At age seven, Kamaria Warren and her mom—graphic designer Shaunice Sasser—went shopping for birthday invitations for her upcoming party. What they found was no product that represented Brown and Black girls. That necessity hatched an invention, and Brown Girls Stationery was born.4

That set the McDonough, Georgia, native on the route to creating party and school supplies, stationery, vegan purses, and accessories for girls. Most products bear a cheery illustration of a Black or Brown girl, and Warren also sells dolls.

“Because of our unique images and offerings, we are able to make money while having an impact,” Warren says of the business, which has five employees and five volunteers. She sells her products on Shopify, Faire Marketplace, wholesale, and at local events. On average, Warren sells some 10,000 notebooks, 2,500 notepads, and 1,500 backpacks each year.

What motivates her, Warren says, is “seeing other girls wear my stuff and being proud of who they are.” Her motto is: Dear Brown girl, you have the ability to change the world.

She Said: Failure and the fear of failure should not be the end of your entrepreneurial journey. Rather, allow failure to motivate you and use it as a catalyst to refine your strategy.