhere you turned there were envelopes of money
hidden, which taught me that sometimes you have to trick yourself into saving for
yourself!
–Carrie Pink
“Expensive clothes are nice but temporary. You’ll thank me later.” I thank her almost daily for that information.
–Jasmine Bowers t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
finance
I can and I will - A Personal Finance Manifesto
by ca r r ie pink
Now that spring is here and the
reality of brunch season is upon
us, it’s time we pull out all the
stops to keep our finances cool
as a cucumber as the temperature
rises. We can all use a few
motivational tools to stick to those
financial plans can’t we? Let’s
continue making those finances
work without missing a beat in the
summer heat!
Who remembers Mad Libs? You had those fun worksheets with
blanks to fill in giving you a totally silly story at the end. Well this is
The Finance Bar Lib, a financial motivational worksheet. Fill in the
blanks as you go and by the end you’ll have created a personal
finance manifesto!
Ready? Let’s get started decreeing and declaring our summer
financial life! -Carrie Pink
I am responsible for my own financial well-being. There
was a time where I would point fingers or blame others but
not anymore! I accept the fact that the onus is on me
and me alone. I recognize that my financial situation
is the sum of my financial habits and decisions over time. I
can and I will take responsibility for my
financial life. I have been honest with myself
on what the requirements are to fix my financial situation right
now. I set a plan and have already put it into motion
at the top of this year. I created a budget and will continue
to stick to it. I will not allow a few weeks of warm
weather to mess this up for me. I have been doing great! I
will not hide, avoid, ignore or deny a plan I created to
help the reality of my financial situation.
I deserve to live my ultimate life, where I enjoy my days
and my nights, a life where I don’t have to worry about
money or how I am going to bills. I reject the idea
that this is just a fantasy for the fairy tales, I know it is a real
possibility for my life if I want it and I do! To achieve
this goal I must take ahold of my financial life in every
aspect this summer, especially emotionally.
My time to be 100% honest with myself starts
now. The biggest threat to my financial life this summer is
______________________________________________
______________________________________________.
I know because it has happened before and has since
______________________________________________
______________________________________________.
I will not let this threat keep me from my ultimate
financial life this year! The first thing I need to do to safeguard
my finances this summer is
______________________________________________
______________________________________________.
The second thing I can do to stick to my financial
plan this summer is
______________________________________________
______________________________________________.
I know this will require me to challenge my
current relationship with money even more than before. I
acknowledge that money is a tool that I can learn to
use even more effectively. It only has two uses; to buy options
or opportunities. When I spend frivolously or deviate from
my plan I am buying options, Options that rob my financial
freedom fund. When I stick to the plan, invest in myself, and
my financial future I am buying opportunities that bring
me closer to my ultimate life.
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
finance
I can and I will - A Personal Finance Manifesto
by ca r r ie pink
My financial situation is made up of three things;
financial habits, financial resources and
financial knowledge. As of today I have all the
If I continue to exhibit discipline and learn to remix my wardrobe
I can and will shop less often.
financial knowledge I need to change
my financial situation I just have a few bad
this summer to increase my wealth by ________ %
financial habits left that I can and I will change. The top
three offenders are
I am excited about all the experiences I will enjoy this
1. ______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
I can and I will create new money
habits. I will replace my top three offenders with these
In addition to sticking to my financial plan, I have a goal
summer with friends old and new. Afternoons at the beach,
picnics in the park, evening strolls with my love, wine tastings,
golf outings and tennis lessons, but I am not willing to sacrifice my
future financial life to do it. I will meet the end of the summer still
on track financially and ready to rock the rest of the
year! My current financial reality will not be forever.
three good financial habits.
1. _______________________________________
2. _______________________________________
3. _______________________________________
I acknowledge that a portion of every dollar I earn is mine
to keep. I can and I will save boldly and
not touch it for any reason! My goal is to eventually save
10-30% of my income per month! I will not eat, drink,
wear or mortgage all my income away.
I enjoy delayed gratification. I do not need
to have everything I want. I do not need to keep
up with the latest fashion trends or dress like a celebrity,
I do not have a bankroll to match theirs. I cannot
“currently” afford to live, dress or vacation like
them. I also do not need to prove my financial situation to
anyone through my wardrobe, car I drive or shoes I wear.
Love,
________________
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
college finance
Any t h i n g “M a y” Happen
by j as m in e b owe r s
It’s May, and the weather is getting HOT! Now, I know you may want to head to the mall
to purchase new summer outfits... but wait! Have you saved a sufficient amount of money to
cover those unexpected events? Anything “may” happen, including the following:
Unplanned medical expenses
Unexpected moving expenses
Mandatory vehicle repair
Family emergency
Emergency that requires travel
Required home repair
And the list goes on! So, before you swipe your card, consider the unexpected events that occurred within the last year,
calculate the costs, and use that total as your initial savings goal. Organize your expenses in the fields below:
I spent $__________._____ for _____________ on ___ /___ / ____
I spent $__________._____ for _____________ on ___ /___ / ____
I spent $__________._____ for _____________ on ___ /___ / ____
I spent $__________._____ for _____________ on ___ /___ / ____
I spent $__________._____ for _____________ on ___ /___ / ____
_______________________________________________________
I spent a total of $__________._____ from ___ /___ / ____ to ___ /___ / ____
You may not save it all at one time, but the purpose of saving is to eventually reach a goal. Hence, your plan should
be to save $__________._____ for _____________ by ___ /___ / ____.
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
college finance
Any t h i n g “M a y” Happen
by j as m in e b owe r s
Now that you have thought more about your previous unplanned expenses, fill in as many potential emergency expenses as possible below.
save $__________._____ for _____________ by ___ /___ / ____
save $__________._____ for _____________ by ___ /___ / ____
save $__________._____ for _____________ by ___ /___ / ____
save $__________._____ for _____________ by ___ /___ / ____
save $__________._____ for _____________ by ___ /___ / ____ _______________________________________________________
save a total of $__________._____ by ___ /___ / ____ Having a plan is always a key to success. Life happens, but it’s always better when you’re prepared!
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
homestyle
C leve r wa y s t o us e what yo u already h a ve
by q u in t el g wi n n
Whether you’re living in a onebedroom condo or a spacious
house, there is one thing we all
have in common: the need for an
organized closet. Turning your
dream closest into a reality can
be easier and less expensive
than you think. You can create a
system using things you already
have that’ll not only make storing
your shoes and clothes practical,
but also pleasing to see.
Gather your hangers together and plan where and how
you will organize your clothing. Hangers are also great
for storing scarves, ties and even belts.
Don’t let the wall in the back of your closet go unused.
With a few nails and hooks this could be a great space
for storing handbags, jewelry and other accessories.
Shower curtain hooks are an inexpensive solution and
can be used to hang anything. Attach them to shelf bars
or hangers to organize belts, scarves, or jeans.
Plastic bins and containers are great for shoe storage. Not
only do they take up minimal space, but they for maintain
and protect your items.
Simply color coding your closet can be a major update
and make selecting from your wardrobe easier. Utilize
hanging and folding space to divide your clothing into
colorful categories.
Have fun exploring your closet.
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
fashion
The Essentials Will Work Just Fine
by melis s a c h a n e l
“I have nothing to wear!”
The Result
We’ve all said this or heard this before. If we didn’t have anything to
wear our closets would be empty,
but that’s not the case. We have
closets full of clothes so why are we
complaining? Just for the feeling of
something brand new?
Money, money, money, monnneeeeeeeeey. I promise by
effectively following the plan your bank acct will grow.
You won’t send unnecessary money on clothing you don’t
need. You will notice you can match different tops and
bottoms and that your clothing last longer than before. Sit
down and calculate how much money you were spending on clothing before this process and every month put
that money into a savings acct.
Keep this plan in mind the next time you’re headed to the
store to purchase unnecessary items and trust me, I will
too. Purge, even sell the items you no longer wear to start
a savings. Be creative, come up with new ways to wear
what you have. Put that extra money you were spending
on clothing into a bank acct and see how much it’s grown
by the end of the year.
Remember, it’s not about how much clothing you have,
it’s about how you wear it. We can all be fashionistas on
a budget.
XOXO,
The Plan
The next free weekend sit and go through all of your clothing, only keeping items you love and would wear over
and over again. Your essentials will work just fine, why?
Because you’ll have timeless pieces that you can wear
again and mix and match with other items in your closet.
If you have a dress you’ve worn one time, toss it-give it
away, it has to go. Those jeans that you can’t fit but you
know you’ll drop the pounds to get in them, they must
go too. Process of elimination is in full effect. After going
through all your clothing you’ll now know what you really
have and what you don’t have. You will SEE all of your
clothing and not forget about any items. Timeless essentials will never go out of style.
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
finance
3 L i f e Res e r voirs : H ow t o n o t le t “ N ew
S t u f f” Cloud our F in ancial Go als
by ca r r ie pink
It’s Saturday afternoon.
You’re in the mall, just
browsing of course, no real
plans to buy a thing, no
special event on the horizon,
but on your stroll you stumble
upon the most beautiful dress
you have ever laid your eyes
on. What should you do?
For many trying to get their finances on track this type of
unplanned purchase would derail their financial progress and
You take a twirl or two which makes the price tag rustle.
You glance at it mid twirl which stops you dead in your
tracks. $249….but there is a red slash through that and
handwritten underneath is a second price $199. Whew!
You breathe a small sigh of relief, “It’s on sale!” and you
take a brief moment to ponder this potential, unplanned,
unbudgeted, impulse purchase before heading to the cash
register, new dress in hand.
1. Routinely review your financial goals. If you
did you know that 88% of impulse buying is motivated
by the simple fact that an item is on sale?*
Obsessions with new “stuff” not only keeps many struggling
financially. It also keeps our homes extremely overcrowded.
We already have much more than we need, but we also
believe we deserve more and we believe this is our only
chance to ever have x, y, z, because it’s the last one in our
As you get a little closer you size, it’s beautiful, or we won’t find another deal like this ever
realize the dress is literally again. Meanwhile our closets can barely close, our drawers
the only one left in your size. You cannot resist. You grab are over flowing and our bank accounts are almost empty…
it and dash off to the fitting room. As you are slipping into
it you can just tell it’s going to fit like a glove. You zip it up How do we take ahold of ourselves and our impulse to buy?
3 life reservoirs.
and face yourself in the mirror. It. Fits. Perfectly.
Does this scenario sound familiar? *raise your hand if it
has happened to you too* In fact, this happens to women
in real life all the time! Over 90% of all people admit
to making impulse buys* Budgets go out the window,
financial goals, future plans all drop off the face of the
earth. The only thing that matters in that moment is you
looking absolutely gorgeous in that dress, even though
you don’t know when or where you will ever wear it. Its
ok, you’ll figure that out once it’s safely hanging in your
closet right?
(Btw, feel free to swap our dress example with a bag,
shoes, or unexpected vacation because you received a
Facebook tag about a flight deal.)
know that every Friday you review your financial
goals those unplanned weekend shopping trips should
become much less frequent.
2. Understand your wants vs your needs. Spending
where it matters in the short term will help you learn
how to prioritize long term. If you know you need new
brakes, that new dress becomes less desirable.
3. Stop and Wait. Love the dress? Don’t want to leave
without it, worried that you’ll regret not buying it?
Wait! Go home, sleep on it overnight, and ask the
store to put it on hold. There are few things you will
ever find the urge to go back and purchase once
you’ve left the store and had significant time to think
more clearly about it.
Don’t let “new stuff” cloud your financial goals, less really is
more, and in this case, less new stuff will mean more money in
your financial freedom fund!
Which life reservoir will you use to help curb your urge to
We quickly forget that every unexpected dollar we spend spend the most?
is a direct deduction from our goal for financial freedom. Of
course we should have fun funds, and shopping budgets
and the occasional latte, but where do you draw the line
between Financial Fun and Financial Fail?
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
beauty
5 T i p s To Ad d A Po p To An Ever yda y L o o k
by j oh n at h a c a m p
1. Dewy Finish Setting Spray: By
using this product, this will help set
your foundation and give you that
light glow and moisturized/dewy
finish that will keep your makeup
looking fresh! Summertime is right
around the corner ladies so make
sure you look nice and dewy
not oily or greasy!. (NYX Dewy
Setting Spray)
2. Blush or Bronzer: This
is the perfect product to
give your cheeks a pop
of color! The skin craves
warmth, and makeup
looks complete with
warm and accentuating
colors when applied
to the apples of the
cheeks!
3. Mascara: By using mascara on the top and bottom
lashes, this will open the eyes and give your eyes
that “wide-bright eyed” look!
4. Colored Eyeliner/Eyeliner Gel: By applying simple
liner to the lid and waterline shows off your eye shape
and can go with any casual or night on the town looks!
Ladies this is classic but fierce!
5. Brows: Eyebrows frame your face and gives you that
completed look for your makeup. Don’t go without
“manicured eyebrows” ladies! You should ALWAYS set
your brows with clear brow gel to give it that “natural
wet brow” look to help separate and control the brow
hair. This is a MUST for your makeup regimen!
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e only
$10 per
month
sum m e r 2 015
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
social media gets social
I As ke d , You A ns wered
by yo u , t h e s o c i a l b u t t e r f l y
@SHIPPEDWITHLOVE: NEVER BREAK A BILL ON A SUNDAY,
YOU’LL BE BROKE THE REST OF THE WEEK.
@IAMCAMMILLECARI: IF YOU CANNOT BUY IT TWICE, YOU
DON’T NEED IT-AUNT, ALWAYS PUT A PERCENTAGE AWAY,
BECAUSE A RAINY DAY WILL COME. –MOM
@MS_FABULOUS: IT’S NOT WHAT YOU CAN SPEND IT’S WHAT
YOU CAN SAVE.
@HELLOBEAUTIFUL_HELLOGORGEOUS: WHEN YOU MARRY,
BUDGET BASED ON THE LOWER INCOME. THAT WAY LACK
OF FINANCES WILL NEVER BE AN ISSUE IN YOUR MARRIAGE
BECAUSE YOU AREN’T STRESSING OR FIGHTING OVER MONEY.
@TK_MARIE: REQUEST BI-WEEKLY DRAFTS WHEN PAYING OFF
A LOAN. THIS WILL RESULT IN PAYING MORE TOWARD THE
PRINCIPAL INSTEAD OF RESETTING THE “INTEREST CLOCK.”
@MPEAZY444: MY DAD TOLD ME. DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOU
HAVE A DOLLAR TO SAVE A PENNY.
@QUEENDEMEANOR: NEVER HANG YOUR HAT WHERE YOUR HAND CANT REACH. –MY WEST INDIAN
MOTHER.
B.I_AND_O: ALWAYS PUT SOMETHING TO THE SIDE. $5, $10. IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW MUCH, IT ALL ADDS
UP.
@LILYLASHA: IF YOU CAN’T PAY CASH FOR IT YOU CAN’T AFFORD IT. THAT ADVICE HAS ALWAYS MADE ME
THINK TWICE ABOUT EVERY NON NECESSITY PURCHASE.
@LAPANDALOVE: NEVER GIVE ANYONE ALL YOUR MONEY.
@KIANA_YVETTE: NEVER COSIGN FOR ANYONE.
@JAMARAMAJ: IF YOU AINT’ GOT IT, YA AIN’T GOT IT. –MAMA, ON NOT SPENDNG IMAGINARY MONEY.
@MRSSANDMAN712: IF YOUR OUTGO EXCEEDS YOUR INCOME THEN YOUR UPKEEP IS GOING TO TAKE A
FALL.
@_THEDANI: NEVER MOVE INTO A PLACE (WITH A SIGNIFICANT OTHER) THAT YOU CAN’T AFFORD ON YOUR
OWN.
@DREAMSOMTHINGUP: UTILIZE YOUR TALENTS TO EARN INCOME.
@TISHTOTHETASH: ALWAYS HAVE “SHE” MONEY.
@JENNSTAGRAM: KEEP A SAVINGS ACCOUNT THAT NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT.
@JET_DIVA: NEVER SPEND YOUR LAST DOLLAR
@CANDACEJ125: IF YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO GIVE IT, DON’T LEND IT. THIS HAS SERVED ME WELL.
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
cover story
M y l e i k Teele
f eatu re in t er v i ew
Life, Money & The Journey
Name: Myleik Teele
Resides: Atlanta, GA
Embraced with a warm welcome inside the curlBOX
headquarters dripping with marble, sprinkles of glittered
glamour, pinks, golds, and a team that exudes stellar
work ethic stood Myleik Teele. Confident. Sure…and
pretty darn Badass! As expected she was working on
what’s next while greeting me with an abundant-“HELLO,
I’ll be with you in just a moment!” I had a moment of
reflection from her [what I refer to as an online classroom]
#mytaughtyou podcast that references the importance of
making the most of your time. Yep, I think she’s an expert
in that area.
Myleik on LIFE
TFB: Today is exactly 9 days from your 36th birthday.
What do you know for sure?
Myleik Teele: I think that I have always been on the
pursuit for success and I don’t think success is all about
money, but all about living the way you want to livebeing happy with what you do, waking up in the morning
and not being miserable about where you have to go.
When many people think about entrepreneurship they
think it’s all about working for themselves plus frolicking
and being free. So whether you work for someone else or
for yourself you still have to get up and go to work every
day. I now know for sure that all of the hard work, all of
the discipline and staying focused every single day will
add up and then you’re reminded that you will win.
CEO (Chief Experience Office) of curlBOX, Myleik and
Team most recently celebrated year three! The wave is
constantly flowing at curlBOX with the brand constantly
evolving. In just a few years, curlBOX has managed to
deliver excellence right to your front door. Natural hair
products, curlBOX KIDS for the little ones, curlBOX
I use to think it was “all or none at all.” Every now and
NATURAL, and yes, now curlBOX BODY.
again I would run into an obstacle dressed as a person
According to Myleik, it has been a journey of patience, that would say “You want too much.” ”Your expectations
discipline, and sacrifice. The curlBOX headquarters is are too high.” “This is impossible.” ”You can’t do this.” or
indeed a haven of hope for thousands of entrepreneurs “Why are you doing it like this?” In just about everything I
that connect with Myleik across the web daily. I asked, do-I do my best, I look at it, and then I look at it again, just
she answered and here’s to you. Life lessons, MONEY to make sure we have the best one. I will research and I will
lessons, and lessons on how to conquer the journey.
dig deeper so while everyone is staying on the surface I
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
cover story
M y l e i k Teele
f eatu re in t er v i ew
now know for sure that digging deeper and going harder
will result in success. It’s almost like the return on your
investment. You put in a little you get a little you put in a lot
you get a lot. I know that.
TFB: “I’m not sure that people hated you Myleik. We
often hate what we don’t know or we hate that we
haven’t accomplished what others have, we even envy
the boldness of others to do it before we have the chance
I wasn’t sure in the beginning. I wondered if this would to. The plot thickens from year to year. This is an area that
ever pan out. Then I was finally like “Oh yeah!” Once my many of us can use a little work in. It takes a certain level
business sort of took off, I was prepared. All of the stuff of discipline and bravery to thrust towards what we dream
that I did along the way, every internship, every job, and about.
every tedious monotonous task that I had done added up. TFB: Beyond the curlBOX brand what makes you happy?
I was able to handle hurdles, questions, even challenges
with-“That’s that, I know how to find that or that’s easy.” Myleik Teele: Happiness is a thing that I’m always
My responses were quick because my preparation lead thinking about. My happiness matters most to me. I find
the greatest amount of joy in being able to share my things
me there.
with everyone. Be it through my podcast, being able to
What people don’t realize while they’re doing things that employ, being able to share the things that I now know
feel tedious, monotonous or taxing, is that it’s simply the for sure or the things that I have acquired. Basically, I get
process of getting the muscles strong so that when you’re the greatest joy of inviting everybody to ride on the boat
on that treadmill of success and you’re going fast you can that I built with my hands. It’s less about what I did and
almost do whatever because you’ve been there and your more about saying ‘Come on this is working.” That makes
muscles are now strengthened. I think people wait for a me happy.
big moment but big moments happen every day in those
little moments.
TFB: You’re constantly teaching your followers on various
topics via #mytaught you. Who is Myleik at the core or
what would you consider your “real work” to be?
Myleik Teele: I’m passionate about women of color
because I feel like socially, with our families and historically
we deal with complex sort of issues around money, the
issues around our self-esteem and the issues around where
we see ourselves in the world. When companies like Inc.
Magazine and Fast Company are not putting people who
look like me on the cover how do you know that this is for
you. I also think we have been conditioned to believe that
certain things are not for us and that’s not true. My core
is to say “EVERYTHING IS FOR YOU!” Don’t allow your
insecurities, don’t allow society, and don’t allow your
family history to tell you anything different. That’s why I’m
so passionate about sharing things that I’ve gone through.
It’s funny that so many people are fans of mine because
it didn’t start out that way. People hated me for “I guess”
what I was doing and then when people took the time to
research me or to get to know what I’m really about it’s
like why am I hating on this girl? There was no root reason.
I was giving away information that I paid money for but I
share it because it doesn’t take away for me.
Myleik on MONEY:
TFB: This week is Small business week. Small business is
typically categorized by how many employees, or annual
receipts. How do you define a solid small business?
Myleik Teele: The funny thing is I don’t really know
what a small business or big business is. I view a small
business as constant flow of income. I have a constant
flow of income with curlBOX and with #mytaughtyou.
Meaning, we are selling curlBOX monthly as we do
deals, but it’s still constant. Since I launched that site
(www.mytaughtyou.com) there has not been a day that
I haven’t sold something on it. I think that when you’ve
generated enough interest to sell things everyday it’s
solid and that’s in terms of products. Then there are also
services. I was doing services before I was doing products
so I was more of a consultant before this. I would set a
financial goal which some people don’t do. Even when I
hired my assistant I asked “How much money do you want
to make in your life?” Thinking about setting a financial
goal and working to achieve it is extremely important. If
it’s a services deal and I had clients, I had a goal and I
knew what I needed to be comfortable every month and
t he f i n an c e ba r b lo g a z in e sum m e r 2 015
“I find the
greatest amount
of joy in being
able to share
my things with
everyone.”
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everything else was gravy. I also had some pretty solid
months. There were times when I made $20,000 per
month and I did that a couple of times by Myself but that
was all contributed to setting goals and saying “This is
how much work I’m going to do and this is how much I
plan to charge.”
TFB: As entrepreneurs we’re often afraid to take the leap
especially when we’re using our own money to fund it.
I read in your journal “Learn More to Earn More” that
during one particular holiday season you chose not to go
home (since you were saving up for curlBOX), what was
your strategy if any?
check for $2,000, over 10 years interest was compounding
which made it bigger and bigger every year. I knew I would
get that even though it was only a couple of grand but if I
needed it I could lean on it. I actually ended up not needing
it.
TFB: What advice would you have for those that are
extremely passionate; however they don’t have access to
capital (money)?
Myleik Teele: I think that you have to start small. People
are very busy trying to start at 100 people or 1,000 people
or 10,000 people. Serve 2 people, 5 people, 10 people
and what happens is the customers
that you have will pay you enough
Myleik Teele: No
to raise you up. I only started with
specific strategy really. I
200 members. I wasn’t trying to go
have been pretty decent
after thousands. I started with 200,
with money. I wasn’t great
then the next month I went to 500,
when I was younger but
when I was around 20…well college sucked. Once I got then the next month around 1,000 and I kept going but you
my first full time job after college I knew I had to change. I don’t start anything at the top.
was intimidated by money because I didn’t know about it
so that’s when I started taking the time to read, research to TFB: Any tips for us to eliminate money excuses in business?
figure out how to learn about money and to work on not Ex. I need a website but I also need a new pair of shoes?
being emotional about it or intimidated that other people Myleik Teele: You have to decide how serious you are about
had more than me. I understand that true currency when this. The year before I started curlBOX I didn’t go anywhere
you’re trying to get business is not about money it’s about and about eight months after its launch I didn’t. My friends
relationships so for all the money that it would have cost often wondered if I still lived in Atlanta. I went nowhere. I was
me to start curlBOX I had many people that I knew who in the house. I was working on stuff. I was trying to get things
trusted and respected me, therefore; they did things for me done, trying to have things ordered so when I launched I
for free. The advising that I gained came from friends of was ok. I also didn’t spend money. I didn’t spend money on
friends that I met socially, the girl that designed my logo I drinks and going out and I was fine. If you really want to
used her often when I was doing consulting. Everyone was do this you will have to cut out some social stuff. It’s a small
like--”If this works out shoot me some money.” I ended up sacrifice. People think that doing nothing for a year is huge
being able to pay everybody back the first month. The but it was incredibly enriching. I read, I cooked, painted my
universe conspired. The actual amount I spent was about whole house, did crafts, and painted chairs. Remaining busy
$200.
while planning.
Because our business was setup in the manner that Money doesn’t make you happy. I think that people feel
members were really financing curlBOX-they bought into that money makes them happy. There are big picture issues
something that they weren’t fully aware of and I constantly with having more money that aren’t discussed. What people
rolled those funds back into the business. I was also can get from you? How people view you, all these different
receiving an inheritance from my Godparents who passed things. People stop viewing you less of a human being and
away when I was around 24 and 25. They set up a fund more of a bag of money. Having more money is definitely
to be disbursed over 10 years and many people don’t do more freedom but there are evils that come along with it.
that. Every January until I was around 34, I would get a
“MONEY DOESN’T
MAKE YOU HAPPY”
Myleik on the Journey:
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TFB: What are a few key lessons that you’ve learned
along the way during your curlBoX journey?
Myleik Teele: Patience. I don’t think I had very
much patience before. I’m conditioned to working by
myself. I had to develop patience for others, customers,
employees, all factors that I never had to deal with. I
was once very short with people, very no no-nonsense
and in many ways I still am but I’ve developed a
nice flexibility that I think is helpful. I have learned to
better manage money. I thought I was good, but I’ve
had to get even better with my finances. When money
is coming in and out this and that, fees and all these
different things that I didn’t have to deal with before.TFB:
How do you identify what’s next? Ex. curlBOX>curlBOX
kids>curlBOX natural>curlBOX body?
Myleik Teele: I just do what I want to do. I do what
feels good, or what I’m interested in doing. I love body
products, I love hair stuff, I have moms saying that I have
such trouble with my kids hair, sometimes the brands
will contact us and say-“Hey we have something really
great can you help us?” It just depends. I think that
everything that I do it’s about what feels good to me.
There’s no pressure. This is why I don’t have investors it’s
my own company so I can do whatever I want.
TFB: As an entrepreneur what is (1) thing that we should
all remind ourselves of daily?
Myleik Teele: Feelings are not facts and they will
pass if you allow them to. I had that written out. You’re
going to have to deal with a difficult person or a difficult
client - somebody that’s helping to pay your bills. You
may not like what everyone says to you so while you
feel disrespected that’s not a fact, you just didn’t like
what they said. As women, we get consumed with the
feeling versus just saying this is the fact. I’m obsessive
about people being late. When I was first working with
people that had to come to work, I would hear- “This
happened and that happened.” While it may all be true
the fact was you were still late. If you separate the fact
from the feeling and while you may not like the feelings,
it’s still the fact. You can remove yourself and know that you
don’t have to have feelings about everything. If something
is true that’s correct it’s a FACT. I’m constantly working on
it instead of knocking myself out of the game by being so
emotional. It’s a psychological cycle. Feelings are not facts.
TFB: Do you think you’ve hit your stride or are you just
getting started?
Myleik Teele: Yes and no. The hardest part about this is
becoming popular to others. It feels like I’ve hit my stride
because people are aware of who I am. I’ve actually been
like this. I’ve been this way since I was 3 years old. My
dad was teaching me my vowels at the age of three, so
I was reading at three. My little cousin skipped the first
grade because every day she would come over after preschool and I would have her doing my work. I learned it
and would teach it to her. I’ll be 36 and she’s now 32. As
a very young child she was always sitting there eager to
learn. When she was preparing to go to school she started
off in the second grade. I’ve been doing this my whole life.
While people know me and the existence of curlBOX, I
honestly still don’t know. I don’t know what are some of
the other things that I’ll do. I’m still very ambitious. I have
less of this burning thing inside of Me. The thing inside of
me that once burned to get something out. I always had
a feeling that felt like a pregnancy. I wanted to share
something with the world. It was an aching that started
in college. I was trying to start a business in college and
the ache was there. When I first started curlBOX it was to
cure the ache. Weather this succeeds or not I had to try it
fully and wholeheartedly so if it worked or not, I birthed
something. I don’t have that feeling much anymore. I’m not
sure that something else will ache for me or if I’ll just say I
did this now I’m done.
You can learn more about curlBOX at
www.curlbox.com,
or connect with Myleik at www.mytaughtyou.com